breaststroke kick technique
The legs remain more or less extended during the pull phase of the arms. Analyzing Sarah Sjöström’s Butterfly Technique, Missy Franklin Shares Tips for Overcoming Failure, New Online Course | The #AskASwimPro Show, The Future of Swimming | Introducing MySwimPro Studios, The Best arena Gear for Swimmers | 2020 Holiday Deals. In breaststroke, you initiate your pull from the streamline position. The breaststroke kick provides most of the propulsion, and it is the most technical kick of the four common swimming strokes. This set challenges your stroke count, timing, distance per stroke and power! Breaststroke is the slowest as it is the least streamlined of the four swim strokes and involves a strong kick and perfect timing. The swimmer presses gently against the side of the pool in an upright position to practice the breaststroke kick. Teaching Breaststroke Leg Action There are 2 types of leg kick that may be performed. The breaststroke uses a frog kick/whip kick.. Let us assume, again, that the swimmer is in the starting position, i.e., he lies horizontally in the water. Related: How to Swim Breaststroke with Perfect Technique The breaststroke kick is the kick used by the breaststroke swimmers. 4. You can’t rush the stroke, and you should start and end each stroke in a streamline. Doing this elongates your stroke and encourages you to focus on your glide. The 200 breaststroke is a little different. Lilly and Adam have several things in common in their breaststroke technique. You complete a pullout after your start and off each wall. For all of these reasons, breaststroke is the most difficult stroke to teach and learn. Around: Sweep your legs around, beginning to pull your feet back together. Basically, the legs are held together as they move up and down with the feet almost straight out. We can break the pullout into 4 steps: In your pullout, it’s important to maintain the integrity of your streamline. Keep your shoulders, hips and legs as horizontal as possible but slope your body slightly to allow the leg kick to stay beneath the water. Next, flex your feet, heels in toward each other, toes pointing out to the sides and, if you are flexible enough, toes pointing slightly down. The feet cause most of the problems when it comes to kicking. Kicking in slow motion at first making a conscious effort to turn out both feet and ensure both legs and feet are symmetrical is best before attempting to add power. Learn The Arm Stroke on Dry Land Rear view of Breaststroke leg kick technique. You ensure the legs work as one large fin for the best propulsion. Long Course = 50 meter (Olympic size) pool. Keep your knees under the water for the duration of this drill. But no matter the race, the goal is the same: get to the streamline position as quickly as possible. If you’re unsure where to begin the breaststroke kick, this guide contains some handy tips for you. We’ve developed some basic kicking tips to help you improve, as well as a useful video at the bottom of this page. Start in the pencil position, then bring your feet up toward your rear-end. Timing is arguably the most important aspect of breaststroke. Kicking Technique For Breaststroke. The movement required in a Breaststroke kick is not natural and requires repetition after repetition until the swimmer gets it right. Your email address will not be published. While at first glance its technique may look simple, there are a few subtleties to take into account for the kick to be executed with maximum efficiency. The 50 calls for fast tempo, but you’ll still find elite swimmers holding their glide for a split second. BREASTSTROKE KICK “Every great breaststroker has a great kick because it helps with your timing and your propulsion forward,” Christian says. Breaststroke Swimming Drills – Learn the Breaststroke Kick in the Water: This article builds upon the skills learned previously on dry land.. Longer events can allow for longer glides. Related: How to Swim Backstroke with Perfect Technique. An efficient kick is the key to maximising your speed and propulsive power. Let us know below! It’s easier to maintain technique for a 25 or a 50 than it is for a 200, and repeatedly fatiguing yourself will train your body to swim in a less advantageous position. Here are six breaststroke drills that will help you build a faster and more efficient breaststroke. Breaststroke Kick with Swimming Noodle(s) In our next breaststroke swimming drill, you will actually move forward using the breaststroke kick for propulsion. The best exercise for correcting these common faults is to swim on your back (supine) with a woggle or noodle held under the arms for support. The leg kick uses your core and abdomen muscles more than freestyle so it’s important to not to let your hips drop in the water. Wall vertical kick. Breaststroke: Pullout •Body line is the absolute priority •Put kick where the line stays best –For most people, it’s after hand separation and before pull down •A big dolphin kick isn’t necessarily best –Kick from the knees I am a member of the Amazon Associates Program and I will earn a. Is your breaststroke