I've noticed that when I kick on my back I really move...when I kick on my stomach it's not as fast. I wouldn't mind so much but I can only do so much backstroke due to an old rotator cuff injury. So...other than kicking (because I am getting really frustrated) what can I do to get my freestyle flutter more effective? Any dryland? I notice that there is rarely any "whitewater" when I kick, even when I feel like I'm kicking hard. I do see "boiling" though. If that even makes sense...Thanks:)
Former Member
Boiling water is good.
It means that you're kicking water not necessarily air.
If you have the stamina...try sitting on your ankles to stretch them.
The more flexibilty you gain...the more flutter in your flutter kick.
Thanks guys...I have been working on ankle flex a bit but maybe not the right part of the movement. I can easily point almost to the floor when sitting with legs out straigt. Maybe it's the reverse move I need to work on. In fact, it makes sense that it could be a problem. I'll try that ankle sit thing...my knees are non-problematic.
Also, I noticed in one of the posts that someone mentioned making a conscious effort to point the toes while kicking freestyle. To me it seems like that would tighten up the movement...I was thinking the kick was supposed to be looser. Help!
btw...I use a small pointed type kickboard that forces me to maintain streamline (makes you use more of the core to keep straight too). It doesn't bother my back...traditional kickboards definitely do. I think it's called an alignment kickboard. It's been great for side kicking as well.
I've been doing that stretch, too, for a few weeks. It always stretches/hurts my ankles. If I've done a spin class that day, it hurts my quads. It has never hurt my knees. Caveat: I've never had knee problems.
It definitely works, my ankles are more flexible. I notice it when I walk.
Sitting in lotus-type postion, by the way, does hurt my knees.
Bob,
You need to kick down, as if you were kicking a soccer ball, pointing the toes and with the toes of opposite feet pointed slightly toward each other (pigeontoed). Relax and bend your knees to generate a whipping motion as you kick down. On the recovery (feet and legs coming back toward the surface of the water), relax your ankles and let your feet come back to the surface without trying to create any propulsion. Once you feel your heels reach the surface of the water, repeat the kick.
I found this in another thread and I think it answers the pointing toe question I asked a few posts ago. From what I am gathering, the conscious pointing is on the downward portion of the kick (I have not been "willing" my feet to point at this step of the process - I have been passively letting the water push against my foot)...when kicking up, the foot is allowed to relax a bit. Is this correct? I like the soccer ball analogy...
that stretch looks like it would be bad for your knees.
I do this one regularly and don't have any problems with my knees. Perhaps if you had bad knees already it might affect them. I never swim breastroke but have done a fair amount of running.
It hurts like hell at first. Not in the knees, though. In the thighs and the ankles. Initially, I could only hold that position for a few seconds But now I am quite relaxed in it.
I would also strongly reccommend that you work on ankle flexibility. I can almost guarantee you will see the results. Interestingly, I have had a bigger improvement in my SDK than in my freestyle kick. Perhaps this is because with the dolphin kick the feet are more naturally pointed whereas I have to make more of a conscious effort to do it with freestyle kick.
Syd
Huh, I have the exact opposite problem, I can't kick on my back.
do you bend your knees? typically the biggest problems I see with people kicking on their back is moving their legs like they are riding a bicycle and not keeping the head back. both factors combined make their legs and hips sink, and you go no where.
head back and the kick should a long loose one from the hips to the ankles.
