How to do that pesky back finning thing

[Progen]

I've gotten the frog, modified frog, modified flutter and helicopter (both directions) kicks under my belt now so all that's left is that useful and frustratingly elusive back finning thing.

What I did earlier in the pool was to let out all the air from my wing (just a puff actually) so that I would sink to the bottom of the 2 odd metre pool (was the middle of a competition lap pool) and practice finning backwards. Sometimes I'd get it right and be scraping the pool floor but most of the time, I'd find myself ascending arse first. Couldn't record myself on video so was wondering whether the divers out there can share their tips and tricks in the hope that some of them might be something I can relate to immediately and who knows, be able to do the very moment I next step into water.

 

[PfcAJ]

try it without any fins or scuba gear. Its a little easier to figure out.

also try to visualize 'toes (together), heels (together), slice (through the water), and pull' as you do it. Helped me out a lot.

Good luck!

 

[formula1mb@aol.com]

What helped me is using only tiny 'swim fins' and snorkeling in the pool. That way you can easily practice until you start getting a feel for the right motion and eventually can go the whole length backwards.

 

[TSandM]

I agree with the posters above. The easiest way to learn the back kick is using a kick board in the pool, with no gear at all. Extend your feet, and "scoop" with the tops of the feet out to the side. Do this until you can literally swim laps this way, then add the fins, but still on the surface. By the time you get underwater, you will have the backward motion down.

If you are pulling yourself up with the back kick, you are pointing your fin tips upwards. It's a very common error, and results in the term "backwards shrimp dance". The loading phase of the back kick should extend the feet straight backwards with the fin tips horizontal or even a little downward. And of course, a horizontal motion backward is dependent on horizontal trim.

 

[nimoh]

think about using the side of your foot/fin for propulsion, that helped me a lot.

I did a quick search on youtube to show you what I mean. Notice how the fin stays pretty much horizontal (i.e. parallel to the bottom) and the force is generated with the side of the foot/fin. Also, to do this, you need the right fins with a large side rail such as a jet fin.

The Back Kick - YouTube

 

[Progen]

think about using the side of your foot/fin for propulsion, that helped me a lot.

I did a quick search on youtube to show you what I mean. Notice how the fin stays pretty much horizontal (i.e. parallel to the bottom) and the force is generated with the side of the foot/fin. Also, to do this, you need the right fins with a large side rail such as a jet fin.

The Back Kick - YouTube

Forgot to mention that I was using Jet fins. Have tried it on land on a concrete bench after the first sidemount dive where two of us just kept moving back and up. Or not moving at all. Back to practice next week!

 

[beanojones]

There is another way to do a back kick that results in a much stronger kick but tends to give the backwards shrimp dance unless one is really careful, and that is to actually scoop with the toes, not the sides of the fins.

The easiest way to practice that one is to practice popping your feet in the air to go head down. In tropical gear (shorties or no wetsuit at all, buoyant aluminum tank), the foot pop is actually a really necessary kick in and itself, because the legs always want to fall below the diver.

So if you are going to do any tropical diving in typical rental gear it might be worth checking that out too.

 

[Doc Harry]

I think trying to learn the back kick on the surface is too hard. It's got a different feel on the surface.
If you're going to be kicking underwater, learn the kick underwater.

-Keep your head up and your back arched, otherwise you'll end up head down
-Bring the soles of your feet together at your butt in a frog-leg position, and then extend your legs to prepare for the kick itself
-Learn to extend your legs slowly and gently to avoid pushing yourself forward
-With practice you'll figure out how to feather your fins while you extend so you don't move forward
-with more practice you'll learn different versions of the back kick, from powerful "scooping" full back kicks (like beanojones stated above) to gentle ankle-generated back kicks from the modified frog position

 

[Progen]

Thanks again folks. Doc Harry, I think my main mistake might be that I start off the stroke in the frog position without extending my legs first. <knocks self on head and tells self, 'You knew about it and yet you forgot once you got into the water'>

 

[TSandM]

I will agree that the mechanics are slightly different on the surface. But I watched my husband gain a truly functional back kick in about 3 weeks doing it that way, whereas I took about six months to get it underwater. GUE now starts people on the surface, too.