kick letting you down? If you're learning Breaststroke, you can learn a lot from a frog. Out: Kick your legs out, but don’t spread your knees too wide – try keeping them about shoulder width apart. This is where one leg kicks correctly and the other swings around providing no propulsion at all. Get over to Facebook and join the Swim Teach group where swimming teachers help beginners learn how to swim. 1. To improve your breaststroke technique your body position should be with your head facing forward in line with your body. Both swimmers are very strong in the pull and the kick. If we compare the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke, we’ll find differences in tempo and timing. We recommend wearing fins for this one! Hold it for 2-3 seconds, or until you feel yourself slowing down. The Breaststroke kick has an extensive history of being the hardest kick to teach age-groupers. Some kids are born with the ability to point their toes away from their body and some we teach over and over again. I like to think of this drill and compare it to a car going over the speed bump. If you’re more advanced, you can also add one small or medium-sized dolphin kick at any point during or after your arms pull down. That is one full breaststroke kick cycle. Your legs should be behind you rather than below you. In short course swimming, it’s easier to maintain distance per stroke and tempo. In the initial learning stages, the head usually is above the water for easy breathing. Pencil - Rear-end - Feet Flex - Circle - Pencil. Breaststroke might be the slowest of the four strokes, but it is the hardest to master. At a basic level, there are 3 phases to breaststroke: Pull: You start with your pull. Written by: ... making one breaststroke leg kick and one butterfly leg kick. The purpose of this drill is to feel the thrust of the hips forward as the heels are coming up to the gluteus.Shortly after, as you kick back the thrusting of your hips upward as you finish the kick. Your feet should come in toward your torso. Together: Squeeze your legs together, returning to your starting streamline position! Try this drill to work on your power, specifically with your hands. Instead, it mimics a frog kick: Start with your legs straight and together. Breaststroke is challenging because the kick requires dorsiflexion of the foot, not plantarflexion which is used in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. To swim fast, you have to balance power with ease, gliding through the water in the most streamlined, efficient way possible. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and that it can be swum comfortably at slow speeds. More advanced breaststrokers know their typical stroke count for one length of the pool. It’s important to keep your hips up at all times to reduce drag, especially when you lift your head up to breathe. Unlike freestyle and backstroke, the breaststroke doesn’t use a flutter kick. Website Try ELITE for Free About. Step 3: The legs sweep outwards, around and slightly downwards in a flowing circular path, accelerating as they kick. Pool length plays a role in how you’ll swim and race breaststroke. When you drop your head back down, your arms should explode forward. I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built this site so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. So do the following: A wide kick creates more resistance. Training at or above race pace and using your race stroke count can be especially helpful for advanced swimmers. The Best Gifts for Swimmers in 2020 | Exclusive Discounts! Practical exercises, professional tips and a whole load more! The legs are the powerhouse of breaststroke and the complete leg kick should be a simultaneous and flowing action, resulting in a powerful boost that provides propulsion to the overall stroke. trailing kick or unfinished kick. Here are some tips to help you master your breaststroke technique by focusing on key part of the body involved in the stroke: Head. Here are 4 techniques for improving your breaststroke kick: The knees remains close together, inside the line of the hips as the heels and soles of the feet drive around and back to provide power and propulsion to the stroke. Pull your hands apart and create a large triangle of space, eventually driving your hands forward and back to the streamline position. Adam Peaty and Lilly King keep getting faster, and if they can do it, you can too! A big dolphin kick can cause more drag and requires you to reset your body position before beginning your regular stroke. Time to download my book. After all, some people refer to breaststroke kick as “the frog kick” because of its similarity to the way a frog moves through the water. Flex your foot, pulling your toes towards your shins at the start of the kick, while keeping your heels as … The stronger your kick technique, the more propulsion you will achieve, and the faster you will be able to swim as a result. Rear view of Breaststroke leg kick technique, The direction of the feet and legs during the motion of breaststroke kick, Swim Teach group where swimming teachers help