Swim Propulsion

Neither. I don't kick 

OK. Propulsion comes mainly from your hip/trunk rotation. If it (mostly) came from your feet, then people that don't kick would sink. 

x2  I'm no expert, but knew a couple college swimmers.  I couple interesting things they told me....

1. women tend to be better kickers - probably due to flexibility
2. for most long distance swims, kicking is just used for balance.

As for me, if I kick too hard, I get only minimal gains in speed, but expend a lot more energy.  In long disances, I would rather give up a couple seconds per 100 if I can save a significant amount of my energy....

Oh yeah, to answer your original question.  You should be getting the "push" on the water on the top of your foot mostly....

I think you may have misunderstood.  You don't get propulsion directly from rotation.  You can't just rotate back and forth and expect to go anywhere - I'm sure you know that.  But it helps with getting your body in best position to get power out of your arm stroke....

I wasn't being smug, thank you very much It's just the idea of the top of your foot (what, 6 inches by 4 inches) propelling anyone through the water made me smile.

If you had asked if you are supposed to point your toes, I would have answered differently.

Just wanted to add that as matter of fact, I can swim almost as fast while using a pull bouy (which takes my kick completly out of it) as flat out swimming.

TI should help.  I didn't buy any of the actual materials, but I read some of the articles here on BT for TI, picked up some tips and drills, and it has helped a lot.

This is true for me also.

I took two sets of TI lessons (6 each).  I'm very good at drills.  If only I were so good at the darn freestyle...

Top and bottom.If you were to wear fins you would feel it x10.

Most strong kickers are sprinters 50-200yd swimmers, some Olympic swimmers will even bring their feet out of the water. When I kick hard it takes way to much out of me for longer swims, I will loose my breath and then fatigue. When I swim longer distances I use my kick for anchoring to get a strong hip rotation, this allows me to get a long extension+longer pull=faster swim without the fatigue that comes with using my legs so much. Extend far and keep your elbow up, accelerate as you bring your arm back. As you get faster, body position becomes allot more critical in shaving seconds.

One thing I haven't seen yet on here is that kicking comes from the hip and if you're doing it right helps with your rotation.  Basic foot position is pointed backwards, but you're not really HOLDING your foot there, it's more that if your feet/ankles are relaxed and you're kicking correctly your feet should be pointed backwards sort've naturally. (like fins.)  So, as to your actual question, both the top and bottom of your foot will be engaged during a regular flutter kick.

I think fins are a great way to practice correct kick technique cause they hold your foot in the right position and you can really feel when you are doing it right. 

On shorter/faster efforts you kick more to help you on the propulsion, on longer stuff, I don't kick too much, just enough to stay balanced, and as I said, help with the body rotation.  

X2 - The propulsion comes from the hip and uses the foot as a paddle. The top and bottom of your foot are both used. The top is used on the down stroke when the knee is slightly bent and the bottom is used on the up stroke. Check out Ian Thorpe in the clips below and see if that helps.

Ian Thorpe in Slo mo

The Thorpedo again 

BTW - There are some of us triathletes that have a 6 beat kick and utilize it all the way through a 2.4 mile IM swim!! The idea of not using your feet during a swim leg to "save" them for the rest of the race isn't true. Kick how you normally kick when you swim.