Swimming - Freestyle - Flutter-Kick Basics

[PeruvianConan]

Perfect!

[horror469]

How do I keep my body close to the top of the water, or flat ?

[dugfriendly]

Well done. Thank you!!!!

[Juliermel79]

After the video I can go forward just with the flutter kicks. Thank you!!!

[johnds1963]

As a runner you just explained why my kick is un productive - Thank-you! I will work on my ankle flexibility!

[goswim098]

@johnds1963 - And as a swimmer... you probably know why I have such a hard time running. We all have our place right?

[Guffbox]

@goswim098 story of my life. i am an avid runner but i can barely get my ankles to move when i swim. better hit the lanes...

[PatriceFitz]

Very informative. I've just started swimming after many years, and kept trying to do the straight-leg bit... but found I wasn't creating a lot of forward motion! I'll try this and see if it works. My ankles are flexible... I think.  I love your encouragement in discovering what is effective for you own body.

[vforviking]

love the correlation of the voice and the video. shows exactly (& vividly too) what he's instructing!!

[MoopsZ]

Fantastic! Thank YOU! You have just resolved the main thing discouraging me from swimming over the past 8 years! I have been kicking with Straight legs since high school. ( Just lost a lot of respect for my coach of then)

[goswim098]

@MoopsZ - I think a lot of coaches certain mean well... it's just the idea that the legs be "straighter", not "straight" gets lost in translation and understanding. While you certainly don't wan HUGE bends in the legs... the should be some. Besides... sure makes things a long easier! :)

[biologyclass101]

great! our midterm exam on swimming is to do Flutter Kick(with board, of course) from the start to the last of the lane. I can't make it through, and our midterm exam is already on Monday. This really helped me, I usually do straight legs and strong kick (so the water usually splash), but it's not the right move. Thank You so much.

[goswim098]

@biologyclass101 - Go get 'em and visit our site and let us know how you did! Good luck and keep the toes pointed too!

[eewichtoski]

this is so incredibly helpful - thank you goswim!

[ijelev68]

Very competent explanation, the "right" way may not work for everyone who is not an advanced level swimmer, because it goes with the correct style. Stronger, bulkier men and women should minimize kicking for best results, the two beat kick was designed for them and feels natural. The ultimate goal as you progress should be what this clip demonstrates as orthodox kicking.

[akin1989]

This is a great vid. My problem is I have runner ankles that dont flex well like a swimmer's...

[engliong]

Thanks for a very informative video. Showing the wrong kicks helped as much as showing the correct kick.

[happyC73]

Great video -- showing different scenarios (straight leg -- which I tend to do..), bicycle kick etc., then showing how best to place your legs and propel forward. This is exactly what my coach counsels - and she's a national level swimmer! Great video!

[eruseron]

finally a good video on kicks. cheers.

[tomasemilio]

This is the part where Phelps excels the most. Do not underestimate kicking

[AJKellyDCFC]

im not sure i mean ive read so many contrasting tips on leg bend im not sure whats right now!

[goswim098]

@AJKellyDCFC - Honestly... since everyone is made a bit different, you'll never find "one" way for everyone. Take this, as well as the other tips you've seen, experiment, and determine that works for you the best. Debate on things like this is pointless because there isn't one solution for anyone. Take it all in, figure out the combination that's best for you. That's why we put stuff out, not to say THIS is the way, but to offer many ideas. Best wishes and keep swimming.

[AJKellyDCFC]

@goswim098 wow thanks man, thats helped a lot thankyou thankyou thankyou

[AJKellyDCFC]

Im not sure this video is correct. Keeping your legs straight and toes pointed will make you more streamlined and reduce drag

[goswim098]

@AJKellyDCFC - So you really kick with a completely straight leg and no bend in the knees?

[nobodynoth55]

does it take a while to get good at this? for some reason I'm unable to do more than one lap before my legs are shot on top of that im not moving that fast especially at the end of the lap! I see a LOT of people going faster than me I feel like ive been doing it a while and am doing it right for the most part maybe my feet need to be more flexible any suggestions?

[accolade37]

If you aren't supposed to kick with straight legs, then why are so many people being told to kick with straight legs? Where are people getting this from?

[goswim098]

@accolade37 All I can say is that it's NOT from us. :)

[moliver42]

@goswim098 Many instructors tell students to kick with straight legs when they're first learning or have already gotten used to the bicycle kick and can't find out how to change it. It's an overconpensation thing and sometimes works, especially with kinesthetic learners, but isn't intellectually correct.

[goswim098]

@moliver42 - This I understand, but you're referring to someone helping someone in person... having them directly in front of them where they can help the student determine just how "straight" straight really is. These are some of the things that have to be taken into consideration when preparing content for people who don't have that luxury. While I know of exaggeration while teaching, but could you imaging if I actually showed straight legs in a video? ;) Thanks for posting. Good stuff.