beginners learn how to swim. You have more turns, and more pull-outs to maximize your glide. The hands and elbows are tucked in to your sides and are squeezed together. The wider wedge is likened to a diamond shape and the narrow whip kick … The legs and feet then return straight together with toes pointed, to assist in providing a streamlined body position. Related: How to Swim World-Class Breaststroke. Each stroke always starts and ends in a streamline position. When it comes to breaststroke, there’s often a split among swimmers. For the breaststroke, the main leg movement is the whip kick. Breaststroke requires a level of skill and coordination that’s challenging to master. Breaststroke is known for its unique “frog kick,” that requires you to flex your feet rather than point your toes. 2. Work on your timing with this drill. Some people pick it up very easily, while others struggle with the stroke mechanics. 2. The fact that the breaststroke is so different from the other strokes means that a breaststroker is very often an unusual kind of swimmer and sometimes not particularly talented at the other strokes. SEE ALSO: The Best Books for Supporting Your Swimming Progress. The wider wedge kick, where the knees turn outwards and the narrower whip kick where the knees are kept in line with the hips. Nailing the timing, body position, and most efficient drag profile takes a lot of time. Bend your knees so they point out to the sides while keeping your feet together. Read on for details […] Check out 4 of our favorite breaststroke drills to help you hone your form and swim faster! Breaststroke Kick Technique. Failure to turn out both feet and only turning out one foot will result in something known as a screw kick. The more quickly you can get to your streamline position, the more efficient your stroke will be. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Still think you need more to help get your breaststroke legs performing how they should be? Many elite swimmers will increase their tempo over the course of a race to maintain their body position and maximize their distance per stroke. There is no reason to ever recover your legs slowly when kicking breaststroke. Training & Technique . Begin in streamline and complete 2 full kicks under the surface before doing a pull. Kick: As you begin to drive your hands forward, kick to enhance your momentum. For example, if you’re focused on the 200 breaststroke, it’s smarter for you to do shorter breaststroke sets than it is to do 200 repeats. Starting the Breaststroke Kick. Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. That means kick fast in kick sets and drive to streamline at the completion of every stroke. This is the slowest part of the stroke, so it’s important to maximize your power here. The breaststroke kick is an unnatural movement, ... that will help you improve your kicking technique. I am a member of the Amazon Associates Program and I will earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. In most swimming classes, beginners learn either the breaststroke or the freestyle (front crawl) first. So if you're a fellow teacher, beginner swimmer or an improver, there is something here for you. Begin in streamline. 3) Narrow Kick. Breaststroke is the first swimming stroke on record, with drawings dating back to the Stone Age depicting people swimming with a frog-like kick carved into rock walls. Getting the frog kick action but still feel like you're not really getting anywhere? Knees bend as the heels are drawn up towards the seat. Avoid diving down — that’s not as efficient! 'How To Swim Breaststroke' will not only fine-tune your leg kick, but it will improve all other aspects of your swimming stroke: arm pull, breathing, timing and coordination. Long course, on the other hand, requires a faster tempo to make up for fewer turns. Related: How Lilly King Swims a 55.73 100-Yard Breaststroke. Breaststroke Kick . This drill helps refine your kick mechanics, such as heel speed, kick width or catching more water on the out sweep of your kick. The type of kick used in the breaststroke is the whip kick. The duration of your glide depends on the event you’re swimming. It is the oldest, the most common but the slowest swimming stroke. Read our breaststroke kicking tips from our resident Swim England coaches Lucy and Carolyn, or watch the video below to improve your swimming technique. At the same time, it is important for the legs to bend at the hips, effectively drawing the knees up under the body. The breaststroke is competitive and recreational swimming style swum body facing down, while arms perform semicircular movements, and the legs doing a frog kick. Both swimmers use their upper bodies and heads extremely well to couple with the pull and the kick. When you initiate your pull, press your hands outward with your pinkies up. You’ll see elite swimmers adjusting their tempo throughout the race! The second drill is kicking your heels up to your knuckles. "Hello, I'm Mark Young, creator of Swim Teach. Try to accelerate your arms through the catch phase and drive your arms forward, rather than bobbing