Ankle and frog kicking

[BlueTrin]

During my last class it was mentioned that I don’t incline enough my fins towards each other when frog kicking.

I was being told that I need to use more my ankle.

After fiddling a bit I realised that my knees were too close to each other but even with shoulder apart knees I don’t think I am clapping my fins enough.

Is there any exercise I can do to make it easier ?

I am looking at this page and the ankle movement starts after pointing to the sides

How to Master a Frog Kick When Diving | OK Divers

 

[Lorenzoid]

First, don’t worry—more than four years after my first go at Fundies, as I now aim for the tech upgrade, my instructor is STILL telling me I don’t rotate my ankles enough. I think part of it is individual anatomy. However, I believe that what helps most is practice. And feedback (e.g., video). Your body learns. Also, I assume you did the exercise where you lie on a table and the instructor moves your feet so you can feel how it is supposed to feel? That one helps. Lastly, and this may be more psychological than physical, but I do stretches where I am standing up with my ankles rotated such that the soles of my shoes are trying to face each other. But as I said, it continues to be a struggle for me.

 

[BlueTrin]

First, don’t worry—more than four years after my first go at Fundies, as I now aim for the tech upgrade, my instructor is STILL telling me I don’t rotate my ankles enough. I think part of it is individual anatomy. However, I believe that what helps most is practice. And feedback (e.g., video). Your body learns. Also, I assume you did the exercise where you lie on a table and the instructor moves your feet so you can feel how it is supposed to feel? That one helps. Lastly, and this may be more psychological than physical, but I do stretches where I am standing up with my ankles rotated such that the soles of my shoes are trying to face each other. But as I said, it continues to be a struggle for me.

I know I sound a bit dramatic but I am not the kind of person to worry too much. I ask many questions but that's only because I am a 'details' kind of person.

You are totally right, seeing myself on a video was a big eye opener:

• I am not nearly as flat as I thought I was
• I barely rotated my ankles which caused me stability/power issues during the frog kick and back kick

I am totally converted and I think that most scuba classes would benefit from video: you spot all kinds of flaws when watching yourself.

We did the thing on the ground where I would lay on my front while someone moves my fins and like you said it helped so much than the next dive there was some improvement.

Will try the ankles rotated while standing like you said, it will probably help me to feel it and get comfortable in this position.

Thanks for all the good advice and words of encouragement

 

[CptTightPants21]

It takes a little bit to stretch the muscles/tendons and get the ankles comfortable with flexing. I would recommend laying on a bed or coach with your body 100% supported, not hanging off the side, and have your feet resting horizontal, with their sides touching each other. Slowly bend your ankles towards each other. Keep your leg position stationary, but you can move your calves and feet forward and backward. As you move your feet further back, it will be easier for the ankles to flex towards each other. When your feet are back and about 6 inches off the bed/coach surface all your toes should be able to play footsie with each other. It is important to keep your leg position (quads) stationary so that you build up the proper muscles and maintain correct form, but there are two basic starting position - 1 shoulder width apart and 1 a little over shoulder width apart. The wider position is easier to get the inflection and would probably be a good starting point. Being able to play footsie in the narrower position would mean you are close to mastery.

Do this for 15-30 min at a time and practice while watching TV or reading a book; It just takes time and repeated application for the ankles to become comfortable

 

[dmaziuk]

FWIW: swim breaststroke laps if you can. See if you can take a lesson or two on the technique. That's exactly the ankle exercise you want.
(I did that a lot as a kid, back when my body was much more pliable, and now my ankle joints pop loudly every time I raise to my toes or do the "cat stance" walk in taiji.)

Of course if you have access to lap pool, you can just practice the kick in swimfins on your back, with your head on/near the kickboard.

 

[scubadada]

There is definite feedback when you are doing frogkick with fins in the water. You can feel the pressure against your fins. When you are kicking most effectively, the pressure will feel high and equal for both feet.

 

[CptTightPants21]

I tend to a steer people away from laps and the breast stroke. Unless you can do it in full scuba kit I have found there is too much knee dropping and it leads to more bad habits. Kicks don't need to be learned in a day, they can be developed over 10, 20, or 30 fun dives.

 

[dmaziuk]

I tend to a steer people away from laps and the breast stroke. Unless you can do it in full scuba kit I have found there is too much knee dropping and it leads to more bad habits. Kicks don't need to be learned in a day, they can be developed over 10, 20, or 30 fun dives.

That may be, but unless you're 12yo with crazy flexible ankles, you're not going to get them stretched in 30 fun dives laying on your couch.

 

[stretchthepenn]

I think part of it is individual anatomy.

Agreed. My ankles are pretty flexible, so If I point my toes, my fins are pretty much parallel with my legs; thus, I end up frog-kicking mostly with my ankles and barely at all with my thighs. It's a problem I'm working on.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I struggle a bit with my right hip on the frog kick, not sure if that is because I am doing it incorrectly, can anyone offer an opinion?

Last year we came up from a dive and a lady in the zodiac was asking ‘ what creature was making that repeated click-click call? I’ve never heard it before’ And the DM pointed at me and said ‘that dude’s hip’