Frog Kick

[Turtlesong]

Read the thread on proper finning, ok with that technique. I am trying to get the hang on "frog finning". When I swim laps at the pool I am very good at the frog kick, put a pair of fins on me and it goes out the window. Any suggestions?

 

[iztok]

Here you go:

 

[Codyjp]

I went for about 200 dives thinking I had good kicks. It took a lot of work and going through GUE fundies to get them headed in the right direction.

Fundies might be a bit much but you could always consider something like the GUE primer course which is focused on propulsion.

Primarily for me it was about tightening my shins to pull the fins down so they would be horizontal. That, and a lot of work getting my trim sorted so that when I made the power stroke I'd go strait ahead instead of pop up or down.

 

[j.doe]

would have to see it. Some people do it too fast with fins on, or have fins that are not suitable for it. Can you tell us what type of fins, Split etc... and give us an idea of how fast you are trying to go.

Typically frog kicking is for enclosed spaces, where someone is going SLOW, IE a cave, cavern or wreck.

Your fin needs time to spring back up before you take the next kick. Also watch the direction of your toes. When in doubt, practice in the pool with your eyes closed, thinking about the specific motion, right down to where you point the toes. Then put fins on and do the same.

 

[TSandM]

I think the frog kick can be hard to learn by yourself. And it can be hard to learn with the wrong fins. When I took Fundies, I was using soft paddle fins, and I was doing the kick completely BACKWARDS. It took having my instructor behind me, turning my ankles in the proper direction, to allow me to "get" the kick.

My best advice would be to hook up with an instructor who can teach this, or a mentoring diver who's able to watch what you are doing and see if it's correct. I don't know where you are in Maryland, but if you're near DC, you might PM cmalinowski here on SB, and see if either you two can get together for some practice, or if he knows of an instructor to recommend to you.

 

[tracydr]

Read the thread on proper finning, ok with that technique. I am trying to get the hang on "frog finning". When I swim laps at the pool I am very good at the frog kick, put a pair of fins on me and it goes out the window. Any suggestions?

Do you know how to breast stroke? It's the exact same thing.

 

[tracydr]

I think the frog kick can be hard to learn by yourself. And it can be hard to learn with the wrong fins. When I took Fundies, I was using soft paddle fins, and I was doing the kick completely BACKWARDS. It took having my instructor behind me, turning my ankles in the proper direction, to allow me to "get" the kick.

My best advice would be to hook up with an instructor who can teach this, or a mentoring diver who's able to watch what you are doing and see if it's correct. I don't know where you are in Maryland, but if you're near DC, you might PM cmalinowski here on SB, and see if either you two can get together for some practice, or if he knows of an instructor to recommend to you.

Lynne, do you have a video or any instruction on the other kichs, especially helicopter and back kick?

 

[iztok]

Lynne, do you have a video or any instruction on the other kichs, especially helicopter and back kick?

Back kick:

Helicopter turn:

 

[zamburinha]

Do you know how to breast stroke? It's the exact same thing.

Is it really? I always have the impression it is not quite, especially on the end part of the kick. I can't put my finger on it tho

To the OP, I found that thinking of trying to "clap" with my feet was helpful in getting the mechanics of the end of the frog kick, especially to get to a good gliding position.

 

[Blackwood]

Lynne, do you have a video or any instruction on the other kichs, especially helicopter and back kick?

The half helicopter turn is really simple if you already frog kick: turn left = frog kick with your right leg. Turn right = frog kick with your left leg.

The full helicopter turn involves a frog kick with one leg and a backwards kick with the other, so hold off on that until you learn the back kick.

The way it's done in that mercyside video is a little weird to me. If I am not using both feet, I kick with the underside of my fin.