This video was so helpful. I started swim lessons on Monday and was not moving in the water at all. After watching this I saw that my legs were too straight. Yesterday I went back tried what you described and swam a couple laps at the end of my second lesson. Thanks.
I'm an instructor myself, and this is one of my pet peeves about other teachers. I find that the older the student, the more explicit I have to be about getting that bend in the knee. Little kids tend to bend way too much which is probably why so many instructors say straight legs all the time but the same advice definitely does not work across age groups.
bitchoflivingblah yap, that too was my dilemma whilst learning to properly swim. So I copied the method of what suits me best in regards to comfort, and created my own method and style in the process. I only swim freestyle and the dolphin style.
I built up my strength and endurance by breaststroke, and am currently practising front crawl - I've only just this week managed to do a very comfortable length of front crawl, using the flutter kick as well. I never thought I'd managed to co-ordinate legs and arms, but a friend said it would come. I spend quite a lot of time doing drills - they help lots, especially the leg drills, I'm starting to incorporate arm drills too. Hopefully by the middle of summer I should be a swimmer ?? My current goal now is to do 2 lengths - to me it's a big thing !! After that it will be 5, then 10, then 20. Flip, if I get that far i'm having a party.
When the leg is in the upward movement, keep the leg straight at the knee. When at the downward movement, bend the knee at the start and ends with the kick to produce the thrust.
Great video -- showing different scenarios (straight leg -- which I tend to do..), bicycle kick etc., then showing how best to place your legs and propel forward. This is exactly what my coach counsels - and she's a national level swimmer! Great video!
Definitely need to keep this in mind when doing laps. I noticed my collapse in speed immediately after a couple, the legs just give out and start going all over the place. Oh well just a reason to train more!
Fantastic! Thank YOU! You have just resolved the main thing discouraging me from swimming over the past 8 years! I have been kicking with Straight legs since high school. ( Just lost a lot of respect for my coach of then)
Great video. Two points are mentioned by most online tutorials : 1. Ankle flexibility/ relaxed ankles 2. Point your toes. The problems is when I point my toes, my foot gets stretched to align with my leg and my ankle tightens. Then my anke is certainly not relaxed and my foot remains quite rigid for the kick. When I don't point my toes, my ankle is relaxed and my foot automatically moves up and down, generating propulsion. What is correct? Both these points seem to be at odds with each other.
Very competent explanation, the "right" way may not work for everyone who is not an advanced level swimmer, because it goes with the correct style. Stronger, bulkier men and women should minimize kicking for best results, the two beat kick was designed for them and feels natural. The ultimate goal as you progress should be what this clip demonstrates as orthodox kicking.
great! our midterm exam on swimming is to do Flutter Kick(with board, of course) from the start to the last of the lane. I can't make it through, and our midterm exam is already on Monday. This really helped me, I usually do straight legs and strong kick (so the water usually splash), but it's not the right move. Thank You so much.
@goswim098 I'm really glad you touched on this point. I ran a triathlon in April but my kick really wasn't right. I tried the flutter kick for the first time tonight, but I felt like my ankle was very close to getting injured due to inflexibility. Your video here and the article on your website were both very instructive. Thanks!
Ohhhh... you're mend to kick your ankles I just keep my legs straight and kick as hard as i can, no wonder I'm always struck in the same place I'd been taking swimming lessons for almost 3 months and I still can't swim :'(
Honestly i just kick in and out and it seems to work fine for me. Even though it isnt the proper way, its how most people swim when they are just swim ing casually
@mpsaris01 - We appreciate the support. Very often people only visit the RUclips channel and may not get the full story on some of the videos. Some of the older vids don't have audio, so some typically assume the wrong thing. Using both the channel and the site, people understand we're trying to contribute to the sport, not preach.
This is helpful. I've had a long break from swimming and 2 weeks ago I've decided to start again. Every time I went to the pool I've felt that I slack when it comes to legs and should be doing more. Now I know that I've been keeping my legs straight and wasn't doing it at all like on the vid.
I think most teachers have the right idea in mind, some just don't finish the explanation. They should say "straighter" to most students... not straight. Thanks for the comments and hope our work helps. Please visit our site for many more drills, practices, and access to our premium content.
I was the bike rider on the swim team back in the day. Every time I've been in the pool to work on my kick, I have to wear fins. It's awkward as fuck but now I understand that I have weak hips and I've always known that my ankles were weak so now I know that I need to focus on building my ankle strength before I should expect any changes in my kick and forward propulsion. Thanks for posting this video!
@moliver42 - I appreciate the input and the explanation. Obviously as a coach and teacher, could you imagine if we actually illustrated some of the things we SAY while teaching? Like you said, we have to use words and ideas that sound so crazy to the swimmers... just to get them to move the arm, hand, or legs a quarter of an inch closer to where it should be. Thanks again.
thanks for making this video. My friend, she's a beginner and she has a problem with her kicking. Now I know what it is...her "teachers" told her to keep her legs straight. Some teachers huh.
It's not really an active bending of the leg, though. The resistance of the water against your leg and especially the foot will cause that bend to occur. The key is that you shouldn't think about keeping your leg straight, because this will cause you to force them to stay straight and lose the dynamic movement. Focus on keeping you toes pointed instead. That way your legs will be nice and long, but they will have enough give to move dynamically with the water resistance on the way down.
@jstory12 - Yeah... most runners have a tough time with ankle flexibility, but it's also true most swimmers ankles are too flexible to run really well... so it goes both ways. Go to our site and search for "ankle flexibility". There's a short article there with some good ideas. Also remember, raising the feet into the "shadow" is more about the chest and hips... pressing down more raises the feet. Ask more details on the site. Click the link in the banner of our channel. Thanks.
