How to NOT Suck at Kicking in Swimming

Don’t enjoy kicking? We hate to break it to you, but you’re going to have to kick more if you want to swim faster!

Most swimmers struggle with kicking because their technique is inefficient and they aren’t doing enough kick training. Let’s take a look at proper freestyle kick technique, plus a few drills you can use to improve your kick mechanics and swim faster!



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[flammableman]

Theories are logical, but practises are hard

[GrubbShowMedia]

the reason people bend their knees when they swim has a lot to do with the mechanics of walking. We have spent our entire lives on dry land, upright, walking and running. When teaching swim lessons with children, I take hold of their ankles while doing flutter kick practice from the wall to physically guide the student through the exercise. As an adult swimmer for fitness myself, I often ask other swimmers to watch and critique my stroke and form to help me find ways to improve my own swim. Swimming can be challenging if we are not in the water constantly. Swimming is in my opinion an exercise in being humble and patient to learning, yet a passion of love and persistence. Love MySwimPro, the content has helped me tons in improving my swimming and understanding of swimming.

[a.garcia]

Narrow and fast kick as opposed to a wide kick; and kicking from the hip as opposed to the knee it's all I needed to hear. And the drills are awesome. I love the way you explain things. My HS coach was a grumpy old lady who will yell at you and she even chastised me on my kick. I haven't been in the water for about 25 years and they opened a new YMCA in my neighborhood in the south Bronx and I started using the pool. Your instructions are not only scientific in a way, but you also give a mental reference, in this instance kicking in a bucket. Please keep this important content coming. Thank you once again and stay well. Greetings from the Bronx, USA🗽🇺🇸🏊‍♂️✌❤

[checka]

One tip from me added, really try to feel the water around your leg and feet as you move up and down. If you arent feeling the pressure of the water against your skin, your kick is probably ineffectual.

[rushman]

Thank you, Taylor Holmes! Your recent videos on freestyle technique have directly helped me find a new gear in the water. You all make the best video content!

[harrynp]

Great advice! I am 68 and swimming is my only exercise. I need to improve my techniques so this helps a lot ! Thanks very much

[noelarmstrong]

fantastic advice, you're such a good teacher !

[yiwenyoga]

Love your explanations! Thank you so much!

[robohippy]

Well, a couple of points. One you don't mention, but do, and perhaps more on your vertical kick than on your horizontal kick is go pigeon toed. Especially for those of us who have stiff ankles, turning our feet in when kicking will give us 10 to 20 more degrees of toe point/dorsi flexion. It also allows us to use the entire side of our foot for propulsion, which is far better than a gymnastic type toe point.

There is a subtle difference between the back stroke flutter kick and the freestyle flutter kick. If you try to do the exact same 'mechanics' on both kicks, when doing back stroke, you knees will be coming out of the water. With freestyle, in order to get the foot into a better position/angle to provide thrust, you have to flex at the hip a bit, so a little flex at the hip and a little flex at the knee. With back stroke, you end up flexing a bit more at the knee, and almost no flexing at the hip. The kick 'action' is very similar to kicking a football/soccer ball. Some hip rotation, a little wind up, toes pointed in, and a small kick, not an all the way down the field kick.

[taliakatouzi]

Thank you for teaching us the right tecnique.

[BrendanPramjee]

Great video!!! I'm going to try this out 🎉

[gustavoyacante]

Me encanta tu estilo de comunicación .Gracias por ayudarnos en nuestra natación . Saludos 😀

[auroraabad]

Thank you for the many tips to improve my swim skills, Taylor!

[kuladeeluxe]

Excellent presentation. Will try those tips.

[SibongileNkambule-tztj]

Your tips are simple and easy to follow many thanks

[GoodDay-ywqe]

Thanks sweetie, I am learning to swim and your tips are helping me

[moustafaismail]

Thanks a lot .. Great drills 😊👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[ralphjudemaban]

Thanks for the tutorial haha. This is really help full i will use this in my competition in the next 3 days Thx so much

[es-hsfd]

Thanks so much! The advise about keeping the kick narrow as if kicking in a bucket was very helpful. Now with that visual engrained in my head I’m hopeful that it will help improve my kick. Of course practice makes better. :)

[vedeshsingh]

Many many thanks for inspiring us and unleashing secret for swimming.