The is one of the more difficult skills in swimming to learn. The frog like kicking action can be both hard to teach and hard to master. The other 3 competitive swimming strokes or front-crawl, backstroke and butterfly has a similar action in that the legs simply move up and down. This is often why the takes time to grasp.
In order to learn the kicking action it is important to go through 4 phases.
Phase 1
In the first phase you need to begin out of the water. These are the basic steps that must be taken when out of the water:
1. Lie down on your front on a towel or something soft. Ensure the legs are stretched out and together. The toes must be pointed backwards.
2. The first phase of the kick is to bring the heels towards the buttocks together.
3. When step 2 is completed you will most likely see the toes pointed towards the sky. This is not a great position to be in so now you must flatten your feet out so that the toes are pointed backwards.
4. Now turn your feet out. Your heels should be close together but your toes pointed out as far as possible. This is the position you must be in to perform a powerful kick.
5. Keeping the feet turned out, kick the feet out and around until they reach the starting position. It is important that the feet kick outside the line of the knees. It is a common problem that the knees begin to point outwards. This will cause you to lose all power. Understand that you will be pushing the water with the inside of your feet.
Phase 2 - In the water
Once you have a really good feel for this out of the water, the next phase is to get in the water and perform the same sequencing. It is a good idea to perform this sequence while hanging on to a wall. If you need support you can but a floatation noodle underneath your hips. Perform the sequence slowly and get a really good feel for the water on the inside of your feet.
Phase 3 - Moving
Now that you have a good feel for the kicking action in a stationary position it is now time to begin moving. You are going to kick while holding on to a kickboard. Aim at kicking at least 15m. If the kickboard is not providing you with enough support then you can also use a floatation noodle under your hips. As you begin to get better try and get lots of propulsion out of each kick.
Phase 4 - Swimming
Now that you have the basic technique it is time to include it in the full stroke. The kick begins at the time of breathing and provides all of the power as you begin to put your head back into the water. Do not attempt phase 4 until you are very comfortable with the kick on its own as this stroke gives you lots to think about.
The rules state that both legs must perform the same action at the same time and that not flutter or dolphin kick can be present when performing the kick. You can find the full set of breaststroke rules at www.fina.org
The time taken for each phase varies for each individual. There are beginners that pick it up within 1 lesson and others that take 6-8 lessons. Take your time and it will come.
John Mitchell has helped teach and coach countless beginners in breaststroke and swimming in general. Find out more about the , breaststroke workouts, training and how to teach breaststroke by going to http://breaststrokezone.com now
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