Freediving Backward Kick

[Trace Malinowski]

Just having some fun ...

 

[rongoodman]

OK, I'm impressed. OTOH, as much as I respect him as an instructor, someone should point out that he forgot his tanks.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I can do a better surface dive.. but i have never learned to kick backwards... I've even tried for a while with freedive fins.. with zero luck.

 

[ronscuba]

I can kick backwards with stiff fins. Never really found much use for it, as it is easier to turn around or helicopter, but still kind of fun when playing around.

Very difficult to do with flexible fins and if you can do it with free dive fins, your technique is very good.

 

[kaptken1392]

I'm trying to figure out what makes it useful? It looks like a lot of energy expended for not much movement. Is this the same backwards kick talked about for cave & wreck diving? If so, I see a potential for silt outs.
Is not, please excuse my lack of perception . Nice free dive form.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I'm trying to figure out what makes it useful? It looks like a lot of energy expended for not much movement. Is this the same backwards kick talked about for cave & wreck diving? If so, I see a potential for silt outs.
Is not, please excuse my lack of perception . Nice free dive form.

Divers often take diving too seriously and forget that they can express themselves in an aqueous medium no different than surfers. The video I posted is a parlor trick hence the "Just having some fun ..." introduction.

Yes, it is the backward kick motion used in tech and cave diving. In a silty environment you can adjust the amount of power vs. finesse, distance per stroke, stroke width, blade angle, etc., Even though I'm a tech and cave instructor and teach the backward kick, I still have a bad habit of dipping my blade tips downward beyond the horizontal plane. When I back up in low low/no flow caves I'm more mindful of that habit. As a cave diver, I'm concerned about silt of course, but I'm more concerned about using techniques that will preserve the environment. Silt can settle. A broken stalagmite which "might" reach the ceiling someday definitely won't if I break it.

The most practical use for the backward kick in tech/cave diving is maintaining position or maneuvering within a team or filming.

The most practical use I've found for the freediving backward kick is meeting women.

 

[kaptken1392]

Trace, thanks for the explanation. I'm all for techniques that reduce damage to the underwater environment. I also like meeting women.

 

[iamrushman]

thanks for sharing....