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How To Underwater Kick Like Michael Phelps – Video

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 22

February 02nd, 2017 News, Video

Courtesy of Ryan Rosenbaum / Phlex Swim Channel

Swimming needs more entertainment. We’re here to provide just that. Phlex is a tech startup created by four swimmers with vastly different perspectives on the sport: an Olympian, swim coach, triathlete, and Open Water Swimmer. We’ve created the Phlex Swim Youtube Channel to bring more entertaining content to the sport of swimming while keeping it informative as well. Each week we will be posting new videos every Tuesday and Friday at 2PM EST. Stay tuned to the channel for weekly stroke technique/drills, gear reviews, diet advice, and overall business talk in the swimming world.

The term “fifth stroke” has only been coined for about a decade or so. In modern swimming, underwater dolphin kicks are the most efficient way to get from point A to point B while conserving energy. But not a lot of swimmers really pay enough attention to it. Todays drill is the Fish Kick drill. Large underwater kicks while on your side forces the swimmer to correct the over compensation of normal underwater kicks. The same amount of power should be applied to both the down and up kick. Watch as Luke Torres explains a little further.

Stroke Clinic is our chance to spread some of our swimming knowledge to everyone. By improving various aspects of a swimmer through technique and drill corrections, you will find yourself a more efficient swimmer. No matter your experience level.

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Music by Joakim Karud https://www.patreon.com/joakimkarud/posts

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Coach Hannah
7 years ago

The only problem I’ve faced with fish kicks is the extra movement in the upper body.
Elite underwater kickers should be stabilized waist up. How would you translate the fish kicks into a more stabilized underwater kick?
Maybe a video discussing the importance of limiting upper body movement as well?

Glenny
7 years ago

This is legit! Can we please have more of these?

phelps swims 200 breast rio
7 years ago

Lochte’s turn at the 100 in the 4×200 in Shanghai 2011 is one of my favorites.

M L
7 years ago

What does it mean to “overcompensate” when kicking on one’s stomach? To apply too much power to the up kick?

Ryan Rosenbaum
Reply to  M L
7 years ago

Definitely! You force more power one way and lazily bring your legs back the other way. It’s something that you see in very lazy underwater kicks

M L
Reply to  Ryan Rosenbaum
7 years ago

Thanks, but the video makes it sound like swimmers tend to overcompensate on their *up* kicks, which would suggest that their down kicks aren’t powerful enough. But that seems backwards, so I don’t think I’m understanding it correctly.

Ryan Rosenbaum
Reply to  M L
7 years ago

It all depends on that type of swimmer. We were sure to state it generally because it applies differently for all

M L
7 years ago

What does it mean to “overcompensate” when kicking on one’s stomach? Does that mean too much power is applied to the up kick?

gator
7 years ago

The “fifth stroke” was coined in the 1980’s to refer to Berkoff. Been around a little bit more than a decade, try 40 years.

Bigly
Reply to  gator
7 years ago

Jesse Vassallo was doing it in the 70’s even before Berkhoff.

dude
7 years ago

drills are lame. how bout an explanation of just how to do it?

Phorcer
7 years ago

The guy in the video is very kute

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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