Freestyle - 10-Kick Flutter Variation

Wanna work your legs and body position, and have fun with some tools?  Here's a fun drill that allows you to vary your flutter kick a few times on each length.

Why Do It?
By varying where your feet are, you'll realize you have to change your body position... sometimes drastically.  You'll also learn where the best position is for you to achieve good foot speed, as well as to create the most forward momentum.

How to Do It:
1.  Grab a kickboard.  The board allows you to use a bit of leverage to change your body position.  Remember, this drill is about the legs only, so you'll be able to overload your legs quickly with the help of the board.
2.  Learn to count QUICKLY to 10.  While I say 10, you may vary whenever it feels comfortable.  The important thing is to vary a few times per length.
3.  You'll be kicking your feet in 3 positions.  In position #1, the entire foot is out of the water on EVERY kick.  In position #2, only the heels break the surface on each kick.   In position #3, the entire foot is UNDER the water on each kick.
4.  Every 10 kicks, change your foot position.  Go directly from having your feet totally under, to totally above the water.  You should feel increased foot speed, as well as increased velocity with a better body position.
5)  To get your feet entirely above the water, you may have to press the board a bit more into the water.  To get your feet totally UNDER the water, you may have to lift your chest and head a bit more.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
Pay attention to your effort level, and to how much strength it takes to keep the same rhythm or rate with your kick at the various levels.  

With your feet above water, it's easy to maintain foot speed.   With the feet under water, it takes much more strength.  This drill can be seen as a way to use interval training on every length.  Having the feet under for just part of the time overloads the muscles, and having them above water is almost a quick recovery.  Splitting the difference may end up being the exact kick you'll always want to use, but play with the kick, and have fun working your legs.  You can even incorporate this drill into any kick set.