The front-crawl flutter kick is almost certainly more efficient at higher speeds---you're generating lift from the top and bottom of your foot and the front and back of your ankle, and the faster the water flow along the leg the more lift is available. (Simple Newtonian reasoning: under conservation of momentum it is better to move a lot of water a small way than a small amount of water a long way with each stroke, and a faster flow helps). If you're not using your arms then thrashing hard with the legs will stall the flow completely. Try a slower motion with the float and see what's most efficient. Or with your arms providing extra speed your kick will work better anyway. The drive should be from the quads and hams, with the lower leg just following like a flexible flipper.
For breaststroke the drive phase with the arms is as you bring them towards you; with the legs it is as you shoot them away. Ideally you alternate power phases, which means alternating frog and needle positions. Breath out as you kick and breathe in as you pull with the hands.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2006-07-06 09:36 am (UTC)For breaststroke the drive phase with the arms is as you bring them towards you; with the legs it is as you shoot them away. Ideally you alternate power phases, which means alternating frog and needle positions. Breath out as you kick and breathe in as you pull with the hands.
HTFB