Undulation = Rolling Fly Kick

Undulation = Rolling Fly Kick (skill)

Definition: A rolling wave motion starting from the chest, flowing through the body, and snapping the toes, pushing against the water with the entirety of the body and feet.

Core cues:

1. "Emphasize the rolling wave motion starting from the chest, flowing through the body, and snapping the toes."
2. "Push against the water with the entirety of the body and feet."
3. "Keep the feet close together and move legs and feet together as if they’re glued from the thighs to the ankles."
4. "Drive the movement with the hips by flexing the quads and hamstrings and squeezing the belly."
5. "Press the chest forward to create a divot in the lower back, then fill the lower back and retreat the chest."

Coach interpretation:

• "rolling wave motion starting from the chest": Watch for the wave to initiate at the chest, not the knees.
• "snapping the toes": Look for the feet to snap and flow and move the most.
• "Push against the water with the entirety of the body and feet": Ensure all movement is against the water; chest, stomach, hips, thighs, knees, feet.
• "feet close together ... glued from the thighs to the ankles": Watch that legs and feet move together as one unit.
• "Drive the movement with the hips by flexing the quads and hamstrings and squeezing the belly": Check for hip and core engagement driving the kick.
• "Press the chest forward to create a divot in the lower back, then fill the lower back and retreat the chest": Observe the chest press and retreat cycle.

Teaching strategy:

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. Demonstrate the fly kick in the water for the best results.

Common errors and corrections:

• Not starting from the chest: Emphasize the rolling wave motion starting from the chest.
• Legs and feet not moving together: Keep the feet close together and move legs and feet together as if they’re glued from the thighs to the ankles.
• Not driving from the hips: Drive the movement with the hips by flexing the quads and hamstrings and squeezing the belly.
• Not pressing the chest: Press the chest forward to create a divot in the lower back, then fill the lower back and retreat the chest.

Progression:

Build from soldier kicking to doing fly kick in streamline underwater. Work with fins in combination of no fin kicking too.