Bicycle Kick

[Wasabi1264]

Another stupid question. Is the bicycle kick a totally useless kick, and do any fins actually work with it? My kicks suck, and I'm working on the flutter, but my splits work not at all with a bicycle. I want to make sure I'm a good "underwater citizen," maintaining buoyancy and not silting the bottom, so any feedback is welcome.

 

[RJP]

Is the bicycle kick a totally useless kick?

Yes.

My splits work not at all with a bicycle kick.

See above.

I want to make sure I'm a good "underwater citizen," maintaining buoyancy and not silting the bottom, so any feedback is welcome.

Learn to frog kick. (Which may well require a change of fins.)

 

[MikeFerrara]

Another stupid question. Is the bicycle kick a totally useless kick, and do any fins actually work with it?

The "bicycle kick" isn't a kick at all but rather a description of what someone looks like when they are trying to kick but aren't.

My kicks suck, and I'm working on the flutter, but my splits work not at all with a bicycle. I want to make sure I'm a good "underwater citizen," maintaining buoyancy and not silting the bottom, so any feedback is welcome.

Look at one of the videos that are floating around showing what different kicks look like or get someone who knows how to help. Lay down on the floor, table, bed or whatever and practice the body position and movements.

 

[jim T.]

But aren't Force Fins designed to be used with a bicycle kick?

 

[Wasabi1264]

Thanks. I appreciate that. If anyone has any links to vids, I'd appreciate it. I have been doing some Google searching for some, but haven't seen a good source yet. It is definitely a new feeling and new grouping of physical skills.

 

[dkatchalov]

Start doing the frog kick. Get a decent pair of paddle fine first (scubapro jets).

I switched from splits and flutter/bicycle kick to jets and frog kick and use the frog kick 90% of the time now. The frog kick is a lot more efficient as you are not constantly kicking, using up energy and air. With the frog kick you just kick, glide, repeat. The glide is where you do no work and just use the momentum from the frog kick to propel you underwater.

So ditch the splits and the bicycle kick.

 

[kidspot]

According to this post http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/2608605-post2.html it works with Force Fins.

I have a friend who has a bicycle kick so ingrained into his muscle memory that when teaching him I require him to frog kick. Simply because the motor control was so different I hoped he would have a better chance of learning it over a flutter kick (which his muscles have difficulty differentiating with a bicycle kick)

Keep practicing, and if possilbe have someone help you in a pool (with or without fins) Keep toes pointed like standing on tip-toes, limit your knee movement and force yourself to kick from your hips (larger muscles there anyway) until you break yourself of the habit of bicycle kicking.

Aloha, Tim

 

[dkatchalov]

Here's a link to videos of a number of kicks and various techniques including the frog kick.

Dive Tek Images

 

[kidspot]

More videos here:

Dive Sites

Scuba diving training

and if you want a great example buy a copy of the Intro to Technical Diving (better than the Essentials of recreational diving IMO) 5thD-X/Breakthru Diving

Aloha, Tim

 

[Wasabi1264]

What's interesting about these vids is the "modified flutter" which simply looks like a bicycle kick with the bottom of the kick ending flat. The frog is kind of hard to see. I'm assuming one needs to turn ones feet so the bottoms point towards each other?