Backstroke Kick Improvement Tips

Backstroke Swimming is seen to be one of the easiest swimming techniques after the front crawl. Learning the backstroke technique is very important for survival purposes. Backstroke is the only swimming style that is swum on the back. The best advantage of this style of swimming is a swimmer can breathe easily when in the water.

Leg Movement

The leg or kicking movement in Backstroke is very similar to the flutter kicks in Freestyle swimming. Your kicks make a large contribution to your forward speed and they are also responsible for stabilizing your body. Each leg stroke alternates, with one leg going down and the other going up at the same time. Knees are slightly bent at the beginning and then they are stretched in the horizontal position at the time of kicking.

Usually, six, four, or two kicks are used per cycle but it all depends on the situation. Most sprinters use six kicks to swim faster whereas long-distance swimmers use fewer kicks to preserve energy.

Perfecting any swimming stroke takes a lot of practice and guidance from well-trained instructors. If you or your kids are looking for private swimming lessons from the best instructors in Austin Texas, look no further! Schedule Private Swimming Lessons today and get 50% OFF on your first lesson!

Kick The Water Up Instead Of Pushing it Down!

A lot of new swimmers tend to push the water down with their feet. They have the habit of bringing their toes to the surface of the water and then pushing the water down with their feet. This can destabilize your body and can slow you down drastically. Many swimmers also get exhausted because of doing this.

It is more productive to kick the water up. Take the water from beneath your feet and flip it up to the surface. You’ll know you are doing it right because it will look like you are boiling the water with your feet. It is also important to swim faster and be more stable in the water. Your feet and ankles should be loose and floppy like a fishtail.

Try to kick from your hip, rather than the knee, to maximize your power. 

Correct Knee Bend

Bending your knees too much or too little can impact your swimming speed! Having a correct knee bend is very important part of Breaststroke Kicks.

Do not let your knees break through the surface of the water. It will slow you down because it causes more drag with water which is not very efficient. The only part of your legs that should come above the surface are your toes and the knees will stay underwater at the finish of your up-kick.

Watch following videos to learn leg kicks!

Perfecting any swimming stroke takes a lot of practice and guidance from well-trained instructors. If you or your kids are looking for private swimming lessons from the best instructors in Austin Texas, look no further! Schedule Private Swimming Lessons today and get 50% OFF on your first lesson!