How To Do Freestyle Kick | Front Crawl Kick: Step By Step Swimming Guide

When learning front crawl, the kick is easily overlooked. It makes up a small percentage of your forward propulsion in middle to long distance swimming, but still an effective kick is vital for an efficient overall stroke. We break down the front crawl kick and explain exactly how to perform it!
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[@henriki8015]

To anyone struggling with the kick, remember that it requires ankle flexibility. Some people are very fortunate in this regard. I myself move barely forward, because of relatively stiff ankles, no matter the amount of stretching. Having said that, it is is still important to have a decent technique on the kick, both for body position, balance and rotation. I visualize it like a whip, starting from the hips and kicking my flip flops off. Thinking about pushing water towards the rear wall. Wish I had the flexibility for the last flip though ;) And a last note. Sometimes you will hear to not bend your knees. This is not right, you need some knee bend for a proper kick, but not too large. It is a fine line between a useful kick and creating resistance. IMHO, swimming is all about decreasing resistance. Good point in the video about keeping the legs tight. I think this matters a lot, and it is difficult to know yourself that the kick is wide. I think a decent excercise for kicking is to kick with the arms at your sides. Keep the core tight, feel the hips rocking and watch the tiles moving to judge your progress. Half a length is often good enough if you struggle, then swim off.

[@marciab1279]

Wow! Thanks. I’m going to try this, because my kicking SUCKS!

[@TheFujiwuji]

I've done about 15-20 triathlons over the years (mostly a runner) and I've never understood the swim freestyle kick. When I'm in the pool, my legs provide zero propulsion, I'm basically all-arms. Problem is compounded by the fact that my hands are relatively small, so surface area gives me less "pull". When I've tried isolating the kick using a kickboard and just focus on my legs for propulsion, I do not move forward at all. Even kicking full blast, I barely inch forward when I isolate legs-only for propulsion. In standard training session, it's not uncommon for me to be passed by everyone in the adjacent lanes multiple times, including 70-year old obese grandmothers with basketball stomachs. That's why I was so curious about this video. I don't understand this whole thing about getting power from the hips, I don't see how you get any propulsion from them. Hips don't seem like arms and legs that can act as "paddles" to create forward propulsion. If I ever give up triathlon, it's because of my frustration (years of it) from the swim.

[@zinsch5588]

You want to use your big muscles to move your leg up and down. If you just flex at the knee, then you use your weaker lower leg muscles, which is less efficient.

[@Thekidisalright]

Jakob Inführ almost everyone gives the same kind of advice, don’t kick from knees blah blah blah, but how would you be able to tell if you are using the hips, how to practice to ensure the right muscles are used? These are the things most never talk about, exactly the reason why some people can spend lots of time doing flutter kicks but never improve, people only gives vague pointers.

[@lindablack7438]

Not all 70 year old swimmers are obese with a basketball stomach. Look around

[@mustaphab.1190]

Try the vertical kick, small rapid shallow kicks while standing at the deep end of the pool. Since you are a runner, try to visualise as if you are jogging with high cadence small strides, keep your ankles flexed but relaxed, toes pointing the bottom of the pool. Use your legs like a whip/rope, trying to beat the water with your ankle going forth and bottom of your feet going back. As you progress stop treading the water with your hands and try to stay vertical without using your arms (either lift them above the water or hug yourself on the shoulders) Hope this helps

[@Thekidisalright]

Mustafa Bircan how to avoid sinking down while doing vertical kicks without treading water with hands? I have tried that many times, doing exactly what you said but just couldn’t keep myself afloat, any pointers would be of great help, thanks.

[@BenoîtMaillard-r2l]

As always this is way too complicated and not aimed at beginners at all

[@precious3546]

I was able to do this in my first lesson, first get comfortable in the water, the muscle movements do come naturally.

[@trbeyond]

Wait. We are supposed to kick when swimming?

[@ariheino327]

Roundhouse them grannies out of the way

[@musondakalyoti4051]

🤣🤣🤣🤣comment of the video

[@riyaanthemann]

Yes you idiot

[@rootbeerfloathaspop3301]

Unfortunately yes

[@atuhairwegordon8997]

No we aren't

[@DaylightRob210]

Turtle speed descibes my pathetic efforts in the pool despite lots of effort. At least I am exercising my heart whilst others just rocket past me !

[@aileen1602]

😂 me too

[@SunSnowGravity]

Great video! I want to improve my freestyle kick but this video is so packed with information that makes me think about how long it will really take?

[@timowen5741]

Oh if it was just as simple as you make it look. Great video but my old stiff ankles just make a decent kick a dream. Kick only and I actually go backwards!! Better with fins of course

[@heatherfell_oly]

Keep working on it, you can certainly keep improving whatever level you're at.

[@realalbertan]

Too big/wide kick size or amplitude is overlook by adult onset triathletes/swimmers. They do a 2 beat kick but its massive and messes up their position in the water. Using a heavier fin like the arena powerfin pro helps decrease the kick size.

[@Thekidisalright]

How would you know you are kicking “from the hips”? I think this is something most novice swimmer would like to know, most of us do kick drills, we move forward in turtle speed, not knowing if we are actually doing it right or not, we have no idea how to tell, or how should we improve, it would be great if someone can point us to the right direction.

