Underwater Dolphin Kicking: An Introduction

Last Updated on May 25, 2024 by admin

A swimmer in a streamlined position performing underwater dolphin kicking — **Many coaches refer to underwater dolphin kicking as the ‘fifth stroke’**

In this article, we’ll provide advice, drills, hacks and tips as an introduction to underwater dolphin kicking.

Introduction: The underwater dolphin kick is a fast and powerful underwater technique.

It has become an increasingly important swimming skill, playing a key part in the development of butterfly, backstroke and freestyle starts and turns.
Many coaches refer to underwater dolphin kicking as the ‘fifth stroke’.
The main focus of underwater dolphin kicking should be to maintain the speed from a start or a turn, not the distance.
Many of the world’s top swimmers regularly practice and develop their underwater dolphin kicking technique during training.
Underwater dolphin kicking is a key individual medley skill and should be a key part of every competitive swimming program.

Underwater dolphin kicking drills

The key components for an effective underwater dolphin kick are:

An underwater dolphin kick is performed in a tight streamlined position, to reduce drag.
The swimmer assumes a streamlined position and should engage their core. (see engaging your core below)
Legs are together and feet are in a pointed (plantar flexion) position.
This helps to reduce drag and places the feet in the optimum position for maximum propulsion.
Swimmers need to focus on their breathing technique (see trickle breathing below)
Some swimmers find it easier to learn a new underwater dolphin kicking drill, on their back.
It may be beneficial for younger or less experienced swimmers to wear fins while they master these drills and progressions.

Swimmers need to focus on undulating their body from their chest, through their hips and their legs — **Swimmers need to focus on undulating their body by pressing down their chest, then their hips and finally their legs**

How to perform an underwater dolphin kick

Underwater should start with the swimmer engaging their core and clenching their buttocks to help ensure that they do not over-undulate.
Related article on developing your swimming core We have produced a related article on developing your swimming core. You can view it by clicking this link: developing your swimming core
Swimmers need to focus on undulating their body by pressing down their chest, then their hips and finally their legs.
- Swimmers start the undulation cycle by pressing downwards with their chest, which raises their hips, which in turn lowers their legs. (see diagram above)
- Please note that the downward leg kick provides the main propulsive force.
- Swimmers continue the undulation cycle by pressing down with their hips, which in turn naturally raises their legs. (see diagram above)
- Finally, the undulation cycle is completed by the swimmers pressing down with their legs.
- We get our swimmers to repeat CHEST-HIPS-LEGS when introducing them to the underwater dolphin kicking drills.

Vertical underwater dolphin kicking

**Swimmers can increase the intensity of their underwater dolphin kick if required, in three stages.**

Introduction: Vertical underwater dolphin kicking is a great drill for improving ankle flexibility.

How to perform this drill: Swimmers need to be in water deep enough for them to vertically kick without touching the bottom of the pool.

They should adopt a vertical body position in the water.
Ensuring the swimmer engages their core and clenches their buttocks to help ensure that they do not over undulate.
While performing a steady underwater dolphin kick.
- Ensuring that the forward kick and backward kick are even
They should have their arms and hands pressed against their sides
While keeping their chin level with the surface of the water.
Younger or inexperienced swimmers may wish to use fins when first performing this drill.

Variations: Swimmers can increase the intensity of their underwater dolphin kick if required, in three stages

1: By raising their shoulders out of the water.

2: By raising their hands and forearms out of the water.

3: By raising their arms out of the water, in a streamlined position.

Vertical underwater dolphin kicking – shooters drill

Introduction: A diving pit or a pool with a deep end, is a great place for a swimmer to learn and practice vertical underwater dolphin kicking.

How to perform this drill: Swimmers should sink to the bottom of the pool.

Then adopt a streamlined position and perform vertical underwater dolphin kicking, to shoot through the water to the surface.
Once mastered swimmers should try to increase the speed of their kicks.

Underwater dolphin kicking – introduction drill

Introduction: An introductory drill to underwater dolphin kicking.

How to perform this drill: From a push and glide, about half a meter under the surface, from the pool end.

The swimmer performs underwater dolphin kicking for five upward and downward kicks.
Once mastered swimmers should try to increase the speed of their kicks.

Lateral underwater dolphin kicking

Introduction: A further introductory drill to underwater dolphin kicking.

When regularly practiced this can help to develop the technique and power of both the upward and downward kick

How to perform this drill: From a push and glide, about half a meter under the surface, from the pool end.