Get in a try it. If you can't differentiate between the muscles in the thighs, and the muscles in the hip flexors, then breaststroke may be your better option. Hopefully that clarifies a bit.
@moliver42 - This I understand, but you're referring to someone helping someone in person... having them directly in front of them where they can help the student determine just how "straight" straight really is. These are some of the things that have to be taken into consideration when preparing content for people who don't have that luxury. While I know of exaggeration while teaching, but could you imaging if I actually showed straight legs in a video? ;) Thanks for posting. Good stuff.
Good grief! I would not have RUclipsd this had I not accident discovered the flutter kick while the gym yesterday. I noticed how much more propultion I had. Mind = Blow. I've been kicking straight-leg for years. Just... wow!
@MoopsZ - I think a lot of coaches certain mean well... it's just the idea that the legs be "straighter", not "straight" gets lost in translation and understanding. While you certainly don't wan HUGE bends in the legs... the should be some. Besides... sure makes things a long easier! :)
@AJKellyDCFC - Honestly... since everyone is made a bit different, you'll never find "one" way for everyone. Take this, as well as the other tips you've seen, experiment, and determine that works for you the best. Debate on things like this is pointless because there isn't one solution for anyone. Take it all in, figure out the combination that's best for you. That's why we put stuff out, not to say THIS is the way, but to offer many ideas. Best wishes and keep swimming.
Your body cuts a hole in the water with the leading arms, head, shoulders and torso. Think of that hole in the water as the shadow, don't let your legs go too far outside of that.
I try to avoid using the word "best" in the descriptions, because there are many "bests" based on the physiology, skill level, goals... Etc... Of the swimmer. While kicking on your back is certainly a good exercise, I wouldn't say it's the "best" unless the purpose or the athlete goal is defined. Just my opinion. Thanks.
+GoSwim It's the best for avoiding shoulder strain. It's not the best for sprint kick drills. Most of the kicking drills should be on the back to avoid injury. If you have time, see Tom Yager's "Becoming a faster swimmer vol 1: freestyle" by sportvideos for more reasoning. swimmingcoach.org/product/becoming-a-faster-swimmer-vol-1-freestyle/ It's a good coaching centric dvd. I improved a lot in the beginning by kicking on my stomach but it lead to shoulder strain which eventually trumped the positives. So I switched to back kicking and my strain went away and I enjoyed it more. I can focus on my kick more now rather than the awkwardness of the on stomach position.
+Adam Bruss Cool. It's important to find what works for you. Tom is a good friend, we swam together back in the day. The "best" to avoid shoulder strain, however, is kicking with the arms at your side. ;)
New to swimming and have a tri sprint in August and I keep trying to learn kicks with a board but I don't move at all. I had to put on flippers today to do it. My legs always sink. I've also never been able to float bec my legs pull me down. Frustrated
The kick is initated from the hip and not the knees. Many beginners kick from the knees rather than using their hips to produce the kick. This will produce a really bent knee and actually reduce the surface area that kicks the water. It also lowers your centre of gravity and will cause your legs to sink, ruining your position in the water. If you lay on your back and kick your knees should not leave the water. You can hold a kickboard over them for better fedback. Your knees should not hit it.
@goswim098 agreed. That was just to explain why so many people are convinced they learned by keeping their legs straight. I'm a pretty big fan of this video as a teaching tool, so thanks for that :)
He said to keep the kick small. Don't try to kick the legs far up and down. It should really be a relatively small movement. And with goggles and the snorkel you can look straight down at the ground of the pool to see how you move forward.
Please tell all instructors you meet like those in YMCA to watch this so they can all stop teaching kick with straight legs. The funny thing is when they demo it, because of this thing called knee, they bend their knees. I think the gist to what they were saying is to minimize the kick width.
I have been practicing this technique 30 minutes a day for a week, and still having troubles with it. I feel like I don't have enough energy to kick, my body doesn't float, or I don't know how to kick from the hips. I have to stop kicking after a few seconds to breath, and those kicks only make me move 5 feet from the start. Unbeievable!!! I understand that each person should work on their own pace, but I'm still disappointed when I saw other people in the same class master these kicks on the first day and now they are learning other swim styles.
ha! Im on the same boat! Just started swimming (been to like 10 classes already) and I've yet to master (or get better) at kicking from hips. My instructor always tells me to "kick from the hips" but I just dont get the hang of it. But it is definitely easier if I use flippers. But long story short, I still suck at it. Good luck on your swimming journey!
