Hi, Mike Walker from the Gold Medal Swim School. I am excited to talk today about kicking. Everyone knows the basic idea of Freestyle kicking, but here are three tips to INSTANTLY make your kick better.
1. Air Fuels Your Kick
We want to make sure that we are blowing our bubbles and getting clean air. This way, our leg muscles, which are oxygen gobblers, can always be ready to work.
2. Slightly Bend Your Knees
Knee bend is a little bit like cheesecake – a little bit goes a LONG way. We want to make sure that our knees have some flexion, but not so much that they create drag. To do this, keep your knees with a slight bend. If you must err, make your knees a little too straight rather than too bent.
3. Point Your Toes
Your kick should be on the top of your foot so that you are pushing the water down and lifting it up. Your feet need to be soft and pointed, with thick, goopy caramel on your foot so that you can hold water pressure. The combination of water pressure, plus a little bit of air on our feet, will make for a great kick.