After becoming extremely frustrated with the relatively weak power of my kick (read: sometimes it doesn't move me at all without strokes), I did some reading.
A lot of folks say "drive from the hips, drive from the hips!" But then I watch "good" swimmers -- even olympians -- moving through the water by bending their knees.
Sure, their upper legs move too, but it looks like 75% knees.
How does that qualify as "driving from the hips"?
Now, one article I read said something that made a lot of sense to me: the extent to which you have to use your knees and calves depends on the flexibility of your ankles. If your ankles naturally flex out that way, you can keep your legs straight. If they don't, you might have to bend at the knees to compensate and get the best ankle-angle.
What IS the best ankle angle? Is the ideal kick one with the toes/foot pointed directly back, or is it more like sculling where the foot should be angled relative to its up-down motion? What is the principle here?