HowToDo92 thanks! Finally I got it today. It feels so good! I don't even need to kick hard, but still move faster than others. Probably because I can float and relax now. ;)
1 00:00:00,063 --> 00:00:07,577 Freestyle - Flutter Kick Basics 자유형 - 팔랑 차기(flutter kick) 기초 2 00:00:09,488 --> 00:00:17,135 Depending on the type of swimming you're doing... competitive, fitness, or open water... the ability to control your legs, and keep them productive, is very important. 어떤 수영을 하느냐에 따라... 경기 수영, 건강을 위한 수영, 혹은 야외 수영... 다리를 제어하고, 다리로 추진력을 낼 수 있게 유지하는 능력이 매우 중요합니다. 3 00:00:17,437 --> 00:00:20,617 Here are a few key things to keep in mind as you work on your flutter kick. 팔랑 차기(flutter kick)를 훈련할 때 마음속에 담아두어야 할 몇 가지 사항을 소개합니다. 4 00:00:21,983 --> 00:00:22,646 Why do it: 왜 할까요: 5 00:00:23,356 --> 00:00:27,766 Working just on your kick, no matter your sport, can give you a more rhythmic and productive stroke. 어떤 종목이냐에 상관없이, 차기를 단련하면, 더욱 율동적이고 추진력이 강한 영법을 구사할 수 있습니다. 6 00:00:28,070 --> 00:00:35,965 The ability to turn on, or turn off your kick, can also make the decisions of saving energy or gaining velocity all yours. 또한, 활발하게 차는 능력을 켜거나 끌 수 있게 되면, 힘을 아낄 것인가 혹은 속도를 낼 것인가 하는 결정을 자신의 의지에 따라 내릴 수 있게 됩니다. 7 00:00:37,027 --> 00:00:37,733 How to do it: 어떻게 할까요: 8 00:00:38,312 --> 00:00:40,484 We start with basic kick on a board. 뜰판(kick board)을 잡고 하는 기초 차기에서 시작합니다. 9 00:00:40,812 --> 00:00:46,145 While people will complain about body position, this is all about being able to focus solely on your feet. 몸 자세에 대해 불평하는 사람들이 있습니다만, 전적으로 발에만 집중할 수 있게 해줍니다. 10 00:00:46,370 --> 00:00:50,126 And taking away that need to go for air allows you to focus more. 또한, 숨쉬러 나갈 필요가 없어지므로 좀 더 집중할 수 있습니다. 11 00:00:51,025 --> 00:00:55,283 Many people have been taught to kick with a straight leg like this. Please, don't. 많은 사람이 이런 식으로 다리를 반듯하게 하여 차라고 배웠습니다. 하지만, 제발 그렇게 하지 마세요. 12 00:00:55,611 --> 00:00:59,834 While it may feel like you're working, which you are, you won't be going forward. 힘들게 훈련하고 있다고 느끼겠지만, 실제로 그렇습니다만, 앞으로 나가지는 못할 것입니다. 13 00:01:01,345 --> 00:01:08,706 Instead of keeping the legs straight, think of snapping through the end of the toes and allow the knees to bend just a bit to allow for that snap. 다리를 반듯하게 유지하지 말고, 발끝으로 탁 때리는 것을 생각하면서, 그 동작을 할 수 있게끔 무릎을 살짝만 구부리십시요. 14 00:01:11,476 --> 00:01:14,970 Many runners or triathletes have ankles that don't flex like swimmers. 달리기 혹은 삼종경기를 하는 사람들은 수영선수들처럼 발목을 펴지 못합니다. 15 00:01:15,306 --> 00:01:17,539 And the more they kick, the slower they go. 그래서 더 많이 찰수록, 더 느려집니다. 16 00:01:17,986 --> 00:01:19,535 2 quick options for this, 이 경우 두 가지 해결방법이 있습니다. 17 00:01:19,839 --> 00:01:24,601 1. keep your feet high in the shadow of your body which wetsuits will really help with, 1. Wetsuit(슈트, 습식잠수복, 부력이 있음)을 입으면 몸이 뜨므로, 차는 동안 두 발을 몸통이 그리는 궤적 안에 유지하십시요. 18 00:01:24,905 --> 00:01:29,644 2. or start working on your ankle flexibility and focus on pointing your toes. 2. 또는 발목 유연성을 위한 훈련을 시작하고 발끝을 뾰족하게 하는 데 집중하십시요. 19 00:01:32,424 --> 00:01:38,578 People would think they get all their power from the thighs, tend to try to set up the entire kick like they're riding a bike. 사람들은 차는 힘이 허벅지에서 온다고 생각하곤 해서, 마치 자전거를 탈 때처럼 찰 준비를 하려는 경향이 있습니다. 20 00:01:38,882 --> 00:01:45,302 Remember! The resistance you create when setting up the kick must be overcome with the propulsion you generate. 기억하세요! 찰 준비를 하느라 만들어 내는 저항력을, 당신이 만들어 내는 추진력으로 극복해야만 합니다. 21 00:01:45,694 --> 00:01:46,930 The solution for this? 이에 대한 해결책은? 22 00:01:47,115 --> 00:01:50,703 Keep your kick small and don't create resistance with your thighs. 동작을 작게 하여 차면서, 허벅지로 저항을 만들지 마세요. 23 00:01:51,150 --> 00:01:53,696 Kick from your hips, not from your thighs. 허벅지에서부터 차지 말고, 엉덩이에서부터 차십시요. 24 00:01:55,214 --> 00:02:00,636 If you want to continue to work on your kick and your body position, grab a Finis swimmer's snorkel. 차는 것과 동시에 몸통 자세도 같이 훈련하고 싶다면, 피니스 센터 스노클(Snorkel, 숨대롱)을 사용하십시요. 25 00:02:00,964 --> 00:02:03,202 You can continue to use the board if you need it. 필요하다면 뜰판(kick board)을 같이 사용하십시요. 26 00:02:03,348 --> 00:02:06,659 But hold it out farther in front of you and place your face in the water. 하지만 뜰판(kick board)은 앞으로 멀리 잡아야 하고, 얼굴은 물속에 담가야 합니다. 27 00:02:10,344 --> 00:02:15,055 If you feel comfortable without the board, just hold your hands in front about shoulder width apart. 뜰판(kick board) 없이 하는 것이 편하다면, 두 팔은 어깨 너비 정도로 벌려서 앞에 두십시요. 28 00:02:15,406 --> 00:02:20,185 Continue keeping the kick small and now you can watch the bottom to see your forward movement. 계속해서 동작을 작게 하여 차고, 이제는 수영장 바닥을 보면서 앞으로 나가는 움직임을 관찰하십시요. 29 00:02:20,727 --> 00:02:22,732 How to do it really well(the fine points): 어떻게 하면 진짜로 잘할까요(요점): 30 00:02:22,822 --> 00:02:24,646 Keep the kick quick and small. 동작을 작게 하여 빠르게 차십시요. 31 00:02:24,823 --> 00:02:28,856 Try to keep the knees from going too deep or outside the shadow of your body. 무릎이 너무 깊게 들어가지 않도록, 혹은 몸통이 그리는 궤적을 벗어나지 않도록 노력하십시요. 32 00:02:29,277 --> 00:02:32,035 Think small when you kick and remember to point your toes. 찰 때는 동작을 작게 하는 것을 생각하고, 발끝을 뾰족하게 할 것을 기억하세요. 33 00:02:32,380 --> 00:02:35,848 Finally, don't allow your feet to go too high out of the water. 마지막으로, 발이 물 밖으로 너무 높이 올라가지 않도록 하십시요. 34 00:02:36,176 --> 00:02:43,796 Most of the bubbles you see here are caused by the heels sucking air down, rather than the front of the foot pushing air down into the water. 지금 보이는 대부분의 공기 방울은, 발등으로 밀어 넣은 것이 아니라, 발뒤꿈치에 딸려 들어간 공기에 의한 것입니다.