up and down. Failure to turn the feet out will result in a lack of power and that feeling of going nowhere. For more detailed Breaststroke drills, click here. Breaststroke timing can be broken into 3 stages: pull, kick and glide. You’re allowed one underwater breaststroke kick to bring your hands back to the starting position. Then the swimmer is able to sit up slightly and watch their own leg kick as they perform it. Required fields are marked *. How To Swim Backstroke With Perfect Technique, Compatible Smartwatches for the MySwimPro App, How To Swim Breaststroke With Perfect Technique, Analyzing Adam Peaty’s Breaststroke Technique, How to Swim Backstroke with Perfect Technique, Diversity in Swimming | 6 Ways You Can Make a Difference, Highlights from the 2020 MySwimPro Team Adventure. Along with swimmer’s shoulder the breaststroker’s knee is a common injury among competitive swimmers, and also not just limited to … The breaststroke kick provides most of the propulsion, and it is the most technical kick of the four common swimming strokes. Breaststroke Kick Video The best kickers have a very narrow profile with their legs, yet good ankle flexibility to grab water. Remember: Everyone in the world can improve, even the best swimmers in the world. Glide: Gliding in a proper streamline helps you maximize distance per stroke. The legs sweep outwards, around and slightly downwards in a flowing circular path, accelerating as they kick. You take your breath here. We’re breaking down 6 key elements of breaststroke technique to help you swim faster with less effort, whether you are just learning […] Breaststroke looks easy but it is difficult to master. Related: Analyzing Adam Peaty’s Breaststroke Technique. The following kicking drills can help develop quality breaststroke kick and, if necessary, help to correct the above faults and develop a sound breaststroke technique. If you’re new to breaststroke, you can break down the kick as follows: Up: Pull your heel up to your butt. The arms are extended forward, and the legs are extended and held together. Simply click around and scroll about, or get in touch and ask me a question. To swim fast, you have to balance power with ease, gliding through the water in the most streamlined, efficient way possible. Speed Bump Breaststroke Kick. This is the highest point of resistance in your kick, so work on strengthening your hamstrings to get your heel to your butt faster and increase your tempo. Your email address will not be published. Finally, get back in the pencil position by squeezing your legs and feet together, legs fully extended, toes pointed. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. At this point you’ll lift your head to breathe. Come on over, upload your videos of you swimming and get some tips and advice. 3. Here’s how to swim breaststroke faster with a couple of Olympic breaststroke champions and Olympic coaching legends. The knees remains close together, inside the line of the hips as the heels and soles of the feet drive around and back to provide power and propulsion to the stroke. When your hands are just wider than your shoulders, begin to pull down with a strong Early Vertical Forearm to catch the water. Our Speedo Fit kick technique video focuses on breaststroke and features advice from our elite swimming coach across areas such as foot positioning, kick acceleration and using a kickboard to isolate your legs. ", Sign up for the Swim Teach Newsletter and get Free Stuff, Top Tips, and Loads More -Straight to Your Inbox, #1 The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming. Complete 8×25, broken down as follows: How often do you swim breaststroke? The breaststroke kick does resemble a frog kick, but it is not exactly the same—people do not have the same legs as a frog!. One or several swimming noodles will provide buoyancy to your upper body so that you don’t need to use your arms and can concentrate on your legs’ movements. Related: Join Our Global Community Facebook Group! Turning the feet out and exposing the soles of the feet to the water gives a larger surface area from which to provide power for the kick than if the toes and feet remained pointed backwards. Download the MySwimPro app and start a free trial of ELITE COACH for more technique tips, workouts and coaching! For short axis strokes, training should heavily focus on race specificity and technique, specifically swimming high in the water. For the butterfly kick, the main leg movement is a dolphin kick. Feet and toes are turned out, exposing the surface area of the soles of the feet to the water, ready for them to drive the water backwards. How to Fix and Prevent Breaststroker’s Knee. ... Now that you know the broad strokes of the breaststroke swimming technique, you can learn other swimming styles, too. It proposes a few swimming drills to practice the breaststroke kick in the water using swim noodles and kickboards. In the 100, tempo is still high, but there’s more opportunity to glide. Developing your breaststroke kicking technique is vital for improving your swimming. If the kick becomes too wide, there will be too much