What are the different kick styles?

[tomcat]

Hey guys,

Was asking how to fin backwards in another post and it just occurred to me that I hear people mention many kicking styles. Personally I'm wondering if there is an application for each of them (e.g. frog kick while wreck diving...but why?)

The ones i can think of are:

scissors kick - multi-purpose and gets you around

flutter kick - modified scissors kick and tends to be for jetfins/split fins/forcefins

frog kick - hmmm...this one beats me...

other kicks? please feel free to add them on.

tomcat

 

[Walter]

"scissors kick - multi-purpose and gets you around

flutter kick - modified scissors kick and tends to be for jetfins/split fins/forcefins

frog kick - hmmm...this one beats me..."

Flutter kick. Most folks use the flutter kick most of the time. It is not a modified scissors kick and is not especially useful with force fins. It is a power kick and burns energy. You do this by taking one foot forward & the other back then bringing the back foot forward while the front foot goes back. This is a continuous motion. Keep your legs straight with just a tiny flex in the knees. If you are aware of the flex, you are probably bending your knees too much. The two most common errors are swimming too fast and bending the knees.

Bicycle kick. This is the result of bending your knees while attempting the flutter kick. The result is your fin blades move through the water horizontally instead of vertically. As a result, there is almost no propulsion. Force Fins were designed to move you forward when doing a bicycle kick.

Scissors kick. This is a relaxing kick. Similar to the flutter kick, one foot goes back while the other goes forward. Bring them together, stopping them together in line with your body. Do not immediately kick again, instead let the force of that one kick carry you. You will glide effortlessly. When your forward momentum stops or slows repeat the kick. This is the kick I use for most of my diving as it is very relaxing.

Frog kick. Similar to the scissor in purpose, but not in execution. This is a kick and glide kick in which you are relaxing, not kicking, most of the time. Bring your feet toward your body, toes pointed out. Keeping the bottoms of your feet facing back, kick back and together. You want the water moving directly behing you, not down. This kick is difficult to explain and really needs to be demonstrated. This kick is useful in tight areas when a flutter or scissor kick would stir up silt. It is used extensively in overhead environments.

Tune in next time for the dolphin and sculling.

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[WetDane]

If you are familiar with swimming in general - the frog kick is the diving variation on the type of kick used in breast stroke.

Dane

 

[Frog]

Cool thanks for the info Warhammer. So what about the sculling and the dophin kicks? Enlighten us new divers if you would be so kind

 

[large_diver]

Frog -- more info on the frog kick. As mentioned by Wetdane, the frog kick is similar to the breast stroke kick, with one variation -- you need to do it with your knees bent. If you are hovering in a confined space, this allows you to avoid stirring up silt on the bottom. If it is done without the knees bent, you still stir up the silt. I took a refresher a few weeks ago from a guy who has taken at least one GUE class (where they are VERY specific about how some of thee techniques should be done). I thought I knew how to do a frog kick, but he gave me some additional pointers -- mainly, trying to keep the knees bent.

 

[Walter]

Dolphin kick. This is a wave that moves through your entire body. Keep your legs and feet together and try to swim like a dolphin. It's useful if you've lost a fin. Practice is very helpful with this kick. When you first start using it you feel awkward, but soon you begin to feel comfortable.

Sculling. This is a kick that is also very useful when you don't want to stir up silt or you want to move very slowly. With this kick, you move your legs side to side instead of front to back. Turn the outsides of your fins up as you bring your fins together and down as you move them apart. Move very slowly.

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[tomcat]

Hey guys, any idea how to fin backwards? Would be a kick-butt maneuver, in addition to being able to fight down current while trying to face forward looking at something.

 

[Walter]

It doesn't work that way. Swimming backwards is slow and not powerful. You certainly won't be fighting current while swimming backward.

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[tomcat]

I know what you mean Walter. But I guess I'm the lazy sort who wouldn't turn around to balance against the current, then turn around again to keep going with the rest of the group. Gets me dizzy bro!

 

[Walter]

You can still flip over and swim on your back and look where you've been while swimming forward. You don't really have to swim on your back, but it's less disorienting for most divers. Either way, be careful, you don't swim into something.

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