[@mustaphab.1190]

Try to think of battle rope exercise, or whipping. As you apply the power from the hip your leg should act like rope/garden hose/whip...whatever..and at the end applied force bursts from your ankle/feet, beating water back and forth.

[@Thekidisalright]

Mustafa Bircan thank you for your reply, I get that and have been practicing with that mindset, what I normally do is rock my hips and let the leg and feet follow through, am I doing it right? I feel sore on my quads as well as hamstrings, am I working the right muscles? These are the things I don’t have any answer and I can’t find any info anywhere. Thank you in advance

[@realalbertan]

Kick on your back in a streamlined position. Knees shouldn't break the surface. Kicking on your back helps you work the "up" kick for Freestyle.

[@realalbertan]

@@Thekidisalright my hips would be sore AF the day after a really hard kick set in my swimming days.

[@Thekidisalright]

Race Pace Masters Swimming thank you for the tips!

[@projekt3658]

Complicated to understand.

[@JuliaMay-t8l]

I am the worst kicker but have complete four days of practice with NO fins. I was completely dependent on them. Thanks for the tips on how to improve!!!

[@ianclunie9753]

Drills with fins are the way I learnt to develop a freestyle kick as well as help my ankle flexibility. Maybe the video could have a link to a technique session where they used fins to work on rotation - I'm sure it's on the GTN channel. Medium-sized fins are best to start with - too small and it'll put a lot of stress on the calves and ankles.

[@ubellubo]

I can't get much momentum from kicking. Maybe its my ankles (and possibly hips too). I don't have much flexibility in that area. My girlfriend on the other hand, is quite fast on a kickboard. I don't know how she does it. However, she has amazing ankle and hip flexibility. So maybe that is it.

[@Westerdd]

Fantastic filming and editing on this video. Top notch

[@marciab1279]

There’s a lot of great tips within the comments. Thanks guys!

[@karamjitsingh7775]

This was a great video as it broke down all parts of the kick. Thanks.

[@sxsridhar]

Hi! Am a beginner for 4 years, need help in a dire way! Here's the deal: I can do all the drills pretty easily, but when I try and kick in Freestyle, it all falls apart -- uneven kicks, splaying legs etc etc and there is SO MUCH resistance that I become easily tired! What is the best way to incorporate solid kicking into the swim itself?!!

[@marciab1279]

I feel ya.

[@thandananiumlaw3428]

Took up swimming after knee injury years n years ago and my favourite strokes are butterfly followed by freestyle but for the life of me I seem to be going backwards when I kick alone using a board. Just this week while everyone has been in a festive spirit I've been quietly going to the pool (I'm in South Africa) and managed to get some propulsion lying on my back while holding on to the triangle shaped weightlifters. That was the highlight of 2022 for me as far as I was concerned, just to move alone. But when I turn over and kick it's an altogether different story. I'll try to apply the lessons learnt from the video and the comments. Happy New Year

[@anetea.3903]

Same here - not moving or going backwards. I still use small fins (but pretty heavy) to work on other things (rotation, stroke, breathing, etc.), but hoping to figure out the feet sometime soon...

[@Alex-kr7zr]

I made some progress lately by trying to kick slower when using the kick board. Then try to deviate the leg kick until you get some propulsion and continue to do exactly that. I made the mistake of kicking too hard so I always went out of breath and did not move forward.

[@thandananiumlaw3428]

I have since resigned myself to my fate that propulsion will take place in its own sweet time but at least in the interim I'm moving faster, alas, only when I'm also using my hands

[@richardswaby6339]

Me too. I find it strange that I can kick effectively on my back but go nowhere on my front.

[@stephenogbodo1328]

I literally swim backward with my sad kick :( Hopefully, this helps as I return to lessons tomorrow!

[@JohnDoe-xh4iw]

I have good flexibility but still almost zero propulsion without fins.

[@marciab1279]

Same here.🙄

[@juneheath4011]

I think this video is so clearly showing how to achieve a good leg kick. Every single person will have different ability in terms of ankle flexibilty and this can be because some simply do not have flexible ankles which is normally something that they are born with. I have seen an older person work and work with this inflexibility - she was originally going backwards - to now being able to move forward increasingly efficiently. The key is persistence and hard work. Flippers have helped. When thinking of the action from the hip, think dancing the Salsa in water! The motion of kick starts from the hip, same as in the dance but obviously without overdoing it.

[@marciab1279]

You guys are killin it with these great tips!

[@스누피-b5o]

I like the pink swimsuit. Which brand is the swimsuit?

[@heatherfell_oly]

Roka.

[@clydea.hutchisoniv5742]

wow, thanks I had it all wrong! hopefully this will help my weak kick:)

[@heatherfell_oly]

Thank you and good luck :)

[@O_Tarnished_Ours]

Relaxed ankles when kicking in this vid, but in a vid from SwimUp they mention they must be tense. In that video there's not even a mention of what your Glutes are doing. Honestly I'm so close to just giving up on swimming because I can't get something as basic as kicking form even halfway decent, let alone get my breathing under control.

