While one leg moves up, the other leg moves down, and vice versa. Strong legs and a strong kick add power to your hip rotation. Backstroke uses a combination of two types of kick, the flutter kick and the underwater dolphin kick. The hamstrings help the swimmer to recover their legs and to maximise propulsion during the leg kick. Although propulsion from the leg kick is not priority as the … Causes for Sinking Legs. The legs are moved up and down in quick succession with compact movements. Your whole leg should flex and your ankles relaxed. Many competitive backstroke swimmers regularly undertake dryland/land training. As you kick, reach one arm up towards the sky and bring it down to the side of your head and into the water. Additionally, make sure you are not kicking down with force. Hold the board by one end with your fingers on the topside and thumbs underneath. The following drill helps key in the core and leg muscles that initiate a hip-driven backstroke kick. Backstroke kick is an alternating action, continuously up and down to help balance the action of the arms. The swimmer initiates the catch phase by engaging the muscles in the, To help flex and extend their elbow during the propulsive middle and end of the stroke, Both types of kick start with a contraction of the, As the swimmer extends their knee/s, they engage their thighs, As they recover their leg/s with the upbeat kick, the swimmer’s, Throughout the stroke, the swimmer engages their calf muscles to help maintain a plantarflexed position with their feet (ankles extended & toes pointed), They help to stabilise the swimmer’s body, helping it maintain an effective position in the water. Dryland/land training can also help increase a swimmer’s range of movement and make them more flexible. The Competitive Swimming Exchange is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love. This in turn helps you drive your arms forward for a faster and more dynamic arm pull. The buttock muscles help to stabilise the swimmer’s body position and to maximise propulsion during the leg kick. If you hold the board over your knees and kick it “bounces” a fair bit. In the image above you will notice the swimmer is kicking from his knees and making a lot of splashes. Your freestyle stroke benefits from having more power from the core and your kick. Backstroke timing is crucial to achieving a smooth, rhythmical stroke and the coordination of arms and legs is the key to success. The swimmer’s legs should remain straight, with their toes pointed throughout this exercise. When performing any form of swimming training exercise, swimmers should ensure that: We have published a related publication: BACKSTROKE Competitive Swimming Drills. If the kick stops, the whole lower half of the body sinks, so a steady kick is vital to keeping a long … When holding the board in this position and kick from your hips the board will stay flat and not bounce on the water. Straight leg flutter kicks are a great core development exercise for the core and glutes . The knees should not sink too low, as this increases the drag. This can help them to gain additional benefits beyond those that can be achieved by training in the water alone. Then the swimmer is able to sit up slightly and watch their own leg kick as they perform it. 2:14. Remember to keep your hips up and your head back. 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. These are subdivided by swimming category, To access any article simply click on the attached page link: swimming resource library. This, plus the fact that your kick should be consistent throughout your stroke and not pause while you’re rotating, means fast, efficient backstroke requires good leg conditioning. What happens when the alarm doesn’t go off at 5 am anymore? The feet should stay in the shadow of the swimmer’… Push and glide from the poolside without floats. The leg stroke alternates, with one leg sinking down straight to about 30 degrees. Which you can view by clicking this link: swimming dryland training. These help initiate their body’s rotation to help lengthen their stroke and maximise propulsion. A strong kick keeps your stroke together. Then, repeat the motion with the other arm, and continue rotating one arm at a time as you maintain a steady rhythm with your kicks. This helps to maximise propulsion and minimise drag. The backstroke kick is only about twelve inches at its deepest. You want to try and focus on not kicking from your knees and letting the board bounce. Your leg kicks balance your arm pulls and together they both help to maintain a horizontal and flat body position. The easiest way to start this drill is to float on your back. See the backstroke kick article for a more detailed description. For our kick during backstroke, we use the same flutter kick as front crawl, ensuring the movement starts from the hips rather than the knees, to prevent them from becoming stiff and sore. The amount of propulsion generated from the kick will depend on the size of the feet, ankle mobility and strength of the legs. They have enough room to safely perform each exercise. Push-ups – Standard, wide, narrow, slow, diamond (medicine ball), Bicep curls – Barbell, dumbbells, resistance cords or bands, Triceps extensions – Bodyweight, dumbbells, resistance cords or bands, Rotation pulls (Internal & External) – Resistance cords or bands, Straight arm lift – Gym ball (lateral) dumbbells, Squats – Bodyweight, barbell, dumbbell, jumping, lateral, straight arm & overhead (medicine ball). The legs perform alternating and opposite movements. The problem is that this makes a lot of splash and takes a lot of effort. When the heel is at the highest point of the kick in freestyle and the lowest point in backstroke, the knee is then flexed and the drive of the power phase of the kick is executed. Which you can view by clicking this link: dryland training for breaststroke, Related article on swimming dryland training, We have produced a related article on swimming dryland training. A few important aspects to work on: A constant leg motion is required. Video Demonstration. Beginner backstrokers tend to kick from their knees—your kick should originate from your hips, sending a smooth, whip-like ripple down through your toes. Having a strong and steady kick is essential to backstroke. Backstroke leg kick is essentially the same kick as freestyle only upside down. The Speedo Aquapulse Max Mirror 2 Goggle Review. The upper arm muscles are also engaged during the pulling movements in the arm stroke. If you wave one end up and down slightly then the wood will flex and the other end will go up and down also but amplified. There are a few exercises that help to better your leg kicking. Your