Have you heard these lies before?
“I’m not supposed to kick as a triathlete.”
“I need to save my legs for the bike and run.”
These lies are simply not true!
Your kick is an essential part of your freestyle swim that you cannot and must not leave out.
The secret is that you need to develop your kick 🦵 and make it efficient, so you don’t waste so much energy doing it!
Most triathletes have terrible balance in the water.
Are you one of them?
This means you are swimming with your head up and your legs dragging.
No wonder you are tired!
But it’s NOT from kicking; it’s from a lack of balance in the water and an inefficient kick.
A good kick improves your balance, so you are not dragging your legs thru the water.
Three things to look and feel for in your freestyle kick.
1) Are you bending your knees too much instead of kicking from your hips?
Most triathletes often run and bike, so they are strong with their knees bent. However, to flutter kick well, you need to kick from your hips, keeping your knees mostly straight, with a whip-like motion from the hips. Ankles need to be supple and flexible too!
2) Are your heels breaking the surface of the water?
If not, then you are dragging your legs…
I use the analogy of a motor boat with the engine on but without enough power to get it up on a plane so it has less resistance and can glide through the water.
When flutter kicking correctly, your heels and ankles should lightly break the water’s surface- like a gentle boil. There should not be big huge splashes or your whole foot kicking the air. Instead, you need to keep your feet in the water kicking the water.
3) Are your ankles flexible and floppy so your foot can provide up-and-down propulsion in the water?
Getting a swim video analysis is the best way to witness your kick inefficiencies and learn to correct them.
Come learn how to kick correctly at my upcoming Swim Essentials Clinic for video analysis and 12 hours of coached swim training in the pool, open water, and online.
I am hosting a Swim Essentials Clinic February 17-18th…
WILL YOU BE JOINING US?
If you are ready to start swimming the right way, now is the time to take charge of your swimming and learn my step-by-step process of learning how to swim the right way.
- Swim-specific strength and mobility
- The exact things you need to do with your head, hands, arms, legs
- Stop swallowing a mouth full of water with every head turn to breathe.
- No more anxiety and panic while you swim
- How to conserve your energy
With my step-by-step program, you can guarantee improved swim performance and reach your desired swim goals. Assessing your current skills and setting clear performance goals will provide a roadmap for your training.
It’s an amazing opportunity to be in the water with our coaches and get hands-on instruction to power up your swim!
REGISTRATION OPENS NEXT WEEK!
If you know Swim Essentials is for you, Send me an email at info@fullcirclecoaching.com to get on the waitlist!
Erinne Guthrie has been a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching, LLC since 2010. Creator of the 16-week Triathlon Transformation. She has been training, racing, and coaching triathletes since 1997. She is also a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Motivational Speaker, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, Mom, Mermaid, and much more.
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