Question Back kick issue

[Winmit]

Hi guys,
New here. I want to share with you two videos. I dive from quite soon but I want to learn back kick. Obviously, something is very wrong. Tbh I was really surprised by how different it looks than how it feels. Can you give me some hints? I have watched quite a few tutorials online but it seems I don't fully understand something. One thing I noticed is that my legs look a bit heavy and apart. In my defence, I have muscular legs and not very flexible. Also don't know why, but looks like i dangle a lot.

dive – Google Drive

drive.google.com

 

[inquis]

Rotate your legs so heels are together BEFORE the power stroke. Flex your toes toward your knee as well to resist the water pushing on the top of the fin as you start the movement toward your butt. Your shin muscles will probably be tired after a few minutes of doing it right.

The initial power is from the top of the fin. (Contrast this to a frog where power is still being delivered on the bottom of fin at the end.)

Later power is from the sidewall of the fin. Chunky Jet-style shapes help in this regard.

In all phases, velocity matters: fast for power, slow for recovery/extension. Significant pause between to glide (2-4 seconds).

 

[Winmit]

thanks, i watched again having in mind what you said. I do agree i have a bit neglected these things. One thing, on the second video, around 30s+ i see how the top of the fin is bending. As you explained, this is how it is supposed to be, still, i slightly move backwards.

 

[Jacob BV]

To perform backfinning you need to nail Buoyancy, Stability, and Trim. Buoyancy looks fine from the video, Stability I'm not sure on from the video as you are always moving. Stability is the ability to be super super still, if you don't have this, you might start going backwards but because you woble it causes you to cancel the backward momentum. It's like balancing a broom upside down on a finger, a beginner to this will make violent moves back and forth overcorrecting, with practice you make much more subtle and continous movements to keep it still, a pro can hold a conversation at the same time. To practice this in preparation for backfinning I teach two things: get a fixed visual reference that you can start close to you eyes with and just practice not moving at all, at first you will probably creep towards it; second, practice holding the glide in a frog kick, so power stroke then glide for as long as possible without "falling over".
Then Trim is your biggest issue it looks like, you look feet sinky/head floaty. You won't be able to back fin effeciently until you fix this. Make sure your weighting is correct, then if the problem persits either move your cylinder higher, or move lead from your weight belt onto the cylinder band either directly or with pouches.
Then to help start learning backfinning it helps to start in front of something you can push off to give you a bit of backward momentum, as starting the backwards momentum is the hardest part.

 

[Wibble]

Remember when you have done a back kick, don't move your feet! Don't reset your legs as you'll stop the backward movement.

So it's a back-kick, pause, slow reset. Back-kick, pause, slow reset...

 

[Graeme Fraser]

The pause is a very important aspect, but often forgotten. People tend to snatch when first learning to back kick, which just cancels out the stroke. Just like a lot of things in diving, when you think you're going slow, slow down. The first power stroke probably won't feel like it's done anything, but paaauuse, slowly load and stroke and gradually you'll feel the momentum build. After many false starts, something will click and it'll begin to make sense.

 

[BlueTrin]

To get started, I think it’s easier to learn in the pool or quarry with no equipment/fins.

You only need a float in the pool and no fins, no equipment.

In a quarry you can jump with a closed drysuit inflated and valve closed without any equipment in a shallow part (probably want to have someone look at you the first time in case something goes terribly wrong)

If you can move backward slowly in either environment without equipment, then you can add the equipment and it will feel easier since you now have a better feeling for it.

 

[Jacob BV]

To get started, I think it’s easier to learn in the pool or quarry with no equipment/fins.

You only need a float in the pool and no fins, no equipment.

In a quarry you can jump with a closed drysuit inflated and valve closed without any equipment in a shallow part (probably want to have someone look at you the first time in case something goes terribly wrong)

If you can move backward slowly in either environment without equipment, then you can add the equipment and it will feel easier since you now have a better feeling for it.

Agreed. In the pool with equipment but no fins is also a good progression.

 

[Winmit]

Thanks for all the responses.
1/ pool is not an option ;/
2/ trim: yes i need to improve it.
3/ will do the exercise slower. i was for sure rushing a bit
4/ strange but when i have tried without fins it actually works much better and i move backward
5/ will try with giving it a little momentum by pushing from a rock

? By Pause you mean to keep it calm with legs bended, ready to glide ?

 

[inquis]

By Pause you mean to keep it calm with legs bended, ready to glide ?

Yes, at the end of the power stroke with heels still pointed inward (toes outward). Pause and coast. After that, start the recovery by making a V with the fins, inside edges touching, (knees are still apart) before SLOWLY extending straight back. This prevents the fin tips from flopping up or down.