Most swimmers think it’s important to have a big kick and a fast kick for backstroke.  But for Aaron, the most important thing is to have a steady, constant kick.  And this is something he works on every day.

Aaron tries to keep his kick in harmony with the pull.  When he’s swimming slow and easy, the kick and pull are balanced.  And notice that the kick is constant – not stop-and-go.

As he picks up the pace, Aaron adds more effort to both the pull and the kick, to keep them in balance.  

And at race pace, the balance is still there.  The kick doesn’t overpower the arms.  And the kick is constant.

Aaron tries to kick from the hips, and to keep the legs fairly straight.  

Here you can see it from another angle.  Aaron uses the big muscles in the hips and thighs to generate power.  

If you kick from the knees down, like this, the upper part of each leg will just be dead weight.

Another thing that Aaron tries to do is sweep one leg over the other as he slides the hips.  This helps him initiate the pull and to roll smoothly from side to side.

Here’s another angle where you can see the sweep of the legs – one over the other.

Let’s slow that down so you can see the timing of the sweep with the push of the hips and the start of the pull.

Notice that the kick is constant.  And, of course, don’t forget to point your toes!



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Constant Kick