Backstroke improve freestyle kicking

The reason that you have to kick more in backstroke is because 1) of a difference in body position--backstroke body isn't really just "freestyle on your back", 2) because most people are weaker in the arm stroke compared to freestyle; therefore, you have to kick more to compensate.

I would say doing more backstroke might help your fitness in the water to help train your legs more--ie. using the bigger muscles, but I wouldn't necessarily say that you then would become a better kicker when you switched to freestyle because you would just revert back to less kick naturally.

I'm a competitive swimmer--backstroke is my speciality--I don't think that doing more backstroke kick helps my freestyle kick other than giving me overall strength/fitness--so I have to train for tri by specifically doing freestyle even though I have spent alot of time doing backstoke. We have a saying in swimming that you have to work specifically within your stroke to make that stroke better---so if you want to work on your freestyle kick--then focus on that kick while swimming..it will take some time for you to change, but if you do it enough, you should find that it will become more and more natural.

Edited by mndymond 2009-12-28 7:08 PM

Kick board.

Kick all day with or without paddles.

it's a different kick. If you want to get better at kicking, you just need to do more kicking.

Back in August I did a ton of kicking. Did 500 yards per workout and even did a few 1000 yard kick only workouts. Front kicks, back kicks, side kicks, fly kick, whip kick; 25's, 50's, 100's, 200's...you name it. Never used a board though. One fun one is to do 200's with fins, arms pinned to your sides, breathing as if you were doing freestyle.

have fun with it. The first 2 weeks were hell for me. Then my hips finally "broke in" and all was good.

Yep, what they said. I'm a former backstroker (although it really sucks now!). The kick is completely different. With a good backstroke kick, you end up with an alternating top foot and a bottom foot depending on which arm stroke you are on.

Another former backstroker chiming in...

If you want to work on your freestyle kick, be conscious of kicking when you're swimming freestyle.  As others have said, it's a totally different kick, body position, etc.   I still have to remind myself to kick more when swimming freestyle, and I swam competitively for 15+ years.   Using a kickboard will help you a lot to increase those muscles in your legs, but it's like anything else, ease your way into it so you don't have get any injuries.  Going from little to lots can really hurt, and you won't notice it until you try to get out of the pool, then OUCH!  And when you're swimming, have a constant mantra in your head "kick, kick, kick" - hopefully you can do that while counting your laps  .

Have you had underwater videotape done or swim coaching or lessons? An objective view of your kicking and whether or not it's enough or whether there's something else to be worked on with your stroke might help ...

Another former competitive swimmer here, blah blah blah ... but I've also coached triathletes for the swim.

I echo no kickboard. You will get a much better feel for the water and proper alignment without it. I favor doing kick sets with your arms stretched out in front of you, taking a breath out to the side whenever necessary. If you use fins (LOL not a big fan of those either, besides, why spend the money?) make sure they're Zoomers or some other form-encouraging short fins.

I also like doing alternating kick/swim, where you kick a length or two and then swim a length or two, consciously trying to incorporate the rhythm and movements you did during the kick part.

Thanks guys and gals for your advice. I asked a friend to watch me swim this morning and she said I do kick when gliding through the water and when I rotate but said my right leg sometimes does a loud thud and big splash from time to time. So I am kicking but I guess not hard enough for me to feel a diffrence in my speed in the water.