The Art of the Flutter Kick

Most of us spend so much energy on using our arms to propel us through the water that we neglect the powerhouse appendages behind us: our legs!  While the kick isn’t as effective as the arm stroke, it is still a means to get us just that much closer to the wall.   The farther your foot bends forward past 90 degrees, the more leg power you will be able to transfer to the water and the farther you will travel with each stroke. This is why learning how to develop a good kick is so important.  We will discuss some tips on how you can improve your very own flutter kick, which is used in freestyle and backstroke.

It is important that you kick from your hip, not your knees.  You will use much more energy bending your knees back and forth than if you move your legs at your hip joint.  Next tip is to plantar flex your feet or in other words, point your toes like a ballerina.  By keeping your feet in this position, you will be pushing the water behind you, thus propelling yourself forward in the water. 

One of the best drills to practice your kick with is the 4, 6 or 8 beat kick drill.  With each arm pull, you kick your feet either 4, 6 or 8 times.  You may want to start with 4 and then work your way up to 8.  Sooner than later you will be concentrating more on your foot work, and you will be on your way to a faster time!  Remember that the more you practice, the easier it gets.

By: Christine Johnson, Guest Blogger

SLSS Nets Cans for Good Cause

By all counts it was an extraordinary beginning for Sugar Land Swim School’s First Annual “I Can Swim” Charity Event held on Saturday, July 23^rd at The Club in New Territory, Sugar Land, TX. The event generated nearly 200 donations of canned goods for the East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. 

Catherine Johnson, local resident and owner of the new Sugar Land Swim School explained the event’s purpose by stating, “As a service organization that has already provided affordable swim lessons for over 200 local residents this summer, I felt it was a natural response for us to help fulfill the needs of those less fortunate by bringing us together in support of a common cause.  This Ministry provides support to families in temporary financial crisis in the form of food, clothing, and financial assistance”.  Johnson added, “We’re very excited with the results of our first charitable effort and look forward to this becoming an annual event for us”. 

In lieu of paying for swim lessons, SLSS students donated needed canned goods and instructors worked with each participant on advanced stroke technique.  The community event culminated in an exciting Coach’s Relay when both students and coaches competed on teams – churning up the pool waters like a feverish school of wild-eyed sharks.