How to fix a screw kick in Breaststroke

QUESTION:

Hi I’m a swimming coach, in lessons I got to many kids that got their screw leg in breast stroke,and in the swimming club i got around 4 kids, i have done a lot of research about the breaststroke legs and it helps, but it is a big headache that it is not working on some of the kids and worried about the kids that i got in the club. Very confused need your help.

Thank you
Carmen

ANSWER:

Hi Carmen,

I have taught and coached many swimmers over the years who have a screw kick in breaststroke and a majority of them were able to make the changes required to swim breaststroke correctly.

I used the following progressions to make changes.  It worked most of the time and I would not let the swimmer move onto the next progression until they completed the previous one.

1. Sitting on the very edge of a seat, leaning back slightly and doing the kicking action by starting with their legs in a straight position, bending their knees so there feet come under (closer to the ground) and then kick their feet out and around in a breaststroke kicking action until their legs were straight again and feet are together.
2. Sit on the very edge of the pool and do the same drill as above.  Get them to feel the water on the bottom of their feet and inside of their legs.
3. Push off the wall on their back and do breaststroke kick on their back using the same kicking action as the above two drills. This is a key drill that must be done correctly before turning them over onto their fronts.
4. Push off the wall on their front and do four breaststroke kicks underwater with hands in a streamlined position, then stop.  If they do the breaststroke kick correctly, the kick will feel different to what they normally do for breaststroke kick and you will have to tell them that this is fine.  Once again, this drill that must be done correctly before moving onto the next one.
5. Push off and do breaststroke kick with a board, 4 kicks and take a breath, then 4 kicks again, using the correct kick pattern.
6. Breaststroke kick with a board and taking one breath at the correct time and then one kick.
7. Breaststroke drill, doing 1 arm stroke and breathe and then 2 kicks and glide.

Hope this helps Carmen.

Cheers

Gary

The Swimming Expert