Is it really easier to kick less?

Swimming with a single kick per stroke at a fast speed takes a lot of training, strength and coordination. This video takes you straight to what you need to do to avoid wasting leg energy.

If you can't control what your legs are doing, you won't be able to breathe properly. If you can't breathe properly you won't be able to correct your swimming technique. Without good swimming technique, you will not only us the energy from your legs, but from your entire body.

Follow this video series in order:

00:00 - Is it really easier to kick less?
00:44 - Make your body longer
01:28 - Three forces that lift your legs
02:35 - Flexion of the knees and hips
03:44 - Exercises to improve the kick
07:36 - How much should your kick in freestyle swimming?

The position of the legs while swimming is simple to understand but difficult to apply in the water. The goal is to lengthen the body as much as possible. According to fluid mechanics, longer bodies have less resistance in water. One way to visualize the correct position is to imagine that you are in quicksand. If you cover little area you sink. But if you lie down you have more area on the ground and you have a better chance of survival. If you bend the hips and knees the area is reduced and you sink.
Swimming freestyle faster is an art and a science!

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Thanks for watching!
Swim fast!

[inz_uzi]

A-a-ron is getting better. Some day he'll be as fast as Be-la-ke. 😂

[jrcp]

Love the names... like the Key & Peele substitute teacher sketch

[tdkage]

I've been A-A-Ron for 5 months. Tomorrow I have a small biathlon, first one for me in open sea. As long as I finish it I will be EXTREMELY happy!! Thank you for all your videos.

Un abrazo amigo.

[eduardocavanagh]

Your videos keep getting better and better. I love how you explain the physics of swimming, a subtle subject because it is not so obvious as in other sports practiced outside the water.

[paulamiller]

I watched your video a week ago and started practicing your method. Today I shaved an average of 10 seconds off each 100 yards and was less tired than I typically am. This method feels intuitive. Thank you for breaking into down into understandable pieces.

[hpeace]

This channel is absolutely the best channel on Youtube for improving swim techniques. Very comprehensive and well explained. 👍

[nataliesalazar]

Your videos are so helpful! Just started swimming recently and want to become a more confident & efficient swimmer. I love the "trial and error" examples - it usually takes a few tries to get the hang of these techniques.

[Abziq]

I understood why he was calling him A-aron when i heard Bela-ke 😂😂

[ana-a-birdOFparadise]

I am 32 and can swim but never learned how to swim the right way. I have just started to taught my self the right way by watching your videos.
Very helpful and very informative video content. It's almost been two weeks now and I can say that I am improving and noticing the difference. Thank you so much.

[felipeiceman]

I'm new at swimming and I always lose concentration trying to find optimal kick rate. It's very tough. Anyways, great video and looking forward for the next one!

[jeannaimarre]

Very insightful. I discovered most of these techniques by copying movements from olympic swimmers and by understanding dynamic apnea breathing and posture principles, along with adding simple physics such as 'drag'. When I started swimming again in 2006 after a yearlong break, I did all the wrongs: low angle hips, heavy kicking and head out of the water. Nowadays I hardly use my legs at all while sprinting in front crawl. The pull buoy really helped me out. To stay frosty, I always include a few 'slow' lanes in what I call the "lazy crawl": a front crawl where I let myself glide out for as long as possible in between each stroke. This idea came from dynamic apnea and applying it in my front crawl magnifies the small mistakes that you make. As my aikido sensei once said: many can do it fast, but can you do it slow? That's where you give your imperfections enough time to show themselves. Besides that, it is also very relaxing to do a 'lazy crawl'. I heard of a guy in my province who swims around a small island regularly, and often almost falls asleep while doing his 'lazy crawl'.

[SwimBikeRunFastest]

It's scary how much these videos describe my swimming. Brilliant tips. Thank you

[Munaluqman]

You are an amazing educator and skilled coach. Thank you 🙏🏽

[cperkinscperkins]

This is a great video and I like it a lot. I also like the one stroke kick, but I have two versions of that kick: the sharp kick that turns the body and propels (which you demonstrate beautifully) and the softer kick that just turns the body, but provides no propulsion.
If I want to swim with _minimum_ energy, perhaps for swimming a very long time, no racing, then I find myself using that softer kick or no kick at all. The title of your video is "Is it really easier to kick less?" and the answer to that is a resounding yes. When using a no-kick stroke, I don't use speed to drag the legs back up, like you suggest in the video, but instead I change my balance - by keeping my arms forward and down. With this balance and the most minimal speed it's entirely possible to swim without kicking and to be efficient. Though, despite this, I might still use the single soft kick, because the rotation of the body really helps drive the arms and reduce their energy outlay.
Great video - one of the best on this topic.

[dan.polyakov.podcast]

I can add that you apply pressure with your chest on the water, so your balance would shift forward and your legs will stop sinking as well.

[Paxilon]

thanks so much for the videos! im trying to shave off at least a minute from my 400m to qualify as a lifeguard but i only have two months-- at the end of my first week practicing and learning from you i already feel a lot more confident in the water B)

[rainboow]

I have watched tremendous amount of swimming videos here on YouTube with no useful result. This video is the best by far, so thank you from the heart!

[janbefeni]

Amazing how you explain things step by step and how you include "what one thinks and does" and why.

[timothysands]

Key & Peele would be proud 👏 good job B-la-kay & A-aron

[krzysztoftankielun]

I've been struggling with many aspects of swimming from my beginning at january 2023 r. when I decided to start swimming trainings in order to start in triathlon events. Due to my achilles tendon seriuos injury I was forced to reschedule my first start for the next year, and hontestly it was great decision puttng aside injury. Why? Because after 8 months of trainings i'm still not able to swim long distances without be exhausted so fast... I'm quite good cyclist with near 375W FTP with 87kg BW, good runner, but when it comes to swimming.... no comments. Ive got personal coach, but he can not solve my problems especially with breathing. I think that's the crucial problem for me, and the next matter is a body position. So i'm so glad for finding your channel, I've watched so many episodes and I got new enegy and motivation for practicing swimming! I've got hope... no, I'm sure that It'll help me in short time to fight with my weaknesses :) Thanks!