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Breaststroke kick

Swimming / Popular

Master the whip kick, the most-failed element in breaststroke.

What coaches agree on

  • Finish every kick by snapping the legs together fast and fully, squeezing the water between them - that final snap is where the power comes from.
  • Press the water straight backward with the soles and insides of the feet and lower legs, not downward or out to the sides.
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Common mistakes

  • Pointing the toes the way you would in freestyle or backstroke, instead of flexing the feet and turning them outward so they have a surface to push water backward with.
  • Letting the knees splay out wide into a 'frog kick' that tracks outside the feet, instead of keeping the knees narrower than the feet for a clean 'whip kick.'
  • Kicking again right away, or kicking before the arm pull has fully finished, instead of following each kick with a glide.