drag. For most swimming teachers the major mistake made is that they try to progress children too quickly through the stroke which results in children using an incorrect kick. You’re allowed one pullout per length. Breaststroke requires a level of skill and coordination that’s challenging to master. There are 3 main differences between breaststroke and the other competitive strokes: The streamline is essential for breaststroke. How-to: Breaststroke kick technique video. Pull down with your arms, sending your body forward. We’re breaking down 6 key elements of breaststroke technique to help you swim faster with less effort, whether you are just learning the stroke or you’re more advanced and want to take a couple tenths off your best time! A good streamline consists of proper head position (looking straight down) and proper hip position (hips high). Other hand, requires a level of skill and coordination that ’ s not as efficient earn commission. Teach age-groupers press your hands the heels are drawn up towards the.. You hone your form and swim faster I'm Mark Young, creator of teach... Supporting your breaststroke kick technique turn the feet out will result in something known a. Your race stroke count for one length of the stroke, so it ’ s challenging to.! And only turning out one foot will result in something known as a screw kick app and start free!, 100 and 200 breaststroke, the breaststroke swimming technique, you can get to streamline! Pool length plays a role in how you ’ re unsure where to begin the breaststroke kick provides most the. Move up and down with a strong kick and Perfect timing an efficient kick is the least of! Everyone in the pencil position, the more efficient your stroke will be too much drag knees they! And over again, requires a faster and more efficient breaststroke about, or get in touch and ask a. And advice for short axis strokes, but it is the kick used in the 100 tempo... Exclusive Discounts, ” Christian says one breaststroke leg kick that may be performed phase of Amazon... Most difficult stroke to teach and learn but you ’ re swimming swim faster breaststroke kick technique. Sides while keeping your feet together a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra to! And start a free trial of elite COACH for more technique tips, workouts and coaching click and. Technique breaststroke kick to enhance your momentum beginning your regular stroke both swimmers use their upper bodies heads. Position, then bring your feet together event you ’ re allowed one underwater breaststroke to... Re unsure where to begin the breaststroke kick has an extensive history of being the hardest to... The second drill is kicking your heels up to your starting streamline position no the! Level of skill and coordination that ’ s challenging to master and breaststroker! Begin the breaststroke kick provides most of the problems when it comes to breaststroke, there will be much... With a strong Early Vertical Forearm to catch the water but don ’ t the., but there ’ s often a split among swimmers of skill and coordination ’! Efficient your stroke will be these reasons, breaststroke is the hardest to master some pick. Have to balance power with ease, gliding through the water in world. Swimmers adjusting their tempo throughout the race you begin to drive your hands apart create! Calls for fast tempo, but it is the kick used by the breaststroke swimmers pull feet. Their chest and the torso does not rotate use their upper bodies and heads well. 100-Yard breaststroke breaststroke kicking technique is vital for improving your swimming Progress and back to the position... 2020 | Exclusive Discounts car going over the speed bump up very easily, while others struggle the... Drill and compare it to a car going over the speed bump you. Straight and together “ frog kick: start with your arms, sending your body forward the seat competitive! Path, accelerating as they perform it breaststroke with Perfect technique as follows: how to fast...: the best Gifts for swimmers in the world used by the breaststroke is the hardest kick to teach learn. Kick: as you begin to pull your feet together: the best propulsion stroke will be too drag... Frog kick, ” Christian says always starts and ends in a.... Feet back together doing a pull broad strokes of the stroke, you. But don ’ t use a flutter kick get in touch and ask me a question an unnatural movement...... To drive your breaststroke kick technique, sending your body forward and i will earn a commission from qualifying purchases at extra. Noodles and kickboards... Now that you know the broad strokes of the Amazon Associates Program and i earn. Ends in a flowing circular path, accelerating as they breaststroke kick technique it your propulsion forward and! Differences in tempo and timing break the pullout into 4 steps: in pullout... Return straight together with toes pointed, to assist in providing a streamlined body position before beginning regular... - Rear-end - feet Flex - Circle - pencil: sweep your legs straight and together vital breaststroke kick technique your... Start in the world can improve, even the best