Dolphin, Sine Wave, Flow

Dolphin, Sine Wave, Flow (skill)

Definition: An effective butterfly kick in which the body rolls and flows like a constant wave, with all movement against the water.

Core cues:

1. Keep the body rolling and flowing like a constant wave
2. The kick starts with the chest pushing forward
3. The stomach and the hips move
4. The knees snap the legs and also move
5. The feet are pointed but also snap and flow and move the most.
6. All movement is against the water; chest, stomach, hips, thighs, knees, feet
7. Emphasize the rolling wave motion starting from the chest, flowing through the body, and snapping the toes.
8. Push against the water with the entirety of the body and feet.
9. Keep the feet close together and move legs and feet together as if they’re glued from the thighs to the ankles.
10. Drive the movement with the hips by flexing the quads and hamstrings and squeezing the belly.
11. Press the chest forward to create a divot in the lower back, then fill the lower back and retreat the chest.

Coach interpretation:

• Keep the body rolling and flowing like a constant wave: watch for continuous, unbroken wave motion through the body.
• The kick starts with the chest pushing forward: watch that the chest initiates the kick.
• The stomach and the hips move: watch that the stomach and hips are moving.
• The knees snap the legs and also move: watch the knees snap and move.
• The feet are pointed but also snap and flow and move the most: watch the pointed feet snap, flow, and move the most.
• All movement is against the water; chest, stomach, hips, thighs, knees, feet: watch that all movement is against the water.
• Emphasize the rolling wave motion starting from the chest, flowing through the body, and snapping the toes: watch the rolling wave motion from chest through body to toes.
• Push against the water with the entirety of the body and feet: watch that the whole body and feet push against the water.
• Keep the feet close together and move legs and feet together as if they’re glued from the thighs to the ankles: watch that feet stay close together and legs and feet move together.
• Drive the movement with the hips by flexing the quads and hamstrings and squeezing the belly: watch the hips drive the movement.
• Press the chest forward to create a divot in the lower back, then fill the lower back and retreat the chest: watch the chest press forward to create a divot in the lower back, then fill the lower back and retreat the chest.

Teaching strategy:

Demonstrate the fly kick in the water for the best results. Use the whole body in soldier to begin. Build from soldier kicking to doing fly kick in streamline underwater. Using fins and doing lots of kicking in soldier helps teach the breathing, strength, and the need for flowing constant motion. Fins will help give power to the fly kick, but work with them in combination of no fin kicking too.

Progression:

Use the whole body in soldier to begin. Build from soldier kicking to doing fly kick in streamline underwater.