Breaststroke – Kick Only

BRK01 Category: Breast Kick only (on Back or Stomach)

Description: 

Breast kick only variations

Purpose:

Focus on controlling the knee width

Focus on keeping knees underwater (when on back kicking) (heels out when on stomach)

Focus on engaging the entire calf of each leg was well as the outside edge of feet

Focus on finishing the ‘whip’ completion of the kick

Variations:

Variables that can be incorporated into all variations:

      • Pull buoy between thighs (can restrict knee width)
      • 1FlexBand over knees to control knee width and train to hide the recovery
      • Add Power Bags over the Calves to train the kick to connect the calves for power
      • Add Power Bags on feet to focus on hiding the kick recovery/glide and powering kick
      • Finis Tempo Trainer is ideal to maintain a constant tempo  and optimize the distance per kick
      • Arm Position Variations:
        • Arms above (straight up above shoulder or in streamline)
        • Arms down to the side (can focus on having the heals almost touch the finger tips)
        • Arms down with thumbs locked behind the back and heads up above the water
        • Arms folded over the head (like a plow)
    • to focus on constantly moving forward (even during recovery)

 

BRK01-01 Kick on Stomach  (GIF)

        • Ideally this drill should be with a Tech Snorkel to prevent lifting the head to breath (which is distracting to the purpose of the drill and throws off the front-to-back balance)
        • Kick should have a FAST recovery and quick catch
        • Ideally the heels and/or ankles/feet should break the surface on recovery
        • If any part of feet break the surface, it is most important that they enter the water without dragging bubbles with them
        • If any part of feet break the surface the toes should point up to sky to dive the feet back  into the water without dragging bubbles then quickly open up into catch position
        • Focus on some key elements: recovering the feet as high as possible, opening up the feet BEFORE beginning to push, continuing out and down, and not locking the knees until the feet are directly BACK and not out to the side of the body)
        • Add the Power Bags to feet in order to train to hide the recovery and power the catch
        • Add the Power Bags to the Calves for a few sets in order to accentuate the calves in the catch when the Bags are removed

 

BRK01-02 Kick on Back (GIF)

        • A great way to build kick power without a snorkel.  
        • Knees should stay as much in the water as possible so they will be as hidden (up and above) the body as possible when swimming on the stomach
        • To keep the knees underwater, slide a Power Bag over a standard kickboard and drag the board behind you and over the knees with the waist belt and pull belt
        • Add the Power Bags to feet in order to train to hide the recovery and power the catch
        • Add the Power Bags to the Calves for a few sets in order to accentuate the calves in the catch when the Bags are removed

 

BRK01-03 Piston drill  (GIF)

        • Start with arms in streamline overhead, then pull the arms down at same time as the legs recover, then shoot arms forward into streamline before kick fully connects
        • This drill helps fine tune the timing of the stroke
        • Should also be used to focus  on the speed of the kick recovery
        • Performed only on the back or with a snorkel

 

BRK01-04 Single Leg Breast Kicking

        • Breast kicking one leg at a time (alternating or single leg)
        • This drill can be helpful to demonstrate that a swimmer is having problems opening up their foot with one leg more than the other while helping any swimmer focus on the steps involved in the kick (recovering the feet as high as possible, opening up the feet BEFORE beginning to push, continuing out and down, and not locking their knees until the feet are directly BACK and not out to the side of the body)
        • Add Power Bags on the feet to help train a higher and more powerful catch

 

BRK01-05 Eggbeater – alternating single leg breast kicks (GIF) (Full Video Link)

        • Alternate breast kicking one leg at a time
        • Slowly increase the speed of kicks so they become very fast
        • This helps create habits of the full whip through the extension of the toes into streamline (without the kick completion it is very hard to move forward)
        • Great for swimmers that just kick outward and stop (without completing the kick into streamline)
        • An ideal way to increase leg power/muscles when using the Power Bags
        • Can be use horizontally (on stomach or back) and Vertically

 

BRK01-06 Breast kick with weights in hands

Note: these drills are good for those developing an undulating breaststroke.  If you are moving toward a newer, flatter stroke, these drills will not  be ideal

 

        • On Stomach Kick – Arms crossed over chest with small med ball or Lil’ Red Kick
          • This helps drive the downward undulation into the glide
        • On Stomach Kick – Arms out front in streamline with Lil’ Red Kick in hand
          • This helps accentuate  a downward glide sensation

BRK01-07 Breast kick with chest to side wall (GIF) (Full Video Link)

        • Vertical Breast kicking with body pressed against the wall, hands down to the side
        • This trains swimmers to recover legs without flexing hips while keeping the thighs flat with the torso
        • Add a Pull Buoy between thighs at first to help the swimmer get as close to the wall with their chest as possible.  Once they get the hang of it, remove the buoy.
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