Why Your Freestyle Kick Makes a Loud Splash: Common Mistakes and How to Correct Them
If you're experiencing a loud noise every time you kick while swimming freestyle, you're not alone. Let us explore why this happens and offer practical tips to correct it.
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| Stop The Splash |
The Common Problem
The loud splash and the sensation of your hips sinking when you're practising freestyle often result from a common mistake—bending too much at the knees while kicking. This misalignment disrupts your body's streamline and can lead to fatigue, making your swim less efficient.
Understanding the Issue
Imagine kicking during your freestyle stroke, and your knees are bending excessively (see the Video Below). This action primarily lifts your feet out of the water, breaking your body's alignment and creating unnecessary resistance in the water. This can be visually observed as a loud splash, a feeling of your body sinking, and increased fatigue.
This pattern is often seen in beginners learning freestyle and even experienced swimmers who are avid runners. The mechanics of running and swimming are quite different, and translating one into the other can lead to problems like this.
Correcting the Problem
To correct this issue and make your freestyle kick quieter and more efficient, focus on the action you consciously control. The key is to kick down from the hip and the top of the foot, not the knee. Your knee should be a passive mover, bending only slightly.
A correct freestyle kick engages the glute and hamstring muscles, keeping the leg extended and maintaining proper body alignment. This type of kick is not only quieter but also less exhausting compared to a quad-dominant kick that results from excessive knee bending.
Practical Tips for Improvement
- Awareness
- Focus on the Hips and Feet
- Practice
- Balance
- Consider a 2B Kick
The first step in correcting your freestyle kick is to become aware of when it's happening. Pay attention to the sensation of your kick and whether you hear a loud splash.
Concentrate on kicking down from your hips and the top of your feet. Visualize your legs as extensions of your body rather than separate entities.
Spend time practising your kick technique. Start slowly to build muscle memory for the correct movement.
Ensure your kick is balanced on both sides. One-sided issues can be just as problematic, so strive for symmetry in your technique.
In freestyle, a 2B kick is often preferred for its efficiency. If you're serious about improving your kick, consider joining a swim program that offers detailed courses on executing a 2B kick (see the video) correctly.
Focusing On The Proper Technique
If you've been frustrated by the loud splash and inefficiency of your freestyle kick, take heart. By focusing on the proper technique—kicking down from the hips and the top of your feet while minimizing knee movement—you can achieve a quieter, more efficient kick. With practice and awareness, you'll notice a significant improvement in your freestyle swimming, making your time in the pool more enjoyable and effective. So, next time you hit the pool, remember these tips and see the difference in your technique.
Enjoy
Richard
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