Someone told me to kick with straight leg & I wasn't moving at all. I will go back to kicking with bent knees. Also, runner & tri applies to me as well. I have been trying to pointing my toes now & it is working good
You nailed it at 1:15 for me. My ankles don't flex - in 30 seconds with a kickboard I haven't gone 15 yards. The moment I stop pulling with my arms I stop dead. (makes a flip turn pretty awkward) Suggestions?
My 13 year old daughter was born with a 20 degree anti version in her right hip causing her right foot to hit her left foot in freestyle. She has used fins and they keep her feet straight until she takes them off. Any tips or drills to help correct this natural turn in of her right foot? (She has been competing for 4 years and just in last 6 months this has become a big issue).
Im old and just starting to learn to swim. Im taking private lessons but have a terrible time with the kick. i have heavy long legs and they keep sinking. any suggestions?
I have a good friend of mine who said the same thing about "kick from the hips". I'm a little confused by this though, could you explain a little or how to work on kicking with the hips please?
i just had swimming practice and we had to do this with a board and my thighs were on fire and i didnt feel like i was going anywhere and felt stupid at practice
I have a big question, Do you want to point your toes like a ballerina? or do you want to point your toes as relaxed as possible (stiffening the ankle but not the feet) Thank you for the video !
This happens to me to as well even when I'm keeping my legs straight and toes pointed because when the teacher had me kick backstroke, I was able to do it with no problem! and also my legs feel very heavy when I'm around halfway through the pool (freestyle). Is it only my ankle flexibility? How can I fix this?
does it take a while to get good at this? for some reason I'm unable to do more than one lap before my legs are shot on top of that im not moving that fast especially at the end of the lap! I see a LOT of people going faster than me I feel like ive been doing it a while and am doing it right for the most part maybe my feet need to be more flexible any suggestions?
hey I am a competitive swimmer I've been swimming for half a year now, I got 1 AA (in 50m free) but then I lost it a few weeks ago cuz i turned 12. In swimming practices, i noticed that my kicking is like, one of the worst while my stroke and pulls are rlly well. I have no idea why like the things you said like biking and not using straight and stuff i do do it but i still kick really slow.... Do you have any ideas why? THANKS SO MUCH! :D
...somewhere I heard that I had to keep my legs straight... :-( I'm gonna start to bend a little bit my knees the way they teach in this video... thank you!!! ñ_ñ...
I have a question, which kicking technique is better, with straight legs or slightly bent? cause my new coach says to keep it straight because with my knees bending, they going to cause drag but I still kind of feel I go faster with slightly bent. I don't know, I just want to know what and why.
@goswim098 Many instructors tell students to kick with straight legs when they're first learning or have already gotten used to the bicycle kick and can't find out how to change it. It's an overconpensation thing and sometimes works, especially with kinesthetic learners, but isn't intellectually correct.
Tilt your pevis back, so that you make an arch with your belly forward. The core strength of your body will help you keep your legs up and your body streamline.
is kicking with a straight stiff leg the cause of sinking? I'm 5'0 90 pounds in beginners swimming at my college and I notice that I kick with a straight leg and sink after a couple of seconds. thanks
If you aren't supposed to kick with straight legs, then why are so many people being told to kick with straight legs? Where are people getting this from?
Ah. Okay. Here goes: "Continue keeping the kick small. And now you can watch the bottom to see your forward movement. How to do it really well, the fine points: Keep the kick quick and small."
This video was so helpful. I started swim lessons on Monday and was not moving in the water at all. After watching this I saw that my legs were too straight. Yesterday I went back tried what you described and swam a couple laps at the end of my second lesson. Thanks.
Wow my P.E teacher told me to keep my legs straight when I swim. That explains why I don't go anywhere when I do it
Same here . No movement
Yes same :-(
Same
I'm an instructor myself, and this is one of my pet peeves about other teachers. I find that the older the student, the more explicit I have to be about getting that bend in the knee. Little kids tend to bend way too much which is probably why so many instructors say straight legs all the time but the same advice definitely does not work across age groups.
Never thought i'd try to learn how to swim on youtube, but meh! Here i am!
me too - but so many methods - plus it hurts.
bitchoflivingblah yap, that too was my dilemma whilst learning to properly swim. So I copied the method of what suits me best in regards to comfort, and created my own method and style in the process. I only swim freestyle and the dolphin style.
I built up my strength and endurance by breaststroke, and am currently practising front crawl - I've only just this week managed to do a very comfortable length of front crawl, using the flutter kick as well. I never thought I'd managed to co-ordinate legs and arms, but a friend said it would come. I spend quite a lot of time doing drills - they help lots, especially the leg drills, I'm starting to incorporate arm drills too. Hopefully by the middle of summer I should be a swimmer ?? My current goal now is to do 2 lengths - to me it's a big thing !! After that it will be 5, then 10, then 20. Flip, if I get that far i'm having a party.
