How To Frog Kick

How_to_Frog_Kick

As a new diver, one of the most important things to learn is scuba finning. The latter refers to a set of techniques for general propulsion to be able to propel the movement of your scuba fins. It is important for speed, efficiency, and comfort when you are under the water.

Among others, one of the most popular finning techniques that you have to master is the frog kick. Basically, frog kick diving is all about moving and kicking your legs like a frog, which is similar to the breaststroke. The kicks will be wide and large, making the most out of your leg strength instead of using the arms as the source of propulsion.

Ready to learn the right way to do scuba frog kick? Read on and learn from some of the insights we’ll be sharing.

A-Step-by-Step Guide for Frog Kick Diving

Do not be intimidated by the idea of learning the fundamentals of the frog kick. It is easier than what you might have initially thought. Below, we will break it down into several steps.

1. Assume the Right Position

So, to begin with, you should position yourself properly in the water and get ready for the kick. Bend your knees slightly upward at an angle of 90 degrees. At this point, the position of the diving fins should be parallel to the ocean floor. The knees and the ankles, on the other hand, should stick together. This is important to draw power on the kick that will be done later on.

The starting position is also known as the proper trim, which is basically all about keeping a horizontal position like you are floating on air. Keep your head straight ahead looking in front while your back is slightly arched. Move your hips and your arms in front to propel your movement.

2. Open your Fins

Next, you have to open the side of the fins. You will be using your ankles to successfully do this. The ankles will help to move the fins outward without losing the position that is parallel to the ocean floor. You need to do this correctly so that the fins will slice on the water the right way, and hence, preventing any form of resistance.

Speaking of fins, make sure that you wear one that is meant specifically for scuba. Swim fins, freediving fins, and other types of fins may not work as efficiently, so try to avoid them.

3. Move Forward

Next, you need to move forward. You will use the balls of the feet and the ankles to rotate. From the flexed position, you will move to a position wherein the toes will be pointed. The soles, meanwhile, will be positioned in such a way that they will be slightly facing each other. The ankles and the legs will do most of the work in this step, making it easy to push the water and move forward.

One of the secrets to doing it effectively is to go slow while making sure that you let out a lot of power in your kick. If you kick fast, this will not only draw minimal power but can also stress the legs, making you feel tired easily. You should be as relaxed as possible and move slowly so that your legs will not become stiff.

During this point, the position of the body core should also be maintained. Your back should have a slight arch, the hips should thrust forward, and your arms have to extend. The strength of the torso will be critical in this maneuver.

4. Glide

After moving forward, the next thing to do is to glide, which many divers assume to be the best part of frog kick diving. Once you have completed the step above, you will be in the perfect position that will allow you to be sliding smoothly under the water. You should assume this position for quite a while to be able to propel forward.

Why You Should Do the Scuba Frog Kick

Why_You_Should_Do_the_Scuba_Frog_Kick

Now that we tackled the right way to carry out the frog kick, let us have a quick look at some of the reasons why you might want to execute it when underwater and why it is a good finning technique.

Among others, one of its benefits is that it is fairly simple to execute, as shown from the steps that we have listed above, it does not take an expert to do it properly.

More than just being easy to do, it also allows you to create more forward thrusts, but the good thing is that you will be exerting lesser effort to do this. Complemented with mastery of the scuba diving breathing techniques, it will allow you to move without wasting a lot of energy and getting tired.

To add, frog kick is also good because it is a comfortable finning technique since it won’t end up rocking you. It also puts lesser stress on the ankles, legs, and knees when compared to the other common kicks

With the frog kick, the water is not propelled downwards. Essentially, what this means is that the sediment will not end stirring up. This will give you a clearer vision of what is under the water, especially when using the right scuba mask.

It will make a great choice of a kick when exploring the best shipwreck diving sites, basically because it improves maneuverability when you are moving in confined spaces, avoiding kicking of silt.

You might also like: What Is Trimix Diving?

Drawbacks of the Frog Kick

Truth be told, frog kick diving does not come with any drawback. Among others, one of the biggest issues about this finning technique is that it won’t work best when you are in places with strong currents or close to walls.

The kick is effective only in mild currents or when you are close to the bottom of the ocean floor. If it is already too deep, you need to master not only frog kicking, but you also need to learn about trimix diving, which will make it easier for you to breathe.

Globo Surfer Overview

In sum, frog kick diving is one of the fundamental skills that should be learned by anyone new to diving. It is basically all about propelling movement under the water by kicking wide and large, like what you would normally do in a breaststroke.

Now that you know the basics of scuba frog kick, it is time to up your diving skills and learn other techniques. Take the time to be familiar with the buoyancy basics, buddy check, five-point decent guide, and SMB deployment, among others,

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