THE KICK

In the breaststroke kick, you first raise your heels toward your buttocks. Reach out with your feet as far as you can. Then, with your toes pointing out, kick back and together at the same time (see Figure 9.6).

Before Doc Counsilman revolutionized the breaststroke in 1960, most breaststrokers used the wedge, or frog kick. Here, the feet acted like paddles in a rowboat. The swimmer first swept his legs outward in an inverted V, then squeezed them together.

 Today all breaststrokers use the whip kick. With this technique you rotate your feet outward, downward, and then inward in a circular path. The whip kick is far more efficient and powerful than the frog kick because you use your feet more like the propeller blades of a motorboat than like paddles.

The whip kick consists of a recovery, an out sweep, down sweep, in sweep, and glide. There is no hesitation between these phases, and it is easiest to describe them as one continuous motion.

Begin your kick with your legs outstretched and your toes pointed. Then bend your knees and raise your feet toward your buttocks. Do not draw your knees up under your body. This is the most common error people make while learning the whip kick, and it creates a tremendous amount of resistance.

 As your feet come up, your knees will separate until they are about shoulder width apart. When your heels are above your buttocks, point your toes outward. (This may feel awkward at first, but your muscles and tendons will eventually get used to the position.)

Immediately whip your legs down, back, and around in a circle until they are completely extended. This motion constitutes the propulsive phases of the kick. Figure 9.7 illustrates the phases of the breaststroke kick.

There are three important things to keep in mind as you are kicking: (1) Try to emphasize the downward, rather than the backward movement of your feet. This will increase your propulsive force and raise your hips in a dolphinlike motion. (2) Keep your toes pointed outward throughout the circle. (3) Just as you do with the arm stroke, remember to accelerate throughout the propulsive phases of the kick.

You have completed the kick when your feet come together. At this point, remember to streamline your body: straighten your knees, point your toes, and bring your feet up to the level of your hips.