My *** kick currently takes me either nowhere or slightly BACKWARDS. =)
(Boy, that sounds a lot like my once-broken flutter kick I was complaining about here. =))
My instructor insists that I do it in the following way:
1. streamline
2. bend legs keeping knees together
3. begin to separate feet, keeping knees together
4. whip legs out and back together, finally separating knees for an instant
I've tried this a thousand times and while I do move quite nicely when I add in my arm strokes, my kick contributes little or nothing to that movement.
I've watched a bunch of videos and I've found that most competitive swimmers (and even James Bond in Casino Royale =)) do the following:
1. streamline
2. bend legs AND separate needs to form a bent "V" of sorts
3. whip legs back together
Which style do you guys use? Does it make sense that I wouldn't be getting any power from the former style? I haven't even tried the second style, but I have a feeling it would work a lot better for me.
Parents
Former Member
If this helps: think of your kick as a wedge, if you're watching form behind. Your knees stay somewhat close together on a flat plane. Bring your feet up towrds your butt, turn your ankles out and bring them back down in a WEDGE shape...or a V shape...whichever helps you see it. Just remember to keep your knees straight behind you. Do NOT bring them towards your chest, which is a common mistake. That could be what's pushing you backwards.
A drill to help your leg position: do breaststroke kick on your back and be aware of your knees. YOU do NOT want to bring them above the water level. You want to keep them along the surface with your feet coming twards your butt and wedge them around. When you have this down, try it on your belly with your hands on your butt. You should try kicking your hands each time, but remember to keep your knees BEHIND you. Just life your head to breathe as needed. NEVER EVER EVER EVER bring them towards your chest. This is a massive brake to keep your kick from going anywhere...or make you go backwards!
If this helps: think of your kick as a wedge, if you're watching form behind. Your knees stay somewhat close together on a flat plane. Bring your feet up towrds your butt, turn your ankles out and bring them back down in a WEDGE shape...or a V shape...whichever helps you see it. Just remember to keep your knees straight behind you. Do NOT bring them towards your chest, which is a common mistake. That could be what's pushing you backwards.
A drill to help your leg position: do breaststroke kick on your back and be aware of your knees. YOU do NOT want to bring them above the water level. You want to keep them along the surface with your feet coming twards your butt and wedge them around. When you have this down, try it on your belly with your hands on your butt. You should try kicking your hands each time, but remember to keep your knees BEHIND you. Just life your head to breathe as needed. NEVER EVER EVER EVER bring them towards your chest. This is a massive brake to keep your kick from going anywhere...or make you go backwards!