[@marciab1279]

Please don’t give up.

[@Alex-kr7zr]

Keeping them stiff makes no sense. Flippers are also soft to get propulsion. Think of your feet as small flippers.

[@andywalker2077]

My ankle will NOT "naturally" stretch. Am I alien or freak or what?

[@asiabegum2789]

Today Yunus & Aisha Daddy Saturday swimming

[@Robzabest25]

my right ankle seems to hurt after a few laps is there a reason to this or just requires strengthening

[@gilliantan1012]

Hips and glutes do most of the work in the kicks. Pointed toes and slight movement in ankles. Downward propulsive phase push your leg downwards to decrease angle as you push hips downward. Avoid too much knee flexion. Other leg will extend to create propulsions . Turn your leg just below the surface Glutes in downward phase. Kick is continuous,..rate of kick is measured due to arm cycle, other leg does opposite movement. Kick size..keep kick small to not hbe over rotation. No scissor kick. Vertical movement so feet so close together almost touching for a more streamlined position Thigh finishes initial mvoment

[@donkoh5738]

some other drills to consider to self-improve kick organically - if not already suggested here - would include the popular vertical kick drill with hands kept above surface and body alignment errect. Another could include using mid-size fins and kicking 25y/m with one leg only (visualizing the other leg bent @ 90 degrees upwards and locked steady, i.e., with the fin out of water). Then switch legs for the return 25, etc.. Note the one leg kick and alternate leg bent upwards forces a natural, tight, fast-beat kicking tempo initiatiating from the hip and snapping quickly downward with not too much bend in the knee and a sufficient range of motion . If anything it's fun and can't hurt your kicking too much...

[@tsuhary]

Propulsion zero out here, looking absolutely hilarious but still didn't give up.

[@edwardzamora4781]

I never realized how stiff my ankles were till I took up swimming at first they would hurt like hell, now it's only minor and getting better.

[@mg1881]

helpful video, but the music is annoying.

[@tbarrett1984]

Been swimming some time now. But for the life of me I find it really hard to kick and breathe. It's like my mind goes into over drive and over think it. Therefore I just avoid it. Any suggestions on any drills or any advice?

[@Miro.A.Mursu-]

Well, if you train you will do it. To make ur brain more used to it. You should play imigary drums. Where you play with ur rigth hand always and play with ur left hand only once every fourth hit and ur rigth leg also once after the left hand. Not in the same time. And remember to put ur rigth hand over the left. This will improve ur brain when it comes to doing many different things with ur different body parts

[@iandickson3236]

My kick is awful, great tips thank you.

[@pilotscott4908]

The kick is impossible for me, and probably always will be after years of trying. Ive been able to get my ankles to point about 45 degrees, but no where close to pointed like all of these swimmers. Even with flippers, it takes about 70 seconds to swim 25m with a board.

[@aleks-lj9yq]

45? Do you even have ankles…

[@pilotscott4908]

@@aleks-lj9yq they were locked in combat boots for 21 years, and one was broken twice while I was in the Army. So not really.

[@swimwithcoachraven1532]

It’s a one leg dolphin kick to get much efficiency

[@Alex-kr7zr]

I thought the dolphin kick comes from the core, not the glutes.

[@djinjis]

some time reference would be nice... kick speed on 50 meters, pro time, and so on

[@fangvicky8599]

Hi ?

[@ott55]

Excellent video! Thanks

[@borischristov5918]

Absolutely love this channel, keep it up!

[@heatherfell_oly]

👍

[@xrayfish2020]

Thanks again for sharing I'll practice this week

[@heatherfell_oly]

Good luck with your practise.

[@zecke58]

It's been 4 years, how is your swimming?

[@xrayfish2020]

@@zecke58 My swimming is good and I'm still enjoying it -thanks.

[@donavonlewis1039]

Excellent video putting words to the motions

[@heatherfell_oly]

Thanks :)

[@CyberdyneSystemsSkynet]

Well crap. I kindof worried my limited ankle mobility was why I was going backwards.

[@Cat_Trainer]

This video is great, I've been swimming for a while in open waters and I have this doubt if I'm kicking properly. 😁

[@gtn]

Awesome!

[@foolanhi8183]

Woah this is at Millfield

[@laurahoughton1289]

I’m a bit confused about the ankle flexibility advice. Will that not increase drag. Note this athlete’s constant ballet points by contrast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mF7EeGRmfdtghK8

[@de8703]

Think about when you were a child riding your big brother's bike. At the bottom, you had to flex your ankle to still reach the pedal. That is the ankle flex that will aid in pushing you forward. The other part of the flex is to stay relaxed and not cause additional drag on the reset. The main push comes from pushing the pedal down. That is the leg push.

[@ivoryjohnson1896]

JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS

[@haidernaqvi87]

Did you report the police?

[@no1imitsxn]

Amen

[@xmergez3368]

No god except Allah

[@funkyfinnegan]

Troll

[@fmailscammer]

Watching this after my friend told me I was faster at the arms only drill than swimming with kickings

[@deepocean1]

terrible way to explain things.. use less jargon words..