IF YOUR FREESTYLE KICK

If your freestyle kick feels exhausting but you're going nowhere, you might be doing it wrong. Welcome to episode 2 of things I teach my 8-year old swimmers... that adults need too. A lot of swimmers think a bigger kick means a better kick, but actually to create propulsion without wasting energy. Mistake #1: Letting your legs sink. When your hips and legs drop, you create more drag and waste energy pushing water down instead of moving forward. Try to keep your feet at or just below the surface. Your goal isn't to create a huge splash. Think small bubbles, almost like the water is gently boiling. Mistake #2: Kicking like you're riding a bike. This usually happens when swimmers bend their knees too much and try to create the kick from their lower legs instead. Your kick should start from the hips and travel down through your legs. Think: small, quick kicks, slight bend in the knee, loose ankles. Your goal isn't to make the biggest splash, it's to kick efficiently so your energy moves you forward.