Swim Kick Drill

Anton YefanovUpdated September 6, 2026

A kick drill strips freestyle back to the legs. The flutter kick is an alternating action with relatively straight legs that starts at the hip and travels outward: the hip moves first, then the knee, then the ankle, so the leg whips rather than pedals. The downbeat is driven by the quadriceps and hip flexors, the upbeat by the hamstrings and glutes.

Amplitude matters as much as effort. The kick works at a high rate over a small range, because a big kick creates more drag than propulsion. Front crawl EMG reviews confirm the legs play a supporting role, holding body position and reducing drag.

How to do the Swim Kick Drill

Push off into a streamlined position on your front with the body long and the head neutral.
Hold your hands extended ahead of you, or on a board, so the arms take no part in propulsion.
Point the toes and keep the ankles loose so the feet can whip through the water.
Start each down-kick from the hip, letting the knee bend follow and the ankle finish the movement.
Bring the leg back up with almost no knee bend, keeping the feet just under the surface.
Kick at a quick rate over a small range for the length of the drill, then reset and repeat.

Muscles worked

Primary:: Quads and Glutes
Secondary:: Hamstrings, Core, and Calves

Why train it

Isolates the legs so kick timing and amplitude can be corrected without the arms compensating.
Trains the body position that keeps the hips high and reduces drag during full stroke swimming.
Loads the hip extensors and flexors continuously with no impact through the joints.

Common mistakes

Starting the kick from the knee, which turns it into a bicycle motion and kills the whip action.
Kicking too big, which creates far more drag than the extra propulsion is worth.
Bringing the feet above the surface, where they move air instead of water and produce nothing.
Kicking with rigid ankles, which stops the foot acting as a surface and wastes the down-kick.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Swim Kick Drill work?

The Swim Kick Drill works the quads and glutes hardest, with the hamstrings, core, and calves pitching in. As cardio, though, the bigger demand is on your heart and lungs rather than any one muscle.

What equipment do I need for the Swim Kick Drill?

Only a pool, ideally with a kickboard. There is nothing to lift: your own body does the work.

Is the Swim Kick Drill suitable for beginners?

Once you can swim comfortably. The Swim Kick Drill is rated intermediate: it assumes you can already float in a good position and breathe in rhythm, so a few lessons do more for it than any amount of gym work.

Can I do the Swim Kick Drill at home?

Not unless you have a pool. The Swim Kick Drill needs water deep enough to swim in, so it happens at a lap pool or in open water. The alternatives below train the same muscles on dry land.

How long should I do the Swim Kick Drill for?

Four to eight lengths inside a longer swim, with rest at the wall between them. Drills are technique work, so stop once the form starts to slip rather than pushing through.