How to - Back Kick

[TSandM]

Andrew Georgitsis, on the Intro to Tech DVD, says it is primarily the SIDE of the fin that delivers the power. As far as I can tell, from the times I can actually get it to work, the keys are: Extend the fins slowly and carefully in the position they would be in at the end of a good frog kick (bottoms apposed). Then sweep them outward, catching the water on the side and a little bit of the "top" of the fin.

I do have to say that, although I no longer drop my knees when doing this, I still gradually go butt up as I continue to kick. Not sure why. Joe Talavera says keep one's head up and that will stop it, but I had my head PINNED to my first stage today (and the neckache to prove it) and STILL went up.

 

[JeffG]

I do have to say that, although I no longer drop my knees when doing this, I still gradually go butt up as I continue to kick. Not sure why. Joe Talavera says keep one's head up and that will stop it, but I had my head PINNED to my first stage today (and the neckache to prove it) and STILL went up.

Your toes are probably pointed up and/or when you finish your kick, you keep your heels by your butt to long and when you re-load the kick, you don't keep the feet back there long enough to straighten yourself out. (Think CG skill)

One of the biggest issues with the back kick is where your toes are pointed.

 

[TSandM]

Thanks, Jeff -- I'm going out again Wednesday with my Fundies instructor, and I'm going to have him take a good look at what I'm doing wrong.

 

[kidspot]

One thing that helped me (took 20-30 dives to get it reasonably well) was when I was told to point my toes down. In reality they were then flat, but it "feels" like you are pointing them down. The other key for me was having a good fit between my boots and fins, with flexible ankles in the boots.

Practice and you'll get it.

Aloha, Tim