The swimmer rotates on their right-hand side in a streamlined position and performs underwater dolphin kicking for five upward and downward kicks
They then rotate on their left-hand side and perform a further five upward and downward kicks.

Underwater dolphin kicking – development drill

**Swimmers should count the number of underwater dolphin kicks it takes them to reach 15m**

Introduction: A progression that further develops and maintains an effective underwater dolphin kick.

How to perform this drill: From a push and glide from the end of the pool, about half a meter under the surface, the swimmer will perform underwater dolphin kicking for 15m.

A sinker or rubber brick on the bottom of the pool at 15m will aid this progression.
Ensure the swimmer gradually increases their kicking speed.
Swimmers should count the number of underwater dolphin kicks it takes them to reach 15m.
15m is the maximum distance a swimmer can travel underwater after a start or a turn.
Once mastered swimmers should be timed performing this drill.
This will give them valuable feedback on the effectiveness of their underwater dolphin kicking.
For effective underwater dolphin kicking, swimmers need to ensure that their kicks are not too deep or too shallow.
A too-deeper kick creates drag, and a too-shallower kick doesn’t produce enough propulsion.
By timing this drill, adjustments can be made to achieve a great underwater dolphin kick.
Ensure the swimmer is performing trickle breathing, to help them complete this progression. (see trickle breathing below)

Corkscrewing

Introduction: A further progression that develops and maintains an effective underwater dolphin kick, by the introduction of ‘corkscrewing’ through the water.

Corkscrewing is a technique sometimes used by swimmers to correctly position themselves during the transition phase following a turn.

How to perform this drill: From a push and glide from the end of the pool, about half a meter under the surface.

The swimmer performs a ‘corkscrew’ dolphin kick, by kicking three underwater dolphin kicks on their front, three underwater dolphin kicks on their right-hand side, three underwater dolphin kicks on their back, three kicks underwater dolphin kicks on their left-hand side, repeat for a length of the pool.
Swimmers should breathe by coming to the surface whilst on their back.
Once mastered, resistance can be added by the swimmers folding their arms above their heads.
Further resistance can be added by the swimmers crossing their arms across their chests.
Ensure the swimmers are performing trickle breathing, to help them complete this progression. (see below)

Kicking off the Turn

Introduction: A great drill for developing your underwater dolphin kicking.

How to perform this drill: While performing a 100m front crawl swim perform 3 to 5 underwater dolphin kicks off each turn.

With the aim of ‘clearing the flags’ at each turn.
Ensuring your head breaks to the surface after the turn flags, after performing the underwater dolphin kick.

Variations: This drill can also be performed for backstroke. Once mastered the number of kicks can be gradually increased.

Sprint drill

Introduction: An excellent progression for developing and maintaining speed while underwater dolphin kicking.

How to perform this drill: Over two lengths/laps (50m) with a sinker or rubber brick at 15m at the bottom of the pool.

From a push and glide from the pool end, about half a meter under the surface, the swimmer will perform underwater dolphin kicking for 15m as fast as possible
At 15m the swimmer should rise to the surface and swim freestyle easily to the end of the pool, then perform a tumble turn, then again swim easily for a further 10m.
At the next 15m mark, the swimmers sprint freestyle to the pool end
Ensure the swimmers are performing trickle breathing, to help them complete this progression.

Shooters drill

Introduction: An excellent progression for further developing and maintaining speed while underwater dolphin kicking.

How to perform this drill: From a push & glide at the end of the pool, in a streamlined prone position, about half a meter under the surface.

The swimmer performs ten underwater dolphin kicks at maximum speed, then rises to the surface and sprints the remainder of the length (25m)
The underwater dolphin kicks need to be performed as quickly as possible
The breakout needs to be shallow enough to allow a smooth transition into a sprint freestyle stroke.
Ensure the swimmers are performing trickle breathing, to help them complete this progression.

Underwater Dolphin Kicking Relay

Relay objective:

To introduce swimmers to developing a fast and powerful underwater dolphin kicking technique.

Relay overview:

Teams of swimmers race one another, by performing underwater dolphin kicking for half a length of the pool.

Team criteria:

Two or more teams, of two to eight swimmers, of roughly the same ability and speed.

Equipment required:

Two rubber bricks/sinkers and poolside marker at halfway.

