Back Kick
Back Kick - First Example
SKILL VALUE
The back kick is a crucial maneuver for you needing to move backward without turning around. It allows you controlled reverse movement, useful in tight spaces or when avoiding obstacles in wrecks or