Breaststroke Kick
Mechanics and advice
Did you know the breaststroke kick can account for up to 80% of the propulsion of the entire breaststroke stroke? That means if you enjoy swimming breaststroke, you’d better love kicking. If you don’t love kicking or are still learning how to swim breaststroke, the following three pointers can help you become more efficient and adept at breaststroke kick. With practice, focusing on these skills can help you improve your speed in the pool.
Let’s break down the breaststroke kick into three key components so you can improve yours for faster swimming.
Externally Rotate the Hips and Ankles
The best breaststrokers have a natural ability to rotate the hips and ankles outward, giving them the flexibility to extend their kick to grab more water. Not everyone is born with this ability, but by stretching and working to improve your hip and ankle flexibility, you can improve your ability to externally rotate the hips and ankles.
Focus on the Foot
The insides of the feet, ankles, and legs are what generates the propulsion you get in the breaststroke kick. The more you can point your toes away from the centerline of your body, the larger a surface area you create with which to push water backward and yourself forward. A bigger surface area means you can grab more water, which generates more propulsion and forward momentum.
Finish the Kick
As your kick comes around, snap through all the way at the end and point the toes when the feet come together. Often, swimmers stop their kick short by not fully completing the snap or pointing their toes. This is akin to not finishing a freestyle arm stroke before recovering to start the next one; you’ll lose speed by not following through with the motion to its full conclusion. Instead, finish each breaststroke kick with your feet together and your whole body in a tightly streamlined position before starting the next pull. A good way to remember this is when your feet touch, that should start your arms separating to begin the next stroke.
Practice these skills using kick-only drills and try breaststroke kicking while lying on your back to help you better feel each phase of the kick and how the water moves along your legs, ankles, and feet with each propulsive whip.
