Kick Drill: Improving Leg Strength and Technique in Breaststroke

The Engine of Speed — Why the Breaststroke Kick Separates Champions from the Pack

In breaststroke, the arms set the rhythm—but the legs provide the power. While the pull lifts your head for breath, it's the whip-like kick that actually propels you forward, generating 70-80% of total propulsion in elite breaststrokers. Yet this same kick is also the stroke's greatest vulnerability: executed poorly, it becomes a source of drag, knee pain, and disqualification.

Mastering the breaststroke kick isn't about brute force—it's about precision timing, explosive snap, and perfect body alignment. And the path to mastery lies not in endless yardage, but in intelligent, progressive kick drills that build both strength and technique simultaneously.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down the biomechanics of an elite breaststroke kick, expose the most common errors that sabotage speed, and provide a progressive drill system to transform your kick from a liability into your greatest weapon.

Why the Breaststroke Kick Is Uniquely Challenging

Unlike the flutter kick of freestyle or the dolphin undulation of butterfly, the breaststroke kick demands a complex sequence of movements that must be executed with millisecond precision:

1. Recovery Phase: Heels draw toward buttocks while knees stay underwater and close together

2. Propulsion Phase: Feet rotate outward, then snap together powerfully in a whip-like motion

3. Glide Phase: Body extends into tight streamline as momentum carries you forward

"A great breaststroke kick isn't a frog kick—it's a whip crack. The power comes from the snap, not the spread."— Dave Salo, USC Trojan Swim Coach & Breaststroke Specialist

The Physics of an Efficient Kick

Element	Inefficient Kick	Efficient Kick	Speed Impact
Knee Width	Knees break surface or spread wide (>shoulder width)	Knees stay underwater, <shoulder width apart	+0.8s/100m
Foot Position	Toes pointed inward or neutral	Toes rotated outward 30-45° during propulsion	+0.5s/100m
Snap Speed	Slow, sweeping motion	Explosive "crack" together	+1.2s/100m
Glide Duration	Rushed or nonexistent	0.5-1.0s (distance-dependent)	+0.7s/100m

⚠️ Critical Rule: FINA regulations require knees to remain underwater during recovery (SW 7.3). Wide, splashy kicks aren't just inefficient—they're illegal in competition.

The 5 Most Common Kick Errors (And How to Fix Them)

Error 1: The "Pedal Bike" Kick

What it looks like: Knees drive downward like pedaling a bicycle; feet never rotate outward

Why it fails: Creates massive drag with minimal propulsion; sinks hips

Fix: Vertical Breast Kick Drill (see below)

Error 2: The "Frog Splash"

What it looks like: Knees spread wide during recovery; feet never snap together

Why it fails: Wastes energy; creates turbulence; illegal in competition

Fix: Noodle Squeeze Drill (see below)

Error 3: The "Rushed Glide"

What it looks like: Immediately initiating next kick before momentum fades

Why it fails: Interrupts forward motion; increases energy expenditure by 22%

Fix: Glide Count Drill (see below)

Error 4: The "Ankle Flop"

What it looks like: Toes pointed downward during propulsion instead of outward

Why it fails: Reduces surface area pushing water backward

Fix: Band-Resisted Kick Drill (see below)

Error 5: The "Hip Drop"

What it looks like: Hips sink during kick recovery

Why it fails: Increases frontal drag by up to 35%

Fix: Core-Tight Kick Drill (see below)

The Progressive Kick Drill System

Phase 1: Foundation Building (Weeks 1-2)

Goal: Master the movement pattern without fatigue

Drill 1: Vertical Breast Kick (No Hands)

Purpose: Isolate kick mechanics without wall dependence

How to do it:

• In deep water, cross arms over chest

• Draw heels toward buttocks while keeping knees close together

• Rotate feet outward, then snap legs together explosively

• Goal: Keep chin above water using kick power alone

  
  

  Sets: 6 x 30 seconds with 30 seconds rest

  
  

  Key Cue: "Heels to butt, knees together, snap like a whip"

Drill 2: Noodle Squeeze

Purpose: Eliminate wide knee recovery

How to do it:

• Place pool noodle horizontally between knees

• Perform breaststroke kicks while keeping noodle from falling

• Focus on drawing heels up without letting knees separate

  
  

  Sets: 8 x 25m with 20 seconds rest

  
  

  Key Cue: "Squeeze the noodle—don't let it drop"

💡 Pro Tip: Film yourself from underwater—watch for knee separation you can't feel.

Phase 2: Strength Development (Weeks 3-4)

Goal: Build explosive power while maintaining technique

Drill 3: Band-Resisted Kicking

Purpose: Develop foot rotation strength and snap power

How to do it:

• Attach resistance band around ankles (light resistance)

• Hold kickboard in streamline position

• Perform slow, controlled kicks focusing on outward foot rotation

• Emphasize explosive snap together against resistance

  
  

  Sets: 6 x 25m with 30 seconds rest

  
  

  Key Cue: "Push water backward with your soles—not your toes"

Drill 4: Fins-Off Power Kicks

Purpose: Transfer band strength to water propulsion

How to do it:

• Swim 25m breaststroke kick with short-blade fins

• Immediately remove fins

• Swim next 25m without fins, focusing on replicating fin-assisted power

  
  

  Sets: 4 x 50m (25m with fins / 25m without)

  
  

  Key Cue: "Remember how powerful you felt with fins—create that same snap without them"

Phase 3: Integration & Race Application (Weeks 5-6)

Goal: Blend kick with full stroke under race conditions

Drill 5: 2-Kick/1-Pull

Purpose: Emphasize kick dominance in propulsion

How to do it:

• Perform two complete breaststroke kicks for every arm pull

• First kick: During arm recovery

• Second kick: During arm pull phase

• Glide after second kick before next pull

  
  

  Sets: 6 x 50m with 20 seconds rest

  
  

  Key Cue: "Kick is the engine—pull is just for breathing"

Drill 6: Descending Kick Sets

Purpose: Maintain kick quality under fatigue

How to do it:

• 100m kick @ easy pace (focus on perfect technique)

• 100m kick @ moderate pace (maintain technique)

• 100m kick @ hard pace (fight to preserve form)

• 100m kick @ race pace (apply all cues under fatigue)

  
  

  Rest: 30 seconds between 100s

  
  

  Key Cue: "Faster doesn't mean sloppier—faster means more precise"

Sample 6-Week Kick Development Plan

Week	Focus	Key Drills	Volume
1	Movement Pattern	Vertical kick, Noodle squeeze	400m kick/week
2	Consistency	Noodle squeeze, Streamline kicks	600m kick/week
3	Strength	Band-resisted, Fins-off power	800m kick/week
4	Power	Band-resisted, Descending sets	1,000m kick/week
5	Integration	2-kick/1-pull, IM order kicks	800m kick/week
6	Race Application	Descending sets, Race-pace sprints	600m kick/week

✅ Critical Principle: Never perform kick sets when technically fatigued—quality always trumps quantity.

Knee Health: The Non-Negotiable Priority

Breaststroke kick places unique stress on the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and patellofemoral joint. 68% of competitive breaststrokers experience knee pain during their careers (British Journal of Sports Medicine). Prevention requires:

Pre-Swim Activation (5 minutes)

• Clamshells: 2 x 15/side (activates glute medius to stabilize knee)

• Monster Walks: 2 x 10 steps each direction with resistance band (strengthens hip abductors)

• Copenhagen Planks: 2 x 20 seconds/side (builds adductor strength for controlled recovery)

Post-Swim Recovery (10 minutes)

• Pigeon Pose: 2 x 60 seconds/side (releases hip rotators)

• 90/90 Hip Switches: 2 x 10/side (restores hip internal/external rotation balance)

• Foam Roll Quads/Adductors: 60 seconds each area (reduces muscle tension pulling on knee)

Red Flags: When to Stop

• Sharp pain inside knee during kick recovery

• Swelling or warmth around knee joint post-swim

• "Clicking" or "catching" sensation in knee

  ⚠️ Action: Stop breaststroke kick work immediately; consult sports medicine professional

Equipment That Accelerates Kick Development

Tool	Purpose	Best For
Short-Blade Fins (Zoomers)	Enhance ankle flexibility; provide feedback on foot position	Beginners learning foot rotation
Resistance Bands	Build adductor strength for powerful snap	Intermediate swimmers building power
Noodle	Provide tactile feedback for knee position	All levels correcting wide recovery
Snorkel	Eliminate breath disruption during kick focus	Advanced swimmers refining timing
Underwater Camera	Visual feedback on foot/knee position	All levels for technique correction

💡 Budget Hack: A $2 pool noodle provides 80% of the feedback of expensive equipment when used intentionally.

Measuring Kick Improvement Beyond Speed

Metric	How to Track	Target Improvement
Underwater Distance	Tape marks at 5m/10m/15m after push-off	+2m over 6 weeks
Kick-Only 25m Time	Time 25m kick with board	-1.5 seconds over 6 weeks
Stroke Count	Count kicks per 25m at race pace	-2 kicks while maintaining speed
Video Analysis	Monthly side-view footage	Reduced knee width; improved foot rotation

📊 Pro Tip: Film your kick from underwater monthly—compare frame-by-frame to elite swimmers (Adam Peaty, Lilly King).

Voices from Champions: Kick Wisdom

"I spent two years just kicking. No pull. No breathing. Just perfecting the whip. That's when my 100 breast dropped three seconds."— Adam Peaty, Olympic Breaststroke Champion & World Record Holder

"My coach made me do vertical kicking until I could keep my chin above water for 60 seconds. That core-kick connection changed everything."— Lilly King, Olympic Gold Medalist

"At 45, I can't kick 5,000 meters daily like I did at 20. But 400 meters of perfect kick work three times a week keeps me pain-free and fast."— USMS National Champion, 45-49 age group

Sample Kick-Focused Workout (3,200m)

Warm-Up (600m)  

• 400m easy choice + 4x50m drills

• 4x25m vertical breast kick (deep end)

Technique Focus (1,000m)  

• 8x25m Noodle Squeeze (focus on knee position)

• 6x50m Band-Resisted Kicking (light resistance)

• 4x25m Streamline Dolphin-to-Breast Kick Transition

Strength Development (1,000m)  

• 4x100m Fins-On/Fins-Off (50m each)

• 5x50m Descending Kick Set (get faster each 50)

• 4x25m Max-Effort Sprints (full recovery)

Integration (600m)  

• 6x50m 2-Kick/1-Pull

• 2x100m IM Order (focus on breaststroke leg)

• 200m easy recovery

Final Thoughts: The Whip Before the Wave

Great breaststroke isn't pulled—it's kicked. The arms create the breathing window, but the legs create the speed. And that speed comes not from wide, splashy motions, but from the precise, explosive snap of a whip.

So the next time you push off the wall for breaststroke, remember:

Your power isn't in how wide you spread—

it's in how fast you snap together.

Because in breaststroke, victory isn't found in the recovery—

it's found in the crack.

Heels Up. Knees In. Feet Out. Snap Fast. Glide Far.

The fastest breaststroke kick isn't the biggest—

it's the smartest. 🐸💙