THE KICK

The backstroke kick is analogous to the flutter kick used in freestyle. But because you are swimming on your back, it is the upbeat phase of the kick that provides most of your propulsive force. As in freestyle, the kick not only propels you forward but also stabilizes your body position.

The most efficient backstroke kick is the six-beat kick—six kicks of the legs for every complete cycle of the arms. During the upbeat phase, your knee should be bent, with your toes turned slightly inward. During the downbeat, your knee should be kept straight. Figure 8.4 illustrates the phases of the backstroke kick.

 The backstroke kick is quite natural and comes easily to most people. The most common mistake I have observed occurs when the knees are brought up toward the body and break the surface of the water. This results in a kind of bicycling motion—a very ineffective way to kick in the water, unless, of course, you are on a bicycle.