How to Dolphin Kick
Practice on dry land., Gently warm up your core., Practice the body roll., Enlist the help of a friend., Take a few laps in the pool., Do the body roll standing upright in the water., Flip onto your stomach in the water, and practice the undulation...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Practice on dry land.
Before you hit the water, it's useful to connect with your body on land, where you're probably most comfortable moving.
Begin by standing upright, feet hip-distance apart.
Close your eyes, and focus only on your breath.
It can be useful to engage the back of your throat when you exhale (produces a throaty sound).
Take about ten breath cycles. -
Step 2: Gently warm up your core.
If you really want to master the Dolphin Kick, you can't afford to neglect your core.
While it might seem as if all of the generated power comes from the quads and legs in general, your core is a crucial part of it.
After all, your legs are connected to your core and work with it while swimming.
Consider the following exercise-sequence :
Start by standing upright with your feet hip-distance apart.
Roll your shoulders back a couple of times.
Draw your upper ribs in.
Make sure your tailbone is pointing straight down. , Now that you've awakened your breath and core, try performing the rolling movement while standing.
It's just as it sounds: picture a wave passing through your body, and mimic it. , Having someone else watch you while you practice can help you define your strengths and weaknesses.
Do you know anyone who swims regularly? They might be an even better choice as they'll have a solid idea of what the body should look like while performing certain motions. , To warm up in the water, start by swimming in the pool as you regularly would.
Get used to not being on land, and moving in the water. , At first, stand upright in the pool and perform the same body roll motion you did when you were on land. , Here are some techniques on how to do so:
Lie flat on your stomach, head in line with the body.
Keep your face looking down.
Keep your legs and feet together, and the toes pointing in the direction of the pool end.
Press your chest down, and then release it.
Press your hips down at the same time, and then release them.
When you release your hips, press the chest down.
Start sequence over. , Your legs should follow the movements of your hips for proper Dolphin Kick techniques.
The legs should go down when your hips do.
Knees should be slightly bent during this motion.
The legs should follow your hips when they go up.
The knees extend at this point.
Add some power and execute the kick. , If you're having difficulties with your Dolphin Kick techniques, try flipping over onto your back.
Dolphin Kicks tend to be easier when you try them on your back.
This allows you to keep a tight core while maintaining movement in your body. , It's good to keep the wave-like nature of the move in mind.
Try to always execute Dolphin Kick related motions in an undulating fashion. , Your thighs should follow your hips in their downward movement.
Keep your legs slightly bent at the knees. , As your hips move up you should straighten your legs, and perform a whipping movement. , When your hips go up, allow your upper legs to follow the upward movement.
Then start the cycle over. , Frequently, people are quite rigid when they execute their Dolphin Kicks.
Try to avoid jerky movements with a break at the end of the downward kick.
Once you're finished with the downward movement of your feet, start moving them upward again.
Remember that the kicks should be flowing and smooth. you should ideally feel fluid from your hips to your toes. -
Step 3: Practice the body roll.
-
Step 4: Enlist the help of a friend.
-
Step 5: Take a few laps in the pool.
-
Step 6: Do the body roll standing upright in the water.
-
Step 7: Flip onto your stomach in the water
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Step 8: and practice the undulation technique again.
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Step 9: Let your hips and legs work in unison.
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Step 10: Try practicing on your back first if starting on your stomach seems too hard.
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Step 11: Push your chest a few inches into the water
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Step 12: then draw it back.
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Step 13: Push your hips into the water
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Step 14: and then release them.
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Step 15: Move your hips upward
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Step 16: and straighten your legs.
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Step 17: Let your hips guide your upper legs upwards.
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Step 18: Keep your feet moving at the end of a downward pointing kick.
Detailed Guide
Before you hit the water, it's useful to connect with your body on land, where you're probably most comfortable moving.
Begin by standing upright, feet hip-distance apart.
Close your eyes, and focus only on your breath.
It can be useful to engage the back of your throat when you exhale (produces a throaty sound).
Take about ten breath cycles.
If you really want to master the Dolphin Kick, you can't afford to neglect your core.
While it might seem as if all of the generated power comes from the quads and legs in general, your core is a crucial part of it.
After all, your legs are connected to your core and work with it while swimming.
Consider the following exercise-sequence :
Start by standing upright with your feet hip-distance apart.
Roll your shoulders back a couple of times.
Draw your upper ribs in.
Make sure your tailbone is pointing straight down. , Now that you've awakened your breath and core, try performing the rolling movement while standing.
It's just as it sounds: picture a wave passing through your body, and mimic it. , Having someone else watch you while you practice can help you define your strengths and weaknesses.
Do you know anyone who swims regularly? They might be an even better choice as they'll have a solid idea of what the body should look like while performing certain motions. , To warm up in the water, start by swimming in the pool as you regularly would.
Get used to not being on land, and moving in the water. , At first, stand upright in the pool and perform the same body roll motion you did when you were on land. , Here are some techniques on how to do so:
Lie flat on your stomach, head in line with the body.
Keep your face looking down.
Keep your legs and feet together, and the toes pointing in the direction of the pool end.
Press your chest down, and then release it.
Press your hips down at the same time, and then release them.
When you release your hips, press the chest down.
Start sequence over. , Your legs should follow the movements of your hips for proper Dolphin Kick techniques.
The legs should go down when your hips do.
Knees should be slightly bent during this motion.
The legs should follow your hips when they go up.
The knees extend at this point.
Add some power and execute the kick. , If you're having difficulties with your Dolphin Kick techniques, try flipping over onto your back.
Dolphin Kicks tend to be easier when you try them on your back.
This allows you to keep a tight core while maintaining movement in your body. , It's good to keep the wave-like nature of the move in mind.
Try to always execute Dolphin Kick related motions in an undulating fashion. , Your thighs should follow your hips in their downward movement.
Keep your legs slightly bent at the knees. , As your hips move up you should straighten your legs, and perform a whipping movement. , When your hips go up, allow your upper legs to follow the upward movement.
Then start the cycle over. , Frequently, people are quite rigid when they execute their Dolphin Kicks.
Try to avoid jerky movements with a break at the end of the downward kick.
Once you're finished with the downward movement of your feet, start moving them upward again.
Remember that the kicks should be flowing and smooth. you should ideally feel fluid from your hips to your toes.
About the Author
Janice Morgan
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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