Hi, Mark here. I hope you’ve had a great week.

If your legs are working hard but you still feel like you’re going nowhere, your front crawl kick probably needs refining - not more effort.

A good kick should help you stay balanced, streamlined and relaxed in the water. It should support the rest of your stroke, not leave you exhausted after one length.

This week’s guide breaks down how to kick front crawl with more control, better body position and less wasted energy.

👉 Read the full front crawl kick guide here: How to Kick Front Crawl​

Why Your Kick Matters

A good front crawl kick helps you:

• Keep your body higher in the water
• Reduce drag
• Support your breathing and arm pull
• Maintain a smoother rhythm
• Swim further without wasting energy

The aim is not to kick harder. The aim is to kick more efficiently.

Three Common Front Crawl Kick Mistakes

These three mistakes are often the reason your kick feels tiring but ineffective:

1. Kicking from the knees​
This creates drag and makes your legs work harder than they need to.

2. Splashing too much​
Big splashes usually mean energy is going up and down, rather than helping you move forwards.

3. Stiff ankles​
Tense ankles can make your legs act more like brakes than propellers.

A relaxed, narrow kick from the hips is usually far more effective than a big, powerful kick from the knees.

Three Drills That Can Help

Here are three simple drills to improve your front crawl kick:

Streamline kick on your back​
Helps you feel your body position and keep your kick narrow and controlled.

Vertical kicking​
Builds leg control and helps you understand whether your kick is actually producing support.

Side kicking​
Improves balance, body rotation and awareness of your position in the water.

For the full breakdown, including more detail on what to look for as you practise, you can read the full article here:

​👉 How to Kick Front Crawl​

Free Front Crawl Cheat Sheet

I’ve also put together a free front crawl cheat sheet that you can download, save or print out.

It gives you a simple reminder of the key technique points, so you can refer back to them before your next swim.

👉 Grab your free Front Crawl Cheat Sheet here​

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Take Your Front Crawl Further

If you want more help with your full front crawl technique, my How To Swim Front Crawl eBook walks you through the stroke step by step.

It includes 22 front crawl drills covering body position, leg kick, arm pull, breathing and stroke timing, helping you build a smoother and more confident stroke.

Don't let inefficient technique hold you back. Master your front crawl kick and swim further with less effort today!

By the way, swimming teachers...

If you teach front crawl and want ready-made drills, lesson plans and teaching resources, I’ve put them together in one place.You’ll find stroke-specific drills, lesson ideas, downloadable resources and teaching support to help you plan with more confidence.

That's it for this week. Stay focused, stay in touch and stay safe.

Happy swimming!

Cheers

Mark

​Swim Teach​

ps - grab yourself a front crawl cheat sheet - completely free. Click through and save it - it's all yours!

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