Flutter Kick
Having great front crawl and back crawl requires placing a strong emphasis on perfecting your flutter kick. The kick provides swimmers with stability, balance, and the necessary power to maintain a streamlined body position and generate forward momentum. By prioritizing a solid kicking technique before starting front or back crawl, it will make learning the strokes much easier and more efficient.
Learning Flutter Kick
The more surfaces engaged in applying pressure, the better the movement. The kick should originate from the hip, while the core muscles are used for driving you forward. A common mistake is to kick from the knees, which is like trying to pedal a bike with only half your leg.
Preparation:
- Enter the water and hold onto the pool's edge.
- From a standing position facing the wall, kick your legs up to the surface, making your body horizontal (parallel to the pool bottom).
- Use your forearms and the wall to help you achieve a horizontal position, and keep your head out of the water.
- Keep your legs long and loose, do not actively point your toes but focus on keeping them straight.
Practice:
- Ensure you can sustain a steady rhythmic kick (speed is not important yet) that feels like you are putting pressure on the water along the length of your leg.
- Once comfortable in the horizontal position, submerge your face in the water and extend your arms, placing your hands on the wall.
- Continue kicking, feeling your hands being pressed toward the wall. Maintain the extended streamlined position developed in step 1.
The best way to start is to practice the flutter kick on your back. This position allows you to focus on the kick without worrying about breathing. Once you move to kicking on your front, you can focus on breathing, try holding your breath for a few seconds, and then lifting your head to breathe. Make sure to keep kicking while you breathe, many beginners stop kicking when they lift their head , which can disrupt the rhythm of kicking and when you start learning front crawl.
Using a Kickboard
Kickboards are classic tools for flutter kick practice as they allow you to focus solely on your kicking technique amd can help you keep your legs straight. Place your hands on the lower corners of the board. Push off the wall, facing away from it, with your face in the water, and kick rhythmically, propelling yourself slowly down the pool. Check for correct positioning if you come to a stop or go backward.
To Increase Difficulty:
- Place your hands together on the kickboard.
- Use a Pullbuoy instead of a kickboard.
- Don't use a kickboard at all.
To Decrease Difficulty:
- Rest your forearms on the kickboard.
- Use a swimmer's snorkel.
Improving Flutter Kick
Proper Body Alignment: Maintaining a streamlined position reduces drag, allowing you to move more efficiently through the water. Your head, torso, and legs should ideally form a straight line. Also, it's vital to keep your hips near the surface to ensure your legs aren't kicking downwards, which could waste energy.
Strengthen your Core: The flutter kick isn't just about the legs; it's a full-body movement. Strong core muscles help to control the kick and maintain correct body alignment. Exercises such as planks, crunches, and leg raises can help strengthen your core.
Practice a Consistent Kick: Consistency is key. A steady rhythm of small, quick kicks is more effective than large, forceful ones. This steady kick not only provides consistent propulsion but also helps to balance and stabilize your body in the water.
Flexible Ankles: This is a point many beginners overlook. Loose, flexible ankles act like flippers, which can greatly increase the effectiveness of your kick. Ankle stretches and exercises, as well as the use of fins, can help improve flexibility over time.
Monitor Kick Depth: If your kick is too deep, you'll be working against more resistance, which reduces efficiency. Likewise, if your kick consistently breaks the surface, it can disrupt your rhythm and balance. The ideal is a shallow flutter just beneath the surface.
Flutter Kick Drills
Fingertip Pressure Drill
This drill is an excellent way to work on body alignment and the strength of your kick. Begin a meter away from the wall and assume a streamlined position on your front in the water. Kick towards the wall using only your legs, extending your arms so that your fingertips touch the wall first. Continue kicking, feeling pressure on your fingertips, which indicates a propulsive kick. Touching the wall with your fingertips helps ensure that your body stays in a streamlined position.
To Increase Difficulty:
- Try touching the wall using only one finger while exhaling continuously, and then repeat the process.
To Decrease Difficulty:
- Grab the side of the pool for support.
- Place a kickboard under your stomach to provide buoyancy.
Vertical Kicking Drill
In the deep end of the pool, kick in a vertical position with your arms crossed over your chest. The goal is to keep your head above the water using only your kick. This drill helps improve kick strength and endurance. Try holding your arms out or above the water to make the drill harder.
Side Kicking Drill
Kicking on your side can help improve your body alignment and balance in the water. Start on one side with your lower arm extended and your upper arm resting on your body. Start with a kick board to make it easier then gradually try without one as you improve. Remember to practice on both sides for balanced practice and to keep the one shoulder out of the water.
