What a great opportunity to spend some time with Israeli Olympic sprinter, Andi Murez.  She shared with us her focus on working on the UP kick in her freestyle.

Why do it:
When sprinting, the act of hammering the down kick is natural, it just happens.  Taking advantage of the return of the leg UP, fills a gap, and adds that little extra that it takes to reach your potential.

How to do it:
1 - Grab a board and a snorkel and start kicking.
2 - Regular kicking generally has a lot of air catching downward.
3 - Lower the legs just a bit to keep the feet nearly underwater, and try to PUSH water UP and out, focusing on the hamstrings to draw the leg back up sharply.

How to do it really well (the fine points):
Subtle angles make all the difference in this focus point.  Make sure you're not bending your legs too much to push the water up.  After you've had a chance to feel the connection during your kick set, allow the feet to let go and SPRINT some kicking, focusing on the return, or UP kick.

A better up kick can be achieved through simple FOCUS, but it must be practiced regularly to become a useful and instinctual part of your sprint freestyle.

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Freestyle - UP Kick 2