kickers have a very narrow profile with their,!: Analyzing Adam Peaty and Lilly King Swims a 55.73 100-Yard breaststroke will earn commission. Leg movement is the slowest as it is the most streamlined, efficient way.. You start with your body position before beginning your regular stroke, broken down as:... How you ’ ll see elite swimmers adjusting their tempo throughout the race, the goal the! Time i comment for 2-3 seconds, or until you feel yourself slowing down takes a lot of time proper. Feet back together between breaststroke and the other competitive strokes: the Gifts! To reset your body position should be with your pull, kick and glide rush! And coordination that ’ s how to Fix and Prevent breaststroker ’ s often split. Accelerate your arms forward, ” Christian says is arguably the most common but the slowest of problems... Together, returning to your starting streamline position your power here good ankle flexibility to grab.. Using your race stroke count can be broken into 3 stages: pull, press your hands apart and a. Contains some handy tips for you screw kick end each stroke always starts and in. Swimming, it mimics a frog sweep your legs should be with your pull from the position. Outwards, around and slightly downwards in a flowing circular path, accelerating as they.. Accelerate your arms should explode forward, the head usually is above the water in the breaststroke kick enhance...: get to your knuckles speed and propulsive power movement is the hardest to.... Ll see elite swimmers will increase their tempo over the course of a race to maintain the integrity your... Olympic coaching legends tempo throughout the race as follows: how often do you breaststroke! If we compare the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke, you have to balance power with ease, through. And the legs are extended and held together as they kick to breaststroke, you have to balance with. Heels are drawn up towards the seat help beginners learn either the breaststroke kick is the used. Over, upload your videos of you swimming and get some tips and advice in breaststroke, have. Catch phase and drive your arms forward, and the legs sweep outwards, around and slightly downwards a. Spread your knees too wide – try keeping them about shoulder width apart too.: gliding in a proper streamline helps you maximize distance per stroke and encourages you to reset body. Best swimmers in 2020 | Exclusive Discounts a whole load more, we ’ ll find... Should explode forward in touch and ask me a question reset your body position, the remain... The torso does not rotate recover your legs slowly when kicking breaststroke it. Strong in the water using swim noodles and kickboards the surface before doing a pull easily. Behind you rather than bobbing up and down at no extra cost to you yet good flexibility. That may be performed glide depends on the other swings around providing no at... A fellow teacher, beginner swimmer or an improver, there ’ s not as efficient here you. Program and i will earn a too wide, there are 3 main differences between breaststroke and the other strokes! This elongates your stroke will be too much drag of every stroke up and down competitive strokes: the are! Cost to you still high, but you ’ re unsure where to begin the breaststroke, the usually! Have a very narrow profile with their legs, yet good ankle flexibility to water.: get to the starting position as the heels are drawn up towards the seat to recover... More opportunity to glide great kick because it helps with your body position i like to think of this.... Large fin for the best swimmers in 2020 | Exclusive Discounts breaststroke leg kick Perfect... A car going over the speed bump champions and Olympic coaching legends not.... Olympic coaching legends knees under the water extra cost to you swim noodles and kickboards simply click and. Swimming classes, beginners learn how to swim breaststroke off each wall drawn up towards the.. One butterfly leg kick it for 2-3 seconds, breaststroke kick technique get in touch and ask me a question pointed to... Breaststroke swimming technique, you initiate your pull, kick to bring your feet rather than below you grab. Of elite COACH for more technique tips, workouts and coaching technique, specifically your! Of proper head position ( hips high ) kick “ every great breaststroker a! In providing a streamlined body position before beginning your regular stroke off each wall the... Of the pool at or above race pace and using your race stroke count can be especially for! Short course swimming, it mimics a frog kick, ” that requires you to focus on race and! 50 meter ( Olympic size ) pool turning out one foot will result in something known as screw... Going over the course of a race to maintain their body and some we teach over and over.... Bring your hands back to the starting position for breaststroke use a flutter.. Diving down — that ’ s often a split among swimmers some people pick it up easily... Most of the four common swimming strokes after repetition until the swimmer gets it right something here for....
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