Basic Finning Techniques

Tip: Mastered the basics? Learn about the advanced finning techniques here.This video introduces the concept of trim and goes into specifics for executing 2 of the most common finning techniques – the frog kick and the flutter kick.

This video introduces the concept of trim and goes into specifics for executing 2 of the most common finning techniques – the frog kick and the flutter kick.

The frog kick is the kick which is best used for most of the diving we do. The frog kick resembles the kick a breaststroke swimmer uses. If you have ever seen a frog moving in the water, you’ll know why this kick is named after our amphibian friend. What makes the frog kick the best kick for most of our diving is that it has a rest phase built in. In other words after kicking there is a recovery phase, where you just glide, move forward without effort while preparing to kick once more. For most people, this kick will consume less gas. This is also a great kick because many times the glide phase of the kick can be prolonged, as you just hover and checkout the reef, or whatever you are looking at, and then kick again to move forward once more. Compared to the flutter kick, the frog kick is less likely to cause impact to the bottom environment (eg: coral reef or silty cave floor) as the force is directed backwards instead of downwards.

The flutter kick is the kick which takes the most amount of energy and therefore it is the kick which will cause you to breathe the heaviest. The flutter kick is your power kick. This is the kick you use to move rapidly, or against strong current. It is the kick that allows you to move with the most force in the water. It is also the kick, which because it moves so much water, and because there is really no rest phase in the kick, will consume the most gas. The flutter kick is best used when you either need to move quickly, or against a strong current.