legs should be relaxed and bent slightly. The easiest way to help improve your kick, is to grab a kick board and kick with it over your knees. Provide suggested dryland exercises to develop the major muscles used during backstroke. Have them sit on the poolside and kick their legs in the water. When you float on your back and hold your kickboard over your knees. To contact us please click HERE. Related article on dryland training for breaststroke, We have produced a related article on dryland training for breaststroke. The propulsion is generated from alternate arm stroke and flutter kick actions. This backstroke kick drill is a great drill to get you started. Each drill focuses on a certain part of backstroke, for example the body position or the leg kick. It is a good sign that you are not kicking from your hips. The kick makes a large contribution to the forward speed, while significantly stabilizing the body. A lot of people try to kick like they’re trying to ride a bike, or running. This backstroke kick drill is a great drill to get you started. Please note, that wherever possible we have used the common terms for each muscle and listed the technical/medical term in brackets. Then each given exercise is designed to isolate that particular stroke part and the technique tips and focus points listed help you to perfect the finer details of that part. Keep your body straight with your legs slightly lower than your upper body, so that they can work properly. The combination of increased flexibility and stronger, more balanced muscle groups can lower the risk of injury. The flutter kick is a simple yet efficient swimming technique where you keep your legs parallel and alternatively kick upward and downward with each leg. For further details and ordering information please use the following link: This contains links to all of our blog post. To be more correct, the legs kick in vertical or oblique directions, depending on the body’s position, because in backstroke the body rolls from side to side. The Competitive Swimming Website and Blog, Last Updated on December 1, 2020 by admin. This is where one leg kicks correctly and the other swings around providing no propulsion at all. Having your hips and legs sink while swimming backstroke can … The following underwater video features a race with Kosuke Katijama, where you can clearly see the leg… This doesn’t mean you have to hammer with the legs, but rather keep a gentle steady motion. For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange, Upper/middle back muscles (latissimus dorsi ‘lats’), The shoulder muscles (deltoids and rotator cuff), Hip flexors (rectus femoris and iliopsoas), The major muscle functions during backstroke, Related article on developing your swimming core, Middle back muscles (latissimus dorsi ‘lats’), Related publication: BACKSTROKE Competitive Swimming Drills, The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group, Swimming Training for Triathletes: An Introduction. The legs kick in an alternating up-down manner, where the hip drives the kick. The upper/middle back muscles are engaged during the pulling movements in the arm stroke. Often backstrokers will kick with too much knee bend, causing an increase in the frontal drag and slowing them down. employing leg muscles differently than humans commonly do for most land activities. Think front crawl… But flipped. We have produced a swimming resource library. Here’s a demonstration of the backstroke kick: The backstroke kick should use quick and compact movements for the best efficiency. I love to call it leg action in swimming backstroke the “leg press”. Which you can view by clicking this link: developing your swimming core. Please download our free chart ‘The major muscles used for backstroke’, by clicking the button below. The core muscles help to stabilise the swimmer’s body, helping it maintain an effective position in the water to minimise drag and enable the body’s rotation to help maximise propulsion. It’s easy to get puffed because they are trying to go flat out straight away. When Noriko Inada used this stretched tendon in a similar way in the backstroke straightness leg kick, the kick frequency was much more rapid [16]. A lot of people trying too hard with this drill. It can really help you to develop your backstroke kick correctly. Breaststroke legs: swim backstroke inserting a breaststroke leg kick at the end of each set of arm strokes (breathe in while moving your arms and breathe out during the leg kick). Backstroke leg kick. The leg movement in backstroke is similar to the flutter kick in front crawl. Before starting any form of exercise, we advise that you consult with your healthcare professional if you are concerned about an existing or potential medical condition. Then simply kick. Sikana English 22,521 views. The leg movement, colloquially known as the "frog kick" or "whip kick", consists of two phases: bringing the feet into position for the thrust phase and the insweep phase. Your whole leg should be moving with each kick, not just your lower leg. Generate power from your hips, not your knees. As the swimmer … We’ll identify and explain the function of each of these muscles during the different phases of the stroke. Kick. Think of your backstroke flutter kick not only as a propulsive force but also the rudder that steadies your vessel. Listed below are the major muscles used during backstroke. The backstroke uses a flutter kick. The hip flexor muscles help to initiate the downbeat to maximise propulsion during the leg kick. Kick with force only in the upward direction. The best part is this drill is a fairly simple drill to do. The backstroke uses the flutter kick, just like in freestyle. Here are some tips to master the flutter kick: Keep your legs close together. The major force of the backstroke kick is upward, against gravity, making quick, compact kicking and good foot position extremely important. Backstroke is the only competitive stroke performed on the back. The face drops below the water surface, and breathing is disrupted. Categories include: Swimmer Development | Swimmers Health | Swimming Coaching | Swimming Competition | Swimming Drills | Swimming Dryland/Land Training | Swimming Equipment | Swimming Psychology | Swimming Training. The flutter kick is used in the backstroke but also in the front crawl stroke to provide balance and propulsion. Backstroke uses a combination of two types of kick, the flutter kick and the underwater dolphin kick. We have produced a related article on developing your swimming core. Pointing your toes makes a huge difference too, and ideally, that’s part of having a relaxed leg. 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