Flutter kick
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The flutter kick is a kicking movement used in both swimming and calisthenics.
Swimming
In swimming, the flutter kick refers to an alternating up and down movement of the legs.[a][1][2] It is seen in front crawl and backstroke.[3] The downbeat refers to the portion of each individual kick where the leg moves downwards, and the upbeat refers to the repositioning of the leg upwards.[1]
Phases
The downbeat of each kick is initiated by the simultaneous action of bending the knee and flexing the hip to push down on the water with the thigh. The knee then extends forcefully, pushing the lower leg against the water until the leg is straight. The ankle then extends, pushing the foot into the water until it is inline with the rest of the leg.[1]
When the knee extends for the downbeat, it also has the effect of lifting the thigh and initiating the upbeat. Once the leg is straight, flexion at the hip lifts it up to be horizontal with the surface of the water, where it is in position to initiate another downbeat.[1]
Effects
Propulsion
The kick allows the swimmer to propel themselves forward in the water. In his book Swimming Fastest, Ernest Maglischo says that the downbeat is "undoubtedly the most propulsive phase" and opines that the upbeat is probably not propulsive at all.[1]
In experienced competitive swimmers, the flutter kick can account for approximately 10–30% of propulsion during the front crawl, with the rest being generated by the arm stroke.[4]
Underwater diving
The flutter kick used with swimfins can be a powerful propulsion technique, and is used by scuba divers and freedivers underwater and at the surface, but there are other finning techniques more appropriate to some underwater environments and some types of fin. Divers in a confined environment or where silting may be a problem may use a modified flutter kick or frog kick, done entirely with bent knees, pushing water up and behind the diver to avoid stirring up sediment on the bottom.[5]
Calisthenics
The calisthenics version of the flutter kick is often used as an intensive training tool in the military. They help to develop the hip flexors, abdominal muscles and leg muscles. Flutter kicks are a four-count exercise. Starting position is lying flat on the back with the feet and head approximately 6 inches (15 cm) off the ground. Hands are under the buttocks to support the lower back. Count one: raise the left leg to a 45-degree angle, keeping the right leg stationary. Count two: raise the right leg off the ground to a 45-degree angle while, at the same time, moving the left leg to the starting position. Counts three and four are repetitions of the same movements. Legs must be locked, with toes pointing away from the body.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e Maglischo, Ernest W. (2003). Swimming fastest. Internet Archive. Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics. ISBN 978-0-7360-3180-6.
- ^ "Definition of FLUTTER KICK". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2025-04-11.
- ^ "The Impact Of Over Rotation On Freestyle And Backstroke". www.usaswimming.org. Retrieved 2025-04-11.
- ^ "How to Develop an Unstoppable Freestyle Kick". www.yourswimlog.com. 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ Berglund, Jesper. Beginning With the End in Mind - the Fundamentals of Recreational Diving. Global Underwater Explorers. p. 2:34.
- ^ "Military Ab Exercises - Flutter Kicks"
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