Swimming Kick, Freestyle.?

Question

First Off, my freestyle/flutter kick with a board is super slow. Like SUPER slow. I kick as hard as I can, and I am not bending my knees. MY coach told me it could possibly be my ankle flexibility...please help!

Answer 1

i had the same problem but now my freestyle kick is like really really good

Without really good ankle flexibility you can kick as hard as you want, you won't go very fast. Try sitting on your ankles to stretch them out, or make the alphabet with your feet (It sounds silly but it works). The other possibility is that your kick technique needs work, this also sounds really silly for freestyle kick, but your legs should be loose enough so that your lower legs are swaying with the momentum, allowing you to get more out of each movement. Both of these could contribute to other problems such as feel which would slow you down.

Answer 2

OMG. That is like the same thing with me! Im super fast at free style but when I kick with the kick board im not going anywhere! But I never thought about ankle flexibility...hmm!

LOL sorry, didnt really answer this!

Answer 3

I kick really weird on a kickboard. and my coach told me that I may just have weirf legs.  Just work on your legs,a nd you will be fine.  Your arms are probably nice though becasue you have to use them more when you kick.

Answer 4

Try keeping your feet out of the water as much as possible, only touch the water as you kick down. In other words, don't kick underwater. And do bend your knees, just make sure you're not kicking backwards, but DOWN. Relax your legs and let the power come from your hips. Good luck! You can do it!

Answer 5

Ankle flexibility helps alot in flutter kick. I have pretty floppy ankles, and I know this is a major reason my flutter kick is really good.

Why do you say "I am not bending my knees" -- ? Bending your knees is a good thing -- not something to avoid. If you lock your knees, it will make your kick stiff and unproductive. Watch this video of Kara Lynn Joyce (especially at 1:20 and 1:48). You'll notice that she bends her knees, and she goes faster than either one of us ever will.

http://goswim.tv/entries/5235/go-swim-fr...

My advice is to get a pair of fins, like Zoomers:

http://www.zoomers.net/zoomers.htm

They will help you develop the correct leg motion and will help (slightly) with ankle flexibility.

Answer 6

everyone kicks super slow with a kick-board!!!!!!! but what i am confused about is that you HAVE to bend your knees when you swim. do that, and you should go a little faster!!!