Low silt kicking

[Saltair]

Here is a question for all you DIR and GUE types. I have heard of kicks designed to limit the amount of silt that is disturbed by your passing by something. I have had the chance this spring to do a little diving in a local harbor doing odd jobs, but as with most good harbors the bottom is very soft and silty. It doesn't take to long for my very presence to start limiting vis. This is a particular problem when searcing for something. I have watched a couple videos on the tek sites and see the "frog" kick demonstrated. Is this the low silt style kick? clearly kicking this way would direct most of the water behind you and less down to the bottom.

As a second question about this kick when I was a kid I was big time into competitive swimming. We would sometimes train with fins, but being a breaststroker I was warned not to use that kick with fins or it would damage my knees. Now the kicks I am seeing in the videos are not really hard kicks, but it is hard to tell from the little clips if this is the exact same kick I used in the breaststroke. It seems flatter, but pretty much the same. Is it? What are the differences? And what about hurting your knees? I have enough messed up joints from sports and physical activity I dont need more.

Thanks all.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Frog or modified frog where the knees are bent up a little more are exactly the kind of kicks that limit silting. They are not limited to GUE or DIR or tech divers. I just taught them to 3 OW students tonite. Granted they need some work but they get the idea. For me they are easy on the legs and when done properly generate alot of speed with little effort. Once you get them down I can easily skim a silty lake bottom at 8-12 inches and the water behind me is as clear as that in front. Anyone I know who dives alot and and uses the kick swears by em. I learned mine in ow class as well. About the only time I don't use them is when I have to demonstrate other kicks for students.

 

[TSandM]

Well, I don't know if it's the same kick, but I have some arthritis in my knees, and the frog kick doesn't bother them.

The frog kick, along with the modified frog and modified flutter, are all non-silting kicks. You can dive with your belly right down on a fine silt bottom, and if you are careful, you will leave almost no particulates in the water. We had a group of 12 divers searching an area about 100 feet square, on a fine silt bottom, for a lost fishing reel. We spent an hour criss-crossing the same space, and when we left, the viz was what it was when we got there. It makes for great fun!

 

[Saltair]

So I guess the question is is this the same quick a breastsroker would use? It appears slightly modified in the video, i.e. the knees dont drop as far, its not as wide, etc... but that could have been that one guys style. I imagine though they picked him as the subject because he was good at it. Is a particular fin type more suited to this kick?

 

[spectrum]

I've dabbled with the frog kick a little, enough to do it if I really want to. There is some level of conditioning or deconditioning required by some people I think. I find the motion and position very uncomfortable throughout my legs. I'm sure with practice, the right exercises and stretches I could adapt. From my experieince I can say that it will not be a stress free transition for everyone.

At one time I had some questions about kicks & supporting exercises and got some real good responses in the fitness forums. There are folks hanging around in there that really understand the physiology of what's connected to what and how to condition it. I'd raise the question there.

Pete

PS, See you two next week!
Acadia Bound on July 21 and counting down!

 

[jess4diving]

jumping on your thread as I know I have a lot to learn. Can one of you point me to the videos/threads reagarding swimming/kicking/etc?
thanks!

 

[mrlipis]

As for all of the courses that PADI offers I am shocked that there isn't a course on finning techniques. As a matter of fact, it should be part of AOW. This should be the only kick while exploring the bottom and would probably save some coral life in the process.

Bruce

 

[Walter]

As for all of the courses that PADI offers I am shocked that there isn't a course on finning techniques. As a matter of fact, it should be part of AOW. This should be the only kick while exploring the bottom and would probably save some coral life in the process.

Bruce

Kicking techniques should be part of the entry level course. Finning should be outlawed everywhere.

 

[Meng_Tze]

The frog kick is almost the same as a breast stroke kick. But you keep your knees up. With practice it becomes a VERY efficient kick. It is best done with stiff blade type of fins and if you get it down well you can glide through the water with a few kicks here and there. Don't think I have done a flutter kick in years.............

 

[reefduffer]

jumping on your thread as I know I have a lot to learn. Can one of you point me to the videos/threads reagarding swimming/kicking/etc?
thanks!

Look at 5thD-X/Breakthru Diving
Essentials of Recreational Diving DVD.

I've seen pieces of this on YouTube, but aside from the ethical issues, they're harder to see details in, and there's a bunch of good stuff on this DVD. Inspiring, in a way.
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