Drills for correcting scissors kicking

beesonic

Can you give me some drills I can use in the pool to correct my scissor kicking when I breathe?

Thank you

Coach Patrick

Magui, thanks for posting. From my experience, folks scissor kick when breathing as they are trying to prepare for the big, hefty, return rotation back into the water. In other words, you are spreading your legs as that bottom leg is really the "anchor" for the drive that will help you get back to the center.

The culprit is most likely that you are breathing by rotating your entire body INSTEAD of turning your chin. Practice now...look up (after reading this) and then slowly turn your chin to the left to touch your shoulder...that's breathing...but most people try to breathe from the waist, as if their head is fixed. Try that...turning your upper body / shoulders without moving your hips (chin is fixed forward) --- full of tension and difficulty!!

So...

I would recommend you focus on the kick on your side drill (fins / total immersion style) where you breathe by turning your head, not your body.
--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=417pD_jfmJw (she starts swimming at 1:09 mark)

I would also suggest you do some one arm swimming, just to bring that breathing rotation in to play with a stoke (maybe start with a kick buoy).
--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjpC-PRnRYg

Let me know how that goes!!!