Shehan Conrad so u can't swim?
When the leg is in the upward movement, keep the leg straight at the knee. When at the downward movement, bend the knee at the start and ends with the kick to produce the thrust.
Thank you for the detailed instructions. I have the same stiff ankle problem. Now I'm gonna go and try what you suggested!
Great video -- showing different scenarios (straight leg -- which I tend to do..), bicycle kick etc., then showing how best to place your legs and propel forward. This is exactly what my coach counsels - and she's a national level swimmer! Great video!
love the correlation of the voice and the video. shows exactly (& vividly too) what he's instructing!!
Thanks for a very informative video. Showing the wrong kicks helped as much as showing the correct kick.
A lot fucking easier said than done. This flutter kick is ridiculously hard.
Amen!
Even 3 years later, this is still true
IKR
Easy
Even six years later SO FREAKING TRUE
As a runner you just explained why my kick is un productive - Thank-you! I will work on my ankle flexibility!
Definitely need to keep this in mind when doing laps. I noticed my collapse in speed immediately after a couple, the legs just give out and start going all over the place. Oh well just a reason to train more!
Fantastic! Thank YOU! You have just resolved the main thing discouraging me from swimming over the past 8 years! I have been kicking with Straight legs since high school. ( Just lost a lot of respect for my coach of then)
After the video I can go forward just with the flutter kicks. Thank you!!!
Great video. Two points are mentioned by most online tutorials : 1. Ankle flexibility/ relaxed ankles 2. Point your toes. The problems is when I point my toes, my foot gets stretched to align with my leg and my ankle tightens. Then my anke is certainly not relaxed and my foot remains quite rigid for the kick. When I don't point my toes, my ankle is relaxed and my foot automatically moves up and down, generating propulsion. What is correct? Both these points seem to be at odds with each other.
Very competent explanation, the "right" way may not work for everyone who is not an advanced level swimmer, because it goes with the correct style. Stronger, bulkier men and women should minimize kicking for best results, the two beat kick was designed for them and feels natural. The ultimate goal as you progress should be what this clip demonstrates as orthodox kicking.
thanks for saying what you said about kicking with straight legs.... i often felt the kick lacks propulsion when u don't bent the knee at all.
great! our midterm exam on swimming is to do Flutter Kick(with board, of course) from the start to the last of the lane. I can't make it through, and our midterm exam is already on Monday. This really helped me, I usually do straight legs and strong kick (so the water usually splash), but it's not the right move. Thank You so much.
@goswim098 I'm really glad you touched on this point. I ran a triathlon in April but my kick really wasn't right. I tried the flutter kick for the first time tonight, but I felt like my ankle was very close to getting injured due to inflexibility. Your video here and the article on your website were both very instructive. Thanks!
Ohhhh... you're mend to kick your ankles I just keep my legs straight and kick as hard as i can, no wonder I'm always struck in the same place
I'd been taking swimming lessons for almost 3 months and I still can't swim :'(
Honestly i just kick in and out and it seems to work fine for me. Even though it isnt the proper way, its how most people swim when they are just swim ing casually
@mpsaris01 - We appreciate the support. Very often people only visit the RUclips channel and may not get the full story on some of the videos. Some of the older vids don't have audio, so some typically assume the wrong thing. Using both the channel and the site, people understand we're trying to contribute to the sport, not preach.
This is helpful. I've had a long break from swimming and 2 weeks ago I've decided to start again. Every time I went to the pool I've felt that I slack when it comes to legs and should be doing more.
Now I know that I've been keeping my legs straight and wasn't doing it at all like on the vid.
I think most teachers have the right idea in mind, some just don't finish the explanation. They should say "straighter" to most students... not straight. Thanks for the comments and hope our work helps. Please visit our site for many more drills, practices, and access to our premium content.
I was the bike rider on the swim team back in the day. Every time I've been in the pool to work on my kick, I have to wear fins. It's awkward as fuck but now I understand that I have weak hips and I've always known that my ankles were weak so now I know that I need to focus on building my ankle strength before I should expect any changes in my kick and forward propulsion. Thanks for posting this video!
@moliver42 - I appreciate the input and the explanation. Obviously as a coach and teacher, could you imagine if we actually illustrated some of the things we SAY while teaching? Like you said, we have to use words and ideas that sound so crazy to the swimmers... just to get them to move the arm, hand, or legs a quarter of an inch closer to where it should be. Thanks again.
thanks for making this video. My friend, she's a beginner and she has a problem with her kicking. Now I know what it is...her "teachers" told her to keep her legs straight. Some teachers huh.
@AJKellyDCFC - So you really kick with a completely straight leg and no bend in the knees?
This video got me, I'm a runner trying to learn swimming basics.
finally a good video on kicks. cheers.
It's not really an active bending of the leg, though. The resistance of the water against your leg and especially the foot will cause that bend to occur.
The key is that you shouldn't think about keeping your leg straight, because this will cause you to force them to stay straight and lose the dynamic movement. Focus on keeping you toes pointed instead. That way your legs will be nice and long, but they will have enough give to move dynamically with the water resistance on the way down.
@jstory12 - Yeah... most runners have a tough time with ankle flexibility, but it's also true most swimmers ankles are too flexible to run really well... so it goes both ways. Go to our site and search for "ankle flexibility". There's a short article there with some good ideas. Also remember, raising the feet into the "shadow" is more about the chest and hips... pressing down more raises the feet. Ask more details on the site. Click the link in the banner of our channel. Thanks.
Get in a try it. If you can't differentiate between the muscles in the thighs, and the muscles in the hip flexors, then breaststroke may be your better option. Hopefully that clarifies a bit.
