Backstroke Kicking Dryland Exercises

Ankle Sit

Flexible ankles are key for an effective kick because they allow for more of the top of your foot to face backward during each kick. The more the top of your foot can face backward, the more water you will move backward.

The ankle sit is a simple way to mobilize your ankle in a safe and controlled manner. To perform this exercise, use a mat or other padded surface and simply sit on your heels so that the top of your foot is pressed straight into the ground with your hips sitting on top of your heels.

Ankle ABCs

Ankle ABCs is an active way to mobilize your ankle, moving it through a full range of motion using many different patterns. This exercise can be done regularly so that you can continue to work on your ankle mobility over time.

To perform this exercise, lie on your back and lift one leg off the ground. Using the toes of your elevated leg as an imaginary pen, begin to write the ABCs in the air, one letter at a time, making the letters as big as possible. Go through the entire alphabet with one leg, then switch to the other. This can be done with lowercase letters, uppercase letters, or both.

Dumbbell Squat

The dumbbell squat is a simple strength exercise accessible to everyone. It strengthens your hips and the front of your legs, key muscles in generating a powerful kick. You can load this exercise as heavily or as lightly as desired.

Grasp two dumbbells of appropriate weight and hold them in your hands, with your arms by your side. While maintaining an upright position, squat, then return to a standing position.

Back Extensions

Kicking on your back challenges your hamstrings, which are often undertrained and underdeveloped. Performing exercises such as back extension, which targets the hamstrings and glutes, strengthens these muscles and improves your kick.

Using a back extension device at your gym or a bench to perform this exercise, adjust your foot placement so that your hips are slightly in front of the pad. Lower your upper body under control as far as comfortable, then raise it back up to the starting position, squeezing the muscles on the back of your legs.

Glute Bridge

Glute bridge helps strengthen the muscles of your hips and can improve the alignment of your spine. If your back is arched, this exercise can be useful for helping you learn to straighten it out. This is important because you want to establish a slightly rounded body position while moving through the water. In addition, this exercise develops your glutes, helping to power your kick.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Push your feet into the ground, squeeze your butt, and lift your hips. You can perform this exercise for repetitions or for a static hold.

Prone Flutter Kicking

Kicking from your knee is one of the most common mistakes with backstroke flutter kick. Prone flutter kicking reinforces the straight-leg nature of a proper kick while training your glutes and hamstrings. These muscles are often underdeveloped, especially in the range of motion used with this exercise.

Lie flat on the ground on your stomach. Your legs should be straight and your arms by your side. Squeeze the muscles of your back and hips and lift one leg off the ground. Rather than moving for speed with this exercise, aim to move with control over a large range of motion. This can be done one leg at a time or by moving your legs in opposition, with one moving up as the other moves down.

Seated Leg Curl

Hamstrings are an important muscle in backstroke flutter kick, and they often lack strength and endurance. Doing seated leg curls is a simple and easy way to train your legs to help build that strength and endurance and requires little technical skill.

Adjust the seated leg curl machine at your gym to your limb length, then hop on. Pick a weight you can control, curl your legs downward toward the floor, pause briefly, then return to the starting position, using a full range of motion.

You can also tie a stretch cord to a sturdy object, wrap the cord around your ankles, and perform a curling motion with your legs while seated on a bench or chair, as demonstrated in the video.

Physioball Leg Curl

Physioball leg curls are another option for developing your hamstrings. This exercise also requires the application of force with patience and stability, which is relevant to all swimming movements.

Lie on your back on the ground with your knees bent, heels resting on a physioball. Lift your hips off the ground so that your weight is on your shoulders. From that position, roll the ball away. Once your legs are straight, dig your heels into the ball and pull them toward your hips. This should push your hips toward the ceiling, returning you to the start position.

Reverse Lunge

Reverse lunges increase your lower body strength through a large range of motion, as well as your flexibility, which is required for a strong kick.

While standing, step back and lower yourself toward the ground so that your back knee is just off the ground. Press into the ground with your front foot and stand back up. Keep your torso upright throughout the motion. This exercise can be performed with or without added resistance.

Kettlebell (Dumbbell) Deadlift

This is another simple and effective way to strengthen your legs and hips. It requires very little expertise, can help you add a lot of strength, and trains all the muscles of your legs and hips, making it a very efficient movement.

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and hold a single kettlebell or dumbbell between your legs. From that position, bend your knees and lower your body straight down until the weight touches the ground. Then push through the ground and stand back up.