Swimming and Not Moving

I've been having swimming lessons for the last 8 weeks now, my problem is that I am swimming and not moving. Whenever I start swimming, I will get halfway, and no matter how hard I try kicking my legs and holding a float or using my arms, I’m not moving. Can you help?

Kicking the legs whilst holding a float is a tough exercise, even for established swimmers, let alone for someone learning to swim.

I will presume that you are kicking with an alternating front crawl type leg kick.

The trick is to have both a relaxed leg kick and a flat body position, preferably with your face in the water.

Your leg kick must be relaxed, with a slight knee bend and a very loose ankle, so that your foot acts much like a flipper. The downward beat of the leg kick provides the propulsion, and your kicks must be shallow.

This type of exercise is energy-consuming and requires a degree of stamina, particularly in the legs.

There is no need to pursue this exercise until it is perfect because other aspects of your swimming are just as important.

Perfecting the body position, arm action, and breathing will all affect and help your leg kick technique.

When you introduce your arms into your swimming stroke, it is important to remain relaxed and streamlined. By streamlined, I mean making your body as long and narrow in the water as possible to help you move through the water efficiently.

Relaxing into your swimming is the key, as sometimes the harder you try, the less relaxed you become, and then the more you sink!

You could try swimming in slow motion. You will definitely be relaxed, and you may be surprised at how far you get without really trying

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

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Do my bending knees make me sink?

Do my bending knees make me sink when swimming? I've had two lessons swimming so far, and I can't seem to propel my body forwards while swimming face down, and after a while, I sink. Observers say this is because I bend my knees and I can't seem to stop this. Also, after a couple of meters from the pool wall, I feel that my feet don't break the surface, and therefore, I start sinking. I'm not athletic, and can't raise my entire leg horizontally for long. Do you have any advice for me to get better?

From the information you have given me, I will assume you attempting to swim a freestyle type stroke rather than breaststroke. This type of leg kick must be relaxed with only a slight knee bend. If your leg kick is rigid or robotic in any way, then sinking legs will be the result!

With all adult beginners to swimming, the key is to feel your way through the water, not fight it. Sometimes swimming in a very relaxed slow motion without attempting to get anywhere will give you a better feel for the water, a better understanding of your own buoyancy, and result in you moving without you really trying. You can start off with a push away from the pool wall to give you some momentum to start, but even then, still only swim slowly so as to feel your way. When you get used to this feeling, only then can you add your own power to maintain your momentum.

If a lack of flexibility in your legs is an issue that prevents you from straightening them sufficiently, then maybe consider learning breaststroke. The success rate of adults learning to swim using breaststroke is far greater than that of freestyle. This is because breaststroke is slower, more relaxing and requires less effort.You will find a basic guide to swimming breaststroke by clicking here.

If you are determined to pursue freestyle, then you may want to consider wearing some fins on your feet. They will help your propulsion and leg kick technique but be warned, they must be only temporary. Do not become reliant on them.

Problem With The Kicking

I had a bad childhood experience and have been afraid of water for many years. Now, in my early 50's, I'm determined to conquer my fear and learn to swim. I am having a TERRIBLE problem with the kicking! I don't get anywhere, even using a kickboard.

I am a runner and have tight hips/ankles etc., anyway, but I can't seem to relax or get the proper form or. I don't know, but I am very frustrated and have tried everything my coach and I can think of... Can you help me? I want to do this SO BADLY!! Thank you!

Your determination is to be admired! The fact that you have returned to the pool and are attempting to kick tells me that you have at least conquered most of your fear.

The problem you are experiencing is a very common one. Believe it or not, kicking with a kickboard is hard work, even for the most established swimmers. The precise kicking technique is needed if you get anywhere because the kickboard creates a resistance that you have to swim against.

An effective leg kick must be relaxed with a very loose ankle joint so the foot can behave like a fin and generate a small amount of power to help you move.

You have not specified which swimming stroke you are learning but either way, consider this: swimming strokes are not all about kicking.

Each component of each swimming stroke goes together to make your body move efficiently through the water. Your body position, arm pulls, breathing, coordination AND leg kicks all go together to make your swimming strokes complete and make you a confident and happy swimmer.

You will progress far quicker if you concentrate on keeping a streamlined body position, use your arms to generate some power and swim in a slow, relaxed way.

One of the most common underlying fears a beginner has is usually to do with submersion. Going underwater either partially or completely can scare live out of some potential swimmers and this then causes a chain reaction through the rest of the body causing them to swim in a very tense and almost robotic way.

If you are one of these people, try some simple submersion exercises, holding on to the poolside for security, then holding your breath and blowing out into the water or just submerging. Wearing some swim goggles can help make this easier and more comfortable.

But the bottom line is that it is not all about kicking. Yes, you have to kick off course and yes it has to be relaxed, but focus on other parts of your swimming stroke and after some practice and patience you will find your leg kick will do its job without you really trying.

Keep practising and soon you will forget you ever feared the water.

My ebook The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming contains all the help and support you need, from relaxing, floating and breathing to all the technique tips for learning to swim the four basic strokes. Click here for an instant preview or click the link below for more information.

The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming 

Professional guidance and support to help you through every stage of learning how to swim.

Discover everything you need from first entering the pool and building confidence to floating and breathing. Plus, 82 exercises to master the four basic swimming strokes.(click here for an instant preview) 

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Problem Kicking Front Crawl Legs With A Float

I have a problem kicking front crawl legs with a float. I have a strange swim stroke of breaststroke legs with front crawl arms. This has never been an issue as I only ever used to swim across the pool to the bar on holiday to get a pina colada. But I have recently started doing sprint triathlons and wondered if there are any good techniques to practice my leg kick. I have tried the float in front and just kicking legs but get nowhere. My time for 400m is@ 8 min. Or do I need to get myself a few lessons?

The question you are really asking is to do with the timing and coordination of front crawl. You have been so used to kicking breaststroke legs that your front crawl legs now kick with the same 1 kick, 1 arm pull timing that they have been used to.

Before you kill yourself by kicking with a float and getting nowhere, think about the rest of your front crawl technique.

The speed and power of the leg kick is of the least importance to the rest of your swimming stroke. The majority of the power and propulsion for front crawl comes from the arm pull. The overall efficiency of the stroke comes from the horizontal and streamlined body position. The leg kick, therefore, is required to give the stroke balance and stability.

Yes, in some cases, the leg kick provides power but only over short sprint distances of 50 or 100 metres. You are competing in sprint triathlons, and despite its name, it is still essentially an endurance event.

Most of the best long-distance front crawl swimmers in the world swim using one kick for one arm pull. It uses far less energy for the distance required. This is much needed in your case as you will be cycling and running straight after!

Just be sure your leg kick comes from the hip with a slight knee bend and a very relaxed ankle joint. Kicking with a float will help you focus on this. Then, let the power of the arms and the efficiency of the body position get you easily through the water.

My eBook How To Swim Front Crawl contains over 20 separate exercises to help correct all parts of your swimming technique. You can print out the exercises you need and take them to your pool to try out. The exercises are very clear and easy to follow and you can download them instantly. Click the link below for more details.

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

Don't miss out!  Click here for more details on how to get your copy.