**Six-Beat Kick**

This week we focus on the 6-beat kick for freestyle. We’ll show what it looks like, and how seven elite athletes -- ranging from distance freestylers to sprinters to triathlete Sara McLarty – incorporate it into their stroke.

**Monday**

Kaitlin Sandeno: Slow-Mo Freestyle

A 400 IM and distance-freestyle specialist, Kaitlin Sandeno varies her kick from a 2-beat to a 6-beat kick.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/582-slow-mo-freestyle-kaitlin-sandeno> 

:19 - start counting

:30 - very narrow

:55 - kick slightly rotates with the body

:57 - kick slightly rotates

1:42 - starts with 2-beat, then moves into 6-beat

**Tuesday**

Erik Vendt: Slow-Mo Freestyle

Erik Vendt is a distance freestyler. Count his kicks per arm cycle, but also notice how he uses a “waltz rhythm” to link his downkicks to his arm extension.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/581-slow-mo-freestyle-erik-vendt> 

:20 - Start counting

:28 - Get more of a feeling of the kick driving him forward - so much length in his stroke

:54 - Slight kick rotation only to the right

1:05 - Head turns early, but not all the way to the breath - but stays low and balanced

1:06 - Final turn to air

1:23 - Look at the slight pause to keep the kick in a 6-beat rhythm. Waltz.

1:43 - Narrow and consistent

1:49 - Right arm catching - Right leg kicking down - Left hand entering

2:15 - The loaded position

2:18 - The loaded position

**Wednesday**

Sara McLarty: Swim Slow to Swim Fast

Sara McLarty is an accomplished triathlete and tri coach. In these underwater clips, you can see how she uses a 6-beat cross-body kick to power her freestyle.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/306-swim-slow-to-swim-fast> 

:34 - relaxed 6-beat

1:15 - The kick is so shallow it appears to be off-sync just a little

1:30 - Slight rotation of the kick

1:51 - heavier kick - less rotation of the kick

**Thursday**

Fran Crippen: Six-Beat Flutter Kick

As a long-distance open-water competitor, Fran Crippen had to be able to change gears quickly to stay with the pack. His secret was to have three different kicks: 2-beat, 4-beat, and 6-beat. Here’s a quick glance at his 6-beat kick.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/953-six-beat-flutter-kick> 

:05 - half kick on left hand catch

:11 - like the feet hit and rebound back into the rhythm

:17 - shallower left kick again on left hand catch

**Friday**

Kara Lynn Joyce: Flutter Kick

Three-time Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce uses a 6-beat kick when she sprints.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1176-flutter-kick> 

From beginning - fast and powerful

:15 - What’s the maximum the thigh gets out of line?

:16 - Maximum knee bend - line from torso to thigh

:22 - Maximum knee bend

:26 - Flex of the entire foot

:32 - The DNA trail

**Saturday**

David Curtiss: 04 – DC Body Balance Rotation

Sprinter David Curtiss uses a 2-beat kick and slow swimming to establish balance and rotation. When he increases the speed, he switches to a 6-beat kick but maintains balance and rotation.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3379-04-dc-body-balance-rotation> 

:06 - 2-beat kick into extension

:07 - The loaded position

:17 - constant kick synced up

:19 - imagine the DNA trail

Kick flows and not overdone

**Sunday**

Matt Targett: Sprint Flutter Kick

Australian sprinter Matt Targett has a powerful 6-beat kick that emphasizes the UPKICK as well as the downkick.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1769-matt-targett-sprint-flutter-kick> 

From beginning - SPRINT kick

:13 - Maximum thigh and knee bend

:18 - look at the flexion of his left foot

:28 - the deepest part of the kick

:38 - power

:46 - hardly any rotation

1:18 - the Uptick

1:35 - foot speed

**Bonus**

Glenn: 6-Beat Synced Kick

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3252-6-beat-synced-kick>

Andi Murez: UP Kick 2

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2065-freestyle-up-kick-2>

10:06:04 From Peggy Haykal to Everyone:

thanks Gregg

10:07:39 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

relaxed hands fingers

10:12:50 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

Have you seen people/swimmers not going out of balance at all?

10:13:21 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:

what is Eric’s % breathing ?

10:13:42 From Beth Baker to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

Would you say he’s breathing on the “pierce of the left arm vs the pull of the right arm?”

10:17:35 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:

almost position 11 for Eric?

10:17:58 From Barbara Hummel to Everyone:

yes, he’s got a very front-quadrant stroke

10:20:00 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

Trying so hard to know if it’s 2 -2- 2 or 3- 3 kick

10:20:41 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

thanks!!

10:23:17 From Beth Baker to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

Fran looks like he breathes to left side given how far his hips come over?

10:30:43 From Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

Like kicking a soccer ball - almost

10:31:44 From helen naylor to Everyone:

Hugh Jackman

10:32:39 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

is there a video of that?

10:34:45 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

How was he thinking of it?

Feet or Hamstring or something else?

10:36:34 From Glenn Mills to Beth Baker(Direct Message):

https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3252-6-beat-synced-kick

10:38:14 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:

rub stomach and pat head!!

10:40:33 From Glenn Mills to Beth Baker(Direct Message):

https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2065-freestyle-up-kick-2

10:42:31 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

Aww that’s awesome@

10:43:35 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:

didn’t see the urls in the chat

10:43:48 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

I think my problem is the coordination of 4 and 6 beat , like, how does it work on land so I can transfer it in the water?

10:43:50 From Glenn Mills to Everyone:

https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3252-6-beat-synced-kick

10:43:56 From Glenn Mills to Everyone:

https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2065-freestyle-up-kick-2

10:45:27 From Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu7LOqUytK8t=179

400 Free WR by Thorpe

Race starts at 3.00

Fingers hand and UW kick 4.22-4.40

Birdseye view 4.55-5.10

Strong kick 5:50

UW at speed 6.27-6.33

10:50:14 From Shirley Chung to Everyone:

Do you have any suggestions on how to coordinate a 6 beat flutter kick in backstroke? I have a high frequency when I do backstroke kick only at full speed without rotation. But I have trouble when I add my arms. The arms have trouble catching up and I have to slow down my kick rate. The result is that my kick time and swim time are almost the same.😅

10:53:49 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

at the top, when hand is pointing up?

10:54:58 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

could you say that again Barbara?

10:56:58 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

thank you

10:57:00 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

yes

11:00:34 From Dan Jimar to Everyone:

No Zoom June 13, 20, 27?

11:00:39 From Camy Gitwenty to Everyone:

Thanks for the tips, I'm eager to test all of them tomorrow !

11:00:52 From Monty Krieger to Everyone:

Thanks

11:01:07 From Ruth Cheung to Everyone:

thanks!

11:01:10 From Corinne Machoud to Everyone:

So many details, thank you so much.


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May 23, 2023 - 6-Beat Kick Zoom