Types of kicking

[Ayisha]

Take a look at this video by Trace Malinowski of the GUE modified flutter. You can see the power and speed:

 

[Ayisha]

...The existence of so many variants in the article was surprising, but from your skeptical answers I guess it’s the article that reports too many of them...

It's just that some kicks are more suitable in some environments than others.

 

[CodeS]

I've not tried a side kick yet but can't really imagine using it (it looks like it's faster/less labour intensive to fin backwards and shuffle over)

 

[rongoodman]

The existence of so many variants in the article was surprising, but from your skeptical answers I guess it’s the article that reports too many of them...

I think the skepticism comes from how poorly they were described and the obvious minimal effort the author put into the article. A simple Google search on any of the them provides a wealth of information, such as the videos above. The constant references to "flippers" and the embedded ad for snorkeling, not diving, gear at the end didn't help either.

 

[BlueTrin]

I've not tried a side kick yet but can't really imagine using it (it looks like it's faster/less labour intensive to fin backwards and shuffle over)

I think the side kick is mostly for:

• Photographers, when you need to adjust your position
• Instructors can benefit from it as well

I don’t understand how the side kick works but it looks really cool to adjust your position

 

[Miyaru]

Using the upper leg for a flutter kick comes from snorkeling. One reason why new divers do this. Or the modified open-water-student flutter kick as mentioned before by @wetb4igetinthewater - the bicycle kick.

Below the surface, one shouldn't use the upper legs. The relatively large muscles in the upper leg produce a lot of CO2, which increases air consumption. Using the upper legs also creates a constant rolling of the body, which doesn't do your trim any good.

What's missing from the article is the most important part of the frogkick: the glide phase in between two kicks. Doing nothing, just gliding through the water. Less CO2 production. Lower air consumption. And much easier to cover larger distances compared to a flutter kick.

And this is Open Water course level. Fortunately there are a lot of instructors here on SB that teach proper finning techniques during OWD. I always cringe when I hear an instructor say to start a stroke from the hips.....yeah, that's how you create strokes

 

[Ayisha]

...A simple Google search on any of the them provides a wealth of information, such as the videos above...

Yes, just beware that there are a lot of videos out there claiming to show certain propulsion techniques that are not worth watching. The divers shown in some videos do not have a stable platform (are not able to hover motionless in horizontal trim) and are doing their own variations of certain kicks. The videos above were chosen as good examples of some of the kicks. So it might take some sifting through to find the most helpful ones.

 

[laikabear]

OMG mind blown with that sideways kick video. I am dying to learn this. Does anyone else know how to do it?

 

[eelnoraa]

OMG mind blown with that sideways kick video. I am dying to learn this. Does anyone else know how to do it?

Amazing it is. I have done this kind of moment often, but my result is different. I move side way and backward about 45 degree. Every so often, I have to modified frog to makeup the backward movement. As an result, I am zick-zack side way. I don't know what he did to prevent himself moving backward

 

[eelnoraa]

Same ways e.g. rays change physics: ever wondered how they can flap their wings an inch above the silt and not raise more than a couple of particles?

No rays didn't change physical. They adapt with technique. There is no way around physical. If your kick divert water movement downward, you will kick up silt. Same for rays