Relay preparation:

All swimmers start in the water
Two rubber bricks/sinkers need to be placed at halfway. One on each side of the lane.
A poolside marker needs to be placed at halfway, to help ensure that the rubber bricks/sinkers are correctly positioned.
Each team needs to position a swimmer at both ends of the pool, and at both sides of the lane in the middle of the pool.
If there are more than four swimmers per team, the fifth swimmer joins the swimmer at the starting end of the pool, the sixth swimmer joins the swimmer at the right-hand side in the middle of the pool, the seventh swimmer joins the swimmer at the other end of the pool and the eight swimmer joins the swimmer at the right-hand side in the middle of the pool. (see diagram above)

Relay Description:

From the starting end of the pool, the first swimmer performs a push and glide into an underwater dolphin kick, DOWN THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE POOL.
They proceed to halfway, where they change to the second swimmer by touching hands
The second swimmer performs underwater dolphin kicking to the other end of the pool.
The third swimmer performs underwater dolphin kicking to the middle of the pool, DOWN THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE POOL
The fourth swimmer in the middle of the pool underwater dolphin kicks back to the starting end of the pool.
The winning team is those who complete the required number of underwater dolphin legs the quickest.

Safety message: Please ensure that the swimmers are fully briefed and understand what is expected of them during the relay. Remember safety first.

Trickle breathing development – poolside/deck

**Trickle breathing can help underwater dolphin kicking become more effective.**

Introduction: This progression introduces the swimmer to trickle breathing, which aids the development of an effective breathing pattern.

A common freestyle breathing fault is for swimmers to hold their breath while their face is in the water, and then inhale and exhale quickly while their face is out of the water.
This establishes an irregular, shallow breathing pattern, which is ineffective at supplying the oxygen that is required to the muscles and organs during training and competition.
Trickle breathing ensures the swimmer develops a deeper more efficient breathing technique, which requires the swimmer to take a large quick breath, then slowly exhale in the water via their nose or their mouth
This technique also enables swimmers to stay longer underwater while performing underwater dolphin kicking during their starts and turns.

How to perform this drill: This drill should be practiced, in a group on the poolside/deck.

Ensure the swimmer finds a safe space on the poolside/deck, away from the pool’s edge.
The swimmer should take a large quick breath, which fills their lungs, then put their hand up.
Ensure the swimmer breathes out very slowly, via their nose or mouth (‘trickle’ breathe) until they have no breath left, when that happens they should lower their hand.
The coach should time this progression, to demonstrate to the swimmer that by adopting trickle breathing, they have enough time to perform either underwater dolphin kicking or bilateral breathing efficiently.

Trickle breathing development – in the pool

Introduction: The next trickle breathing progression is to further develop an effective breathing pattern.

How to perform this progression: For this progression, the swimmer from a push & glide from the end of the pool performs a slow and smooth freestyle.
Ensuring that when breathing, they take a large quick breath, which fills their lungs.
They then slowly let out their breath in the water via their nose or their mouth – ‘trickle breathe’, as they swim.
The swimmer should count how many strokes they can comfortably swim before they need to take a breath, which will help them prepare for the next progression.
Repeat for one length for the pool (25m)
Once mastered the swimmer can practice trickle breathing, while underwater dolphin kicking.

How to engage your core

Engaging your core muscles ensures they are correctly aligned, to help support and perform certain swimming drills and skills effectively. To engage their core, swimmers should continue to breathe normally. They should then tighten/contract their stomach muscles while drawing their navel towards their spine.

Core strength development

To effectively engage their core whilst performing underwater dolphin kicking, swimmers should develop their core strength. Swimmers should perform core development training exercises such as crunches and planks as a regular part of their dryland/ land training program.

We have produced a related article, on developing your swimming core. You can view it by clicking this link: developing your swimming core

**The underwater dolphin kick is a fast and powerful underwater technique.**

and light materials to guarantee agile and not very tiring, but still effective kicking

Underwater Dolphin Kicking: Takeaways

The underwater dolphin kick is a fast and powerful underwater technique. It has become an increasingly important swimming skill, playing a key part in the development of butterfly, backstroke and freestyle starts and turns.

Many coaches refer to underwater dolphin kicking as the ‘fifth stroke’.
Many of the world’s top swimmers regularly practice and develop their underwater dolphin kicking technique during training.
Underwater dolphin kicking should be a key part of every competitive swimming program.

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Underwater Dolphin Kicking: An Introduction

Underwater dolphin kicking drills