Swimming ...

[DivemasterDennis]

Most of the moving I do in scuba is slow, deliberate and short distance. Accordingly, a casual frog kick is my most used kick style. If i want to get somewhere far, or fast ( a very rare occurance) I use a traditional flutter kick, with a fairly short up down kick. Of course,k near the bottom, always keep your feet elevated above your head and frog kick tto avoid stirring up the bottom. Otherwise, it's a matter of personal preference, and I have explained the reasons for mine.
DivemasterDennis

 

[FinnMom]

If you make a point of using the frog kick as much as you can on many successive dives, your muscles will get used to and stop hurting/cramping. It look me a good 6 months to be able to dive a full dive like that and not have sore calves/thighs/buns. Around here it's manatory for local diving because the quarries are shallow and the bottoms are of thick "dusty" silt.

 

[oszillodrom]

I am in no way an expert on this topic, but I would think whatever freedivers do would be the most energy-efficient way for slow movement under water. (Flutter / dolphin kick, long and relatively flexible fins).

Divers tend to do it differently, they use harder fins for precise control, and speed if they need it; and a frog kick for not stirring up the bottom. Also, long fins are not very practical in confined spaces.

 

[RJP]

What? If the frog kick were more efficient than it would be used by world-class freedivers who use the flutter or dolphin kick with monofins. The times for world records in the breast stroke would also be faster instead of slower than the freestyle. The flutter kick is biomechanically far more efficient, just look at the size of muscles in your legs and how the joints function.

Since this is a discussion on a SCUBA diving website - rather than a freediving website or a competitive swimming website - I assumed the discussion was about propulsion techniques for scuba divers. If I'm mistaken, I apologize and will readily concede that the OP should use the flutter kick if they are looking to go fast, maybe to break a record in the 200m freestyle event and/or they should consider a dolphin kick using a monofin if they are looking to become an expert freediver.

However, if this discussion is about effective and efficient propulsion techniques for the average recreational scuba diver... I'll stand by the recommendation to consider the frog kick over a standard flutter kick.

BTW - given your propensity to proffer "FREEDIVING!" as the answer to everything lately, I wonder if you're on the wrong forum?

 

[scjoe]

You can kick and glide with a flutter kick. It is done all the time in a one kick or two kick sequence. Kick efficiency is a function of what you are trying to accomplish. Even the most ardent frog kicker probably resorts to a flutter kick in a current because the flutter kick is more powerful. If you find one type of kick more uncomfortable than the other, the kick you are comfortable with is generally more efficient for you. Some pitchers throw side arm, others throw overhand.

 

[Akimbo]

Since this is a discussion on a SCUBA diving website - rather than a freediving website or a competitive swimming website - I assumed the discussion was about propulsion techniques for scuba divers…

OK, then how’s this: The SEALs would be using the frog kick instead of the flutter on their long duration swims if it were more efficient. Biomechanics is the same for swimmers, freedivers, Scuba divers, and humans in general. The frog kick is effective in some circumstances such as preventing disturbing silt, but is not more efficient than the flutter.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I've never mastered the frog kick... my knock knees make it more difficult for me and it seems to irritate my hips. When I dive, I don't generally try to cover too much "ground" since I'm looking for critters to film. Therefore the flutter kick I use doesn't tire me out, at least when I'm using my Apollo BioFins. Back when I used Jet Fins it was a different story. Your mileage may vary.

Also, some of the fins favored by the frog kickers are pretty heavy and not good for travel given airline weight restrictions. When I travel, I don't take my BioFins for that reason but use my ancient US Divers (now Aqualung) Blades which are lightweight.

I learned to frog, modified frog, helicopter turn, and back kick with my Blades. Great fins for those techniques. Not the Blades II, those are junk. The original blades come up on ebay every now and then. Until the F-1's and HOG tech fins came out I watched for them. Had four pair at one time. Including a set of pink ones that I bought just to resell. Doubled my money and the buyer still got a great deal on very good fins.

 

[peacock62]

You know if you dive with a scooter it doesn't matter what kick you use!?
I'm just saying.........
I doubt SEALS swim looonngg durations.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[nimoh]

OK, then how’s this: The SEALs would be using the frog kick instead of the flutter on their long duration swims if it were more efficient. Biomechanics is the same for swimmers, freedivers, Scuba divers, and humans in general. The frog kick is effective in some circumstances such as preventing disturbing silt, but is not more efficient than the flutter.

I don't think you can draw that conclusion from the fact that SEAL teams primarily use a flutter kick. Breathing rate is not a big issue since they are on rebreathers, and speed is of very high importance to most of their missions so they are going to primarily use a kick that gets them there fast. Scuba divers on the other hand are commonly more concerned with keeping their breathing rate down, at the expense of speed.

I am not sure which kick is more efficient. My gut tells me it is the frog kick, and I prefer the frog kick but have never seen any evidence to conclusively prove this.

 

[Sandie7]

Most of the moving I do in scuba is slow, deliberate and short distance. Accordingly, a casual frog kick is my most used kick style. If i want to get somewhere far, or fast ( a very rare occurance) I use a traditional flutter kick, with a fairly short up down kick. Of course,k near the bottom, always keep your feet elevated above your head and frog kick tto avoid stirring up the bottom. Otherwise, it's a matter of personal preference, and I have explained the reasons for mine.
DivemasterDennis

It certainly makes a lot of sense to me. After being certified, I intend to dive in a slow, calm way. I bet there are millions of things to see without moving much