Triathlon Swimming   •   November, 2018

It’s a question for many people. How many leg kicks should I do per each stroke??

Well, this is the kind of question that has that answer that no one wants to hear: it depends.

Anyhow, and because I’m all for straight and direct answers, just assume as a general rule three leg kicks per stroke for a total of six kicks per arm cycle (that’s two strokes)

If you’re happy with that answer, then GREAT! You don’t have to read any further. From here onwards it’s all chaos. However, if you’re into messy stuff, then please proceed!

One time or another we have all seen – if you haven’t don’t worry – people swimming and kicking two times per stroke and the one kick for the next stroke; just kicking once when they rotate their bodies; apparently not kicking at all or even those where it’s impossible to count their leg kicks unless you got a video in slow motion.

So, what can we draw out of this? Anything goes?

Well, the number of leg kicks to perform per stroke greatly depends on your end goals, the distance you’re travelling (swimming in this case), the strategy you put in place, what kind of swimmer you are, etc. Anyway, for the sake of simplicity and in helping you to choose, as I see it there are two main purposes for the leg kick for most people:

1. Counterbalance poor body balance
2. Promote body rotation

Take special attention to the fact that I don’t mention propulsion. That’s a whole other topic.

So, leg kicks are for most people, and I’m not talking about elite level swimmers, a way to compensate for poor body balance in the water
(check this post).

2nd REASON

Second reason is to promote body rotation from one side to the other which happens, or it should happen for most people, every time you perform a stroke.

This 2nd reason is what we’ll be focusing on now. If the purpose for the kick is to initiate or promote body rotation, then it is important to know which leg to kick at that moment. Take a look at the video again identifying the rotation kick for both 3 kicks per stroke as well as just for one kick per stroke.

The important part to retain and memorize is that, whether you do 3 kicks or 1 kick per stroke, the leg that initiates body rotation is always the same: right leg turns right, left leg turns left.

Is it possible to swim and kick with your legs opposite to that? Yes it is… but it’s also counterproductive. It actually happens to many swimmers (elite level as well). Swimmers who have very high stroke frequency – move their arms very quickly – tend to not be able to get all 3 kicks in the stroke. It’s very hard to coordinate 3 kicks per stroke at very high stroke frequencies.

But then if the main focus and concern is on the rotation kick, what about the other leg kicks in between? What are they for?

LEG KICKS IN BETWEEN

Well, assuming previously mentioned problem or function 1 is done with (counterbalance), then the leg kicks help in stabilizing your body while you’re moving forward (gliding?) in the water until you initiate the body rotation/roll OR they can help with propulsion for some people with very specific and not so common features.

Those not so common features are simultaneously having very efficient leg kicks (usually it means great ankle flexibility, non-existent cycling and running motion vices) & at the same time being a slow swimmer. The faster a swimmer you are, the less the legs have an impact on total propulsion / speed.

So the decision of choosing 1 vs 3 leg kicks per stroke has more to do with the ability to be stable while you wait for the next stroke to happen, also with the pace you’re swimming at the moment, the quality of your leg kick and the effort you’re willing and wish to spend on your swim at that exact moment or for that event, than on the fact if one is better than the other.

In the end, learning and mastering both ways and knowing how to control your body in the water to do whatever you want or need, is so valuable in terms of technical and skill development that it largely outweighs the intrinsic value of the kick in itself.