Different kicks

[NudeDiver]

OK, I feel like such a doofus, but when people talk about different styles of fin kicks, what are they talking about?

From what I gather, there is the "flutter" or "scissor" kick - which is the "normal basic kick". Then there is a "frog" kick - which - I guess is moving legs/fins side to side, rather than up and down. I have used both of these before - without giving names to them.

What else is there?

Thanks!
nd

 

[dwatts]

Doofus #2 here... I've wondered the same thing. Are the different kicks taught in AOW?

 

[Walter]

Different kicks I teach in OW are: 1. Flutter 2. Frog 3. Scissor 4. Dolphin 5. Sculling 6. Back (Flutter and Scissor are two different kicks)

 

[SDiggy]

Doofus #3 here...Probably not the easiest thing to describe in an online forum, but any chance we could get brief descriptions?

 

[SparticleBrane]

Frog kick:


Back kick:

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

As I posted in another thread on practicing:

Hopefully others will suggest superior instructional videos, but I love the 5thD DVDs: Essentials of Recreational Diving Diving is good for most of us, along with Intro to Tech for the folks diving doubles. (There's also a full Tech Diving DVD, but if you need that you don't need my advice on learning to dive).

The techniques shown are: Frog kick, modified frog kick, modified flutter kick, helicopter turn, and back kick. The modified frog is basically done with your ankles instead of your entire leg. The modified flutter is also done with almost no leg and with the feet elevated to prevent disturbing the reef, wreck, or cave floor.

UPDATE:

Someone PM'd to ask if "Into to Tech" was better than "Essentials." I think so, yes. Intro to Tech shows each technique, then replays it with a voice over and some freeze frames/grease pencil work from time to time to get into detail.

Also, Intro to Tech shows more skills, some of which are irrelevant to the OW diver, but may be useful, like one minute ascents. It also has some teasers about the full-on tech video, like showing an instructor surprising students with various emergencies on a training dive.

Essentials is less expensive and shows the divers in singles rather than double tanks. I dive a single tank, but it looks to me like a frog is a frog is a frog. JM2C.

 

[InTheDrink]

Different kicks I teach in OW are: 1. Flutter 2. Frog 3. Scissor 4. Dolphin 5. Sculling 6. Back (Flutter and Scissor are two different kicks)

How do you teach them? I'm desperate to learn and have managed a few of the ones you mention, but by God it would have been nice to have been able to short circuit some of it....and I still don't know one or two (actually three) you mention. Any tips would be great. TIA.

 

[NudeDiver]

Different kicks I teach in OW are: 1. Flutter 2. Frog 3. Scissor 4. Dolphin 5. Sculling 6. Back (Flutter and Scissor are two different kicks)

But what ARE they? Can you please describe? Thanks.

Doofus #2 here... I've wondered the same thing. Are the different kicks taught in AOW?

No - unless the instructor adds to the basic material for the various dives you make.

Hey - those videos were useful. Do you have some for the other kicks?

I guess the frog kick isn't what I thought it was - I must have been doing something else. I can probably guess what the dolphin kick is - but since I guessed wrong on the frog, maybe not

 

[InTheDrink]

You can find this out relatively quickly on the internet apparently. I'm guilty myself so don't worry.
But as a stop gap (and until the more experienced divers/instructors chip in)....

(and I am maybe talking out of turn here - this is purely from my own personal experience, no tuition or books - so I probably am talking out of turn)

Dolphin is like a dolphin, basically keeping fins in sync/together and making a vertical 'S' motion with your body that moves like a wave down through your legs. Similar to the butterfly stroke. My favourite. Try making a vertical 'S' motion with your hand/arm. That's what it looks like.
Frog is breast stroke underwater but obviously no hands.
Scissors is alternate legs making strokes. Power comes mainly from the upper legs/hips. Keeping legs relatively straight makes all the difference.
Flutter is similar but mainly driven from the lower leg/ankles
Back is the Frog kick in reverse.
I don't know what sculling is.

Hope you get better answers than mine but I imagine at least my response will ensure that!

J

 

[Teamcasa]

I don't know what sculling is.

Imagine a rider on a parade float and they are waving the silly wave, that's what sculling is.