Breaststroke Kick Tips

Prevent your feet coming out of the water

I need some breaststroke kick tips. How do I stop my feet and heels coming out of the water when I kick breaststroke? 

I've been swimming breaststroke (wrongly) for years, having been taught more than 40 years ago. Now I swim it differently, head under the water, etc. my heels sometimes come out of the water.  Ideally, I'd like to correct this. Can you please advise me on what I need to do? I'm 6'3", and not sure if this makes any difference. Thank you

My answer:

Thanks for getting in touch.  Sounds like you're getting frustrated with your breaststroke leg kick.  Let me break down what's going on for you here…

Firstly, well done for taking the step of swimming with your face down in the water. For breaststroke, this head position places much less strain on the neck joints and muscles and can be more comfortable over time. However, it can cause a change in overall body position in the water, which is what causes your heels and feet to come out of the water sometimes when you kick. 

breaststroke body position

Before, when you swam with your face above the water, your body was angled with your head and shoulders at or above the water's surface, and your hips and legs lowered under the water.  Nothing wrong with this body position at all - in fact, it is technically correct. 

Now that you swim with your face in the water, your body position has shifted to a flatter, more horizontal position, with your head down and therefore your hips and legs higher up.  You are undoubtedly still kicking in the same way you did before, but now you have a changed body position and your heels and feet exit the water when you bend your knees to kick. 

The solution for you is to alter your leg kick technique by bending at your hips to draw your knees under your body as your heels move towards your backside before your feet turn out and whip around and back. 

If your stroke timing is correct, the movement of your legs under your body should be in time with your arms pulling your head up to breathe, just before you kick your head down again. The rise of your upper body should then help to keep your legs and feet underwater. 

I hope this has helped in some way and I wish you every success with your swimming.  For more breaststroke technique tips, tricks and drills, check out my book below. 

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HOW TO SWIM BREASTSTROKE EBOOK:  everything you need to master breaststroke swimming stroke. 22 easy drills that focus on each part of breaststroke technique. From body position to breathing and timing. Decades of teaching experience all packaged into 1 easy file. Download to your device and master breaststroke TODAY! (click here for an INSTANT preview).

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Legs Sink When Swimming Breaststroke

My problem is that my legs sink when swimming breaststroke. While I was doing the breaststroke, my legs sank whenever, after I kicked. Is it because my kick is not strong enough?

Thanks for contacting me with a question about your breaststroke technique.

You could be right in your assumption that your breaststroke leg kick is not strong enough, and that is the cause of your legs sinking as you swim.

The power of the kick is vital for maintaining the movement and momentum of the stroke, and the majority of the drive of the stroke should come from the leg kick. Correct body position and a smooth glide will also help maintain momentum and reduce or prevent your legs from sinking.

Ensure that when you kick, you drive your heels back and around in a whip-like action. The surface area of the underside of each foot and your heel should be facing backwards as if pushing away from the pool wall. That way, they can push on the water to provide maximum power.

To help strengthen your leg kick, try kicking whilst holding a kickboard or float. Hold the kickboard in both hands with arms out straight in front of you. Try not to bare your weight on the kickboard at all. Instead, relax and allow it to float.

If you find this tricky, you can try the exercise with two kickboards, one held under each arm.

Do not be put off if you feel you are not moving. The kickboards provide resistance to the front, and therefore, they are an excellent way of helping to increase leg kick strength.

After each whip-like leg kick, the feet should be pointed backwards and inline to provide a streamlined shape as they glide. If the feet remain turned out or toes remain turned up after the legs come together, they will cause drag and almost certainly sink.

If possible, ensure you submerge your face with each stroke or at least keep your chin on the water surface and your eyes facing forwards and not upwards. This will encourage and flatter and, therefore, more streamlined body position.

Although breaststroke can swim with the body at an angle in the water, if the angle is too steep, this results in increased frontal resistance. Combine this with a weak leg kick,, and you will go nowhere fast!

My ebook How To Swim Breaststroke contains over 20 separate swimming exercises to help all parts of breaststroke, including breathing and timing. You can download it, print out the parts you need and take them to your pool to try out. Click the link below for more information.

Extra Breaststroke Kick Tips

Everything you need to master every part of breaststroke technique - all in one easy to follow ebook.  Click here for an instant preview, or ADD TO CART below and download your copy now! 

How To Swim Breaststroke

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