Kickboard Swimming Drills: Kicking Practice For Beginners

No Kickboard Swimming Drills For Beginners

Here is a little trick to fix those legs that bend too much when you are swimming. I'm sure every swim teacher on earth knows this trick but there seems to be no reference anywhere on my blog or on the net at this time that I can find easily. At least not under Kickboard Swimming Drills and in particular nothing on Kicking Practice For Beginners. So anybody who is not a swim teacher or is an inexperienced swim teacher may not know it, so here it is.

I have said before that when you are learning to kick you want relatively straight legs so that your kick comes from the hips and not the knees. But not too straight because that reduces effectiveness and may cause you discomfort or even pain.

You also want your feet to be flip-floppy.

But it is normal for people who are new to water to try to bend their knees, so how do you learn to kick in the correct way for swimming?

Wait... Get Your Lesson Plans Here

It is quite simple really, all you have to do is practice on your back with a kickboard. You could use another flotation device if you don't have a kickboard available but a kickboard is by far and away the better choice.

Do the following:

1. Lay on your back in a float position
2. Take the kickboard in both hands and extend your arms so that the kickboard is over your knees
3. Start to gently kick, making sure your toes touch the surface but do not leave the water and allowing them to flip flop as you go
4. As you get more comfortable, straighten your legs as you kick so your knees do not touch the kickboard
5. Keep your toes below the water but still close the surface. In other words, your toes should continue to bubble the surface of the water
6. Keep correcting until your knees are not touching the kickboard and your feet are bubbling the water
7. As you become more confident close your eyes and remember the feeling
8. Put the kickboard aside lay on your back and kick without it copying the feeling you had when you were using the kickboard
9. If you are having problems getting the kick correct repeat the above until you have got it

Kicking Practice with Kickboard: Keep Your Knees Under

Once you are confident with the kick on your back, lay on your front (without the kickboard) to practice your kick whilst doing a front torpedo. Again copy the feeling you had when you were kicking on your back with the kickboard.

You should find that with a little practice (a lot less practice than you would have without this drill) your kick will become stronger.

Enjoy     
Richard