Breaststroke - Shark-Fin Kick

So you've been working on a nice, undulating breaststroke... getting your body to ride up and down and flow through the water.  Now along comes a drill that looks like a throwback to the days of waterbug, flat breaststroke.  Well... the goal isn't to flatten you out, but rather to help you determine how much you use your hands to stabilize or direct your body.

 - Amanda Beard shows her tremendous kick in this DVD.

Why Do It:
Shark-Fin Breaststroke Kick is really to help you figure out when your hands get heavy, and when they get light.  It's also meant to help you make sure they're always moving directly forward... even during your glide.

How to Do It:
1.  Grab a Finis Alignment Board, but instead of holding it like you normally would...
2.  Turn it on its side and hold it right at the surface of the water, like a shark fin... half in, and half out.
3.  Kick breaststroke as you normally would, but watch the board.
4.  Your goal is to keep it as steady as possible as you kick, and breathe.
5.  Yes, breathe on every kick, and then place your face back in the water after your breath.
6.  Keep the board as stable and steady as possible through the entire drill.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
If you don't have someone watching you, you'll probably need to keep your eyes on the board.  Lift your head just a bit to always have your eyes on the board.  While you won't normally swim like this, see when your hands want to go up, and when they want to dive down.  Remember, your hands shouldn't lead you up and down in breaststroke; let the flow of your body do that.   Learn to have your hands direct you FORWARD.