[moliver42]

@goswim098 agreed. That was just to explain why so many people are convinced they learned by keeping their legs straight. I'm a pretty big fan of this video as a teaching tool, so thanks for that :)

[goswim098]

@moliver42 - I appreciate the input and the explanation. Obviously as a coach and teacher, could you imagine if we actually illustrated some of the things we SAY while teaching? Like you said, we have to use words and ideas that sound so crazy to the swimmers... just to get them to move the arm, hand, or legs a quarter of an inch closer to where it should be. Thanks again.

[martyw1958]

I am new to swimming at the age of 52. My flutter kick is awful. Using the kick board I feel sometimes as if I'm going backwards. Any helpful hints.

[merrygaming4]

freaking better than so called expert village

[princeblaQ1]

thanx this turned out to be very healthfullllll!!!!

[b9leee]

I've incorporated a 30min daily flutter-kicking routine to maintain my quad strength until my torn knee ligaments heal. I've viewed most of the FK videos and this is the BEST. How does the flutter-kick info change when the swimmer is on their back and the board is behind their head? Thank you :)

[Outramous]

excellent - i'm 41 next week, i've been able to swim for almost all of my life but i've never had the flutter kick explained to me before. this probably explains why i am puffed after two laps. :)

[jeehoondevil]

thx for the video i just didn't get the swimmer because when i just flutter kick without using my arms i like don't move -m-

[zebajsincap]

hmm.. someone said if we practice flatter kick, we must not bend our knees.. hmm.. is it possible to swim fast w/out bending my knees?.

[goswim098]

@zebajsincap - Not that I've ever seen. Have to have some bend in the knees to get a whip to the feet.

[EurekaWrestler]

i just had swimming practice and we had to do this with a board and my thighs were on fire and i didnt feel like i was going anywhere and felt stupid at practice

[CT2SKATE]

Do the feet always stay pointed, or are they supposed to act as flippers in the sense that they "flop" back and forth when in movement?

[Bart2000AD]

when I rotate my body during freestyle, it messes up my kick. Any suggestions?

[Bart2000AD]

When I rotate my body during freestyle, it messes up my kick. Any suggestions?

[mpweg]

I just started swimming lessons and the instructor was telling us to kick with a straight leg and out of the water. I struggled so much and now I know. Thank you so much for this video.

[emmywemmyx]

your kicking your legs under the water, if you put your legs just out the water and in the water you wil be faster and much more professional swimmer

[jstory12]

I'm a runner and I am just learning to swim. It is true that the more I kick the slower I go but I am not sure how to increase my ankle flexibility or what is meant by "swimming in the shadow of my body." Any advice?

[goswim098]

@jstory12 - Yeah... most runners have a tough time with ankle flexibility, but it's also true most swimmers ankles are too flexible to run really well... so it goes both ways. Go to our site and search for "ankle flexibility". There's a short article there with some good ideas. Also remember, raising the feet into the "shadow" is more about the chest and hips... pressing down more raises the feet. Ask more details on the site. Click the link in the banner of our channel. Thanks.

[mpsaris01]

@goswim098 I'm really glad you touched on this point. I ran a triathlon in April but my kick really wasn't right.  I tried the flutter kick for the first time tonight, but I felt like my ankle was very close to getting injured due to inflexibility. Your video here and the article on your website were both very instructive. Thanks!

[goswim098]

@mpsaris01 - We appreciate the support. Very often people only visit the YouTube channel and may not get the full story on some of the videos. Some of the older vids don't have audio, so some typically assume the wrong thing. Using both the channel and the site, people understand we're trying to contribute to the sport, not preach.

[5tonyvvvv]

@goswim098 how come when i swim..iam like a rock going through the water..lots of energy to go a short length ,,how do people make look so easy..like how do i glide across the water?

[alwaysunlimited]

Thanks

[1stcaspian]

where to point toes? towards floor or outside?

[goswim098]

Poin the toes back, toward the wall you just came from.

[pinkoobhatia]

Someone told me to kick with straight leg & I wasn't moving at all. I will go back to kicking with bent knees.

Also, runner & tri applies to me as well. I have been trying to pointing my toes now & it is working good

[maxikmaxi]

Thanks, I find the right video. Now I understand my problem was straight legs.

[ShrimpEyie]

This helped a lot. I used to kick with my thighs, and my legs gets tired so easily with my thighs hurt. Now i'm going to try this.

[aiwoavril]

best flutter kick video!

[BWpepperr]

fantastic.this really helped.

[ritchiereech]

...somewhere I heard that I had to keep my legs straight... :-( I'm gonna start to bend a little bit my knees the way they teach in this video... thank you!!! ñ_ñ...

[incrowdcynic]

The idea is to allow your legs to straighten on the recovery of your kick. They should bend naturally when kicking. Do not bend your knees intentionally during recovery because you will sacrifice propulsive motion and emphasize muscle use that will tire you. No bicycle kicking. The simple thing to focus on, like the video says is to kick from your hips. Let your legs follow from there.

[GabrielNotTheAngel]

YEAHHH.... when I am swimming using only my legs I feel I am not going forward... because straight legs..

[wolllfang]

thanks a lot for the vids, very very useful!!

[AssassinsReign]

thanks this helped me out alot, I am a bicycle kicker :D