@moliver42 - This I understand, but you're referring to someone helping someone in person... having them directly in front of them where they can help the student determine just how "straight" straight really is. These are some of the things that have to be taken into consideration when preparing content for people who don't have that luxury. While I know of exaggeration while teaching, but could you imaging if I actually showed straight legs in a video? ;) Thanks for posting. Good stuff.
Good grief! I would not have RUclipsd this had I not accident discovered the flutter kick while the gym yesterday. I noticed how much more propultion I had. Mind = Blow. I've been kicking straight-leg for years. Just... wow!
@MoopsZ - I think a lot of coaches certain mean well... it's just the idea that the legs be "straighter", not "straight" gets lost in translation and understanding. While you certainly don't wan HUGE bends in the legs... the should be some. Besides... sure makes things a long easier! :)
@AJKellyDCFC - Honestly... since everyone is made a bit different, you'll never find "one" way for everyone. Take this, as well as the other tips you've seen, experiment, and determine that works for you the best. Debate on things like this is pointless because there isn't one solution for anyone. Take it all in, figure out the combination that's best for you. That's why we put stuff out, not to say THIS is the way, but to offer many ideas. Best wishes and keep swimming.
Your body cuts a hole in the water with the leading arms, head, shoulders and torso. Think of that hole in the water as the shadow, don't let your legs go too far outside of that.
i kick and i dont move >.>
Alex N me toooo i hate it like what am i doing wrong??
Ankle flexibility
So do I
Relaxing the foot is key. He says to point and that’s incorrect. Her feet *look* pointed but they’re acting as two whale flukes for propulsion.
Best kick drill is on back with arms above head. No strain on shoulders this way and it saves energy and is comfortable.
I try to avoid using the word "best" in the descriptions, because there are many "bests" based on the physiology, skill level, goals... Etc... Of the swimmer. While kicking on your back is certainly a good exercise, I wouldn't say it's the "best" unless the purpose or the athlete goal is defined. Just my opinion. Thanks.
+GoSwim It's the best for avoiding shoulder strain. It's not the best for sprint kick drills. Most of the kicking drills should be on the back to avoid injury. If you have time, see Tom Yager's "Becoming a faster swimmer vol 1: freestyle" by sportvideos for more reasoning. swimmingcoach.org/product/becoming-a-faster-swimmer-vol-1-freestyle/ It's a good coaching centric dvd. I improved a lot in the beginning by kicking on my stomach but it lead to shoulder strain which eventually trumped the positives. So I switched to back kicking and my strain went away and I enjoyed it more. I can focus on my kick more now rather than the awkwardness of the on stomach position.
+Adam Bruss Cool. It's important to find what works for you. Tom is a good friend, we swam together back in the day. The "best" to avoid shoulder strain, however, is kicking with the arms at your side. ;)
this is so incredibly helpful - thank you goswim!
Thank you so much for this!! This was soo helpful!
New to swimming and have a tri sprint in August and I keep trying to learn kicks with a board but I don't move at all. I had to put on flippers today to do it. My legs always sink. I've also never been able to float bec my legs pull me down. Frustrated
Thanks for this clear explanation.. really helped...
The kick is initated from the hip and not the knees. Many beginners kick from the knees rather than using their hips to produce the kick. This will produce a really bent knee and actually reduce the surface area that kicks the water. It also lowers your centre of gravity and will cause your legs to sink, ruining your position in the water.
If you lay on your back and kick your knees should not leave the water. You can hold a kickboard over them for better fedback. Your knees should not hit it.
@luvmonkey666 It could be an ankle flexibility issue. Make sure you're pointing your toes as much as possible.
Thanks, I find the right video. Now I understand my problem was straight legs.
@goswim098 agreed. That was just to explain why so many people are convinced they learned by keeping their legs straight. I'm a pretty big fan of this video as a teaching tool, so thanks for that :)
awesome , it helped me a lot in my training !
Thanx for the explanation. Cheers.
@johnds1963 - And as a swimmer... you probably know why I have such a hard time running. We all have our place right?
fantastic.this really helped.
thanks a lot for the vids, very very useful!!
nice rocking soundtrack.
Really nice Tutorial!!
@biologyclass101 - Go get 'em and visit our site and let us know how you did! Good luck and keep the toes pointed too!
Nice video. Plus the music sounds like Sgt. Pepper.
He said to keep the kick small. Don't try to kick the legs far up and down. It should really be a relatively small movement. And with goggles and the snorkel you can look straight down at the ground of the pool to see how you move forward.
Please tell all instructors you meet like those in YMCA to watch this so they can all stop teaching kick with straight legs. The funny thing is when they demo it, because of this thing called knee, they bend their knees. I think the gist to what they were saying is to minimize the kick width.
I have been practicing this technique 30 minutes a day for a week, and still having troubles with it. I feel like I don't have enough energy to kick, my body doesn't float, or I don't know how to kick from the hips. I have to stop kicking after a few seconds to breath, and those kicks only make me move 5 feet from the start. Unbeievable!!! I understand that each person should work on their own pace, but I'm still disappointed when I saw other people in the same class master these kicks on the first day and now they are learning other swim styles.
ha! Im on the same boat! Just started swimming (been to like 10 classes already) and I've yet to master (or get better) at kicking from hips. My instructor always tells me to "kick from the hips" but I just dont get the hang of it. But it is definitely easier if I use flippers. But long story short, I still suck at it. Good luck on your swimming journey!
HowToDo92 thanks! Finally I got it today. It feels so good! I don't even need to kick hard, but still move faster than others. Probably because I can float and relax now. ;)
Naley Vong wow~ care to teach us haha
@@n.v.6182what did you do differently? I swim long distance. But my kicks are dragging me down. Pls let us know what you did differently.
This is the part where Phelps excels the most. Do not underestimate kicking
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Freestyle - Flutter Kick Basics
자유형 - 팔랑 차기(flutter kick) 기초
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Depending on the type of swimming you're doing... competitive, fitness, or open water... the ability to control your legs, and keep them productive, is very important.
어떤 수영을 하느냐에 따라... 경기 수영, 건강을 위한 수영, 혹은 야외 수영... 다리를 제어하고, 다리로 추진력을 낼 수 있게 유지하는 능력이 매우 중요합니다.
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Here are a few key things to keep in mind as you work on your flutter kick.
팔랑 차기(flutter kick)를 훈련할 때 마음속에 담아두어야 할 몇 가지 사항을 소개합니다.
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Why do it:
왜 할까요:
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Working just on your kick, no matter your sport, can give you a more rhythmic and productive stroke.
어떤 종목이냐에 상관없이, 차기를 단련하면, 더욱 율동적이고 추진력이 강한 영법을 구사할 수 있습니다.
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The ability to turn on, or turn off your kick, can also make the decisions of saving energy or gaining velocity all yours.
또한, 활발하게 차는 능력을 켜거나 끌 수 있게 되면, 힘을 아낄 것인가 혹은 속도를 낼 것인가 하는 결정을 자신의 의지에 따라 내릴 수 있게 됩니다.
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How to do it:
어떻게 할까요:
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We start with basic kick on a board.
뜰판(kick board)을 잡고 하는 기초 차기에서 시작합니다.
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While people will complain about body position, this is all about being able to focus solely on your feet.
몸 자세에 대해 불평하는 사람들이 있습니다만, 전적으로 발에만 집중할 수 있게 해줍니다.
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And taking away that need to go for air allows you to focus more.
또한, 숨쉬러 나갈 필요가 없어지므로 좀 더 집중할 수 있습니다.
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Many people have been taught to kick with a straight leg like this. Please, don't.
많은 사람이 이런 식으로 다리를 반듯하게 하여 차라고 배웠습니다. 하지만, 제발 그렇게 하지 마세요.
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While it may feel like you're working, which you are, you won't be going forward.
힘들게 훈련하고 있다고 느끼겠지만, 실제로 그렇습니다만, 앞으로 나가지는 못할 것입니다.
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Instead of keeping the legs straight, think of snapping through the end of the toes and allow the knees to bend just a bit to allow for that snap.
다리를 반듯하게 유지하지 말고, 발끝으로 탁 때리는 것을 생각하면서, 그 동작을 할 수 있게끔 무릎을 살짝만 구부리십시요.
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Many runners or triathletes have ankles that don't flex like swimmers.
달리기 혹은 삼종경기를 하는 사람들은 수영선수들처럼 발목을 펴지 못합니다.
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And the more they kick, the slower they go.
그래서 더 많이 찰수록, 더 느려집니다.
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2 quick options for this,
이 경우 두 가지 해결방법이 있습니다.
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1. keep your feet high in the shadow of your body which wetsuits will really help with,
1. Wetsuit(슈트, 습식잠수복, 부력이 있음)을 입으면 몸이 뜨므로, 차는 동안 두 발을 몸통이 그리는 궤적 안에 유지하십시요.
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2. or start working on your ankle flexibility and focus on pointing your toes.
2. 또는 발목 유연성을 위한 훈련을 시작하고 발끝을 뾰족하게 하는 데 집중하십시요.
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People would think they get all their power from the thighs, tend to try to set up the entire kick like they're riding a bike.
사람들은 차는 힘이 허벅지에서 온다고 생각하곤 해서, 마치 자전거를 탈 때처럼 찰 준비를 하려는 경향이 있습니다.
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Remember! The resistance you create when setting up the kick must be overcome with the propulsion you generate.
기억하세요! 찰 준비를 하느라 만들어 내는 저항력을, 당신이 만들어 내는 추진력으로 극복해야만 합니다.
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The solution for this?
이에 대한 해결책은?
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Keep your kick small and don't create resistance with your thighs.
동작을 작게 하여 차면서, 허벅지로 저항을 만들지 마세요.
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Kick from your hips, not from your thighs.
허벅지에서부터 차지 말고, 엉덩이에서부터 차십시요.
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If you want to continue to work on your kick and your body position, grab a Finis swimmer's snorkel.
차는 것과 동시에 몸통 자세도 같이 훈련하고 싶다면, 피니스 센터 스노클(Snorkel, 숨대롱)을 사용하십시요.
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You can continue to use the board if you need it.
필요하다면 뜰판(kick board)을 같이 사용하십시요.
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But hold it out farther in front of you and place your face in the water.
하지만 뜰판(kick board)은 앞으로 멀리 잡아야 하고, 얼굴은 물속에 담가야 합니다.
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If you feel comfortable without the board, just hold your hands in front about shoulder width apart.
뜰판(kick board) 없이 하는 것이 편하다면, 두 팔은 어깨 너비 정도로 벌려서 앞에 두십시요.
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Continue keeping the kick small and now you can watch the bottom to see your forward movement.
계속해서 동작을 작게 하여 차고, 이제는 수영장 바닥을 보면서 앞으로 나가는 움직임을 관찰하십시요.
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How to do it really well(the fine points):
어떻게 하면 진짜로 잘할까요(요점):
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Keep the kick quick and small.
동작을 작게 하여 빠르게 차십시요.
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Try to keep the knees from going too deep or outside the shadow of your body.
무릎이 너무 깊게 들어가지 않도록, 혹은 몸통이 그리는 궤적을 벗어나지 않도록 노력하십시요.
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Think small when you kick and remember to point your toes.
찰 때는 동작을 작게 하는 것을 생각하고, 발끝을 뾰족하게 할 것을 기억하세요.
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Finally, don't allow your feet to go too high out of the water.
마지막으로, 발이 물 밖으로 너무 높이 올라가지 않도록 하십시요.
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Most of the bubbles you see here are caused by the heels sucking air down, rather than the front of the foot pushing air down into the water.
지금 보이는 대부분의 공기 방울은, 발등으로 밀어 넣은 것이 아니라, 발뒤꿈치에 딸려 들어간 공기에 의한 것입니다.
Someone told me to kick with straight leg & I wasn't moving at all. I will go back to kicking with bent knees.
Also, runner & tri applies to me as well. I have been trying to pointing my toes now & it is working good
You nailed it at 1:15 for me. My ankles don't flex - in 30 seconds with a kickboard I haven't gone 15 yards. The moment I stop pulling with my arms I stop dead. (makes a flip turn pretty awkward) Suggestions?
bammbamm12 I have the same problem. I gain speed only from my hand. can't get swim thru flutter kicks.
There are those short training fins that almost force my ankles to flex - they make you feel like a real swimmer :)
My 13 year old daughter was born with a 20 degree anti version in her right hip causing her right foot to hit her left foot in freestyle. She has used fins and they keep her feet straight until she takes them off.
Any tips or drills to help correct this natural turn in of her right foot?
(She has been competing for 4 years and just in last 6 months this has become a big issue).
Im old and just starting to learn to swim. Im taking private lessons but have a terrible time with the kick. i have heavy long legs and they keep sinking. any suggestions?
This is a great vid. My problem is I have runner ankles that dont flex well like a swimmer's...
I have a good friend of mine who said the same thing about "kick from the hips". I'm a little confused by this though, could you explain a little or how to work on kicking with the hips please?
thank you. very helpful
freaking better than so called expert village
i just had swimming practice and we had to do this with a board and my thighs were on fire and i didnt feel like i was going anywhere and felt stupid at practice
I have a big question,
Do you want to point your toes like a ballerina? or do you want to point your toes as relaxed as possible (stiffening the ankle but not the feet)
Thank you for the video !
@zebajsincap - Not that I've ever seen. Have to have some bend in the knees to get a whip to the feet.
Perfect!
@accolade37 All I can say is that it's NOT from us. :)
This happens to me to as well even when I'm keeping my legs straight and toes pointed because when the teacher had me kick backstroke, I was able to do it with no problem! and also my legs feel very heavy when I'm around halfway through the pool (freestyle). Is it only my ankle flexibility? How can I fix this?
Why do we need the board? Why can we just swim with our hands forwards? ( for breathing we can swim breast stroke for one secound and contiue.)
Man U guys r awesome
does it take a while to get good at this? for some reason I'm unable to do more than one lap before my legs are shot on top of that im not moving that fast especially at the end of the lap! I see a LOT of people going faster than me I feel like ive been doing it a while and am doing it right for the most part maybe my feet need to be more flexible any suggestions?
so good
hey I am a competitive swimmer I've been swimming for half a year now, I got 1 AA (in 50m free) but then I lost it a few weeks ago cuz i turned 12. In swimming practices, i noticed that my kicking is like, one of the worst while my stroke and pulls are rlly well. I have no idea why like the things you said like biking and not using straight and stuff i do do it but i still kick really slow.... Do you have any ideas why? THANKS SO MUCH! :D
ow to kick from hips ??? any dry exercises ?
...somewhere I heard that I had to keep my legs straight... :-( I'm gonna start to bend a little bit my knees the way they teach in this video... thank you!!! ñ_ñ...
I have a question, which kicking technique is better, with straight legs or slightly bent? cause my new coach says to keep it straight because with my knees bending, they going to cause drag but I still kind of feel I go faster with slightly bent. I don't know, I just want to know what and why.
@goswim098 Many instructors tell students to kick with straight legs when they're first learning or have already gotten used to the bicycle kick and can't find out how to change it. It's an overconpensation thing and sometimes works, especially with kinesthetic learners, but isn't intellectually correct.
Tilt your pevis back, so that you make an arch with your belly forward. The core strength of your body will help you keep your legs up and your body streamline.
hmm.. someone said if we practice flatter kick, we must not bend our knees.. hmm.. is it possible to swim fast w/out bending my knees?.
is kicking with a straight stiff leg the cause of sinking? I'm 5'0 90 pounds in beginners swimming at my college and I notice that I kick with a straight leg and sink after a couple of seconds.
thanks
If you aren't supposed to kick with straight legs, then why are so many people being told to kick with straight legs? Where are people getting this from?
Hello. Could u please explain what is meant by shadow of the body?
When I do it I will go back word but I don't know why.
Poin the toes back, toward the wall you just came from.
How do i get it so my feet are under the water? i try pushing them down but its really difficult
Hi, I'm a non native English speaker.. what does pointing one's toes mean? In the (when standing) up or down direction? Thanks.
I have a hard time kicking when I swim. When I do my strokes, it's kind of hard to kick for me. Any help?
@goswim098
Every time I kick , I always kick from my thighs and hips. I've tried but I can't. Any tips?
thx for the video i just didn't get the swimmer because when i just flutter kick without using my arms i like don't move -m-
When I rotate my body during freestyle, it messes up my kick. Any suggestions?
Ah. Okay. Here goes:
"Continue keeping the kick small. And now you can watch the bottom to see your forward movement.
How to do it really well, the fine points: Keep the kick quick and small."
when i kick i barely move and everyone passes me :/
YEAHHH.... when I am swimming using only my legs I feel I am not going forward... because straight legs..
my teacher told me the same, kicking with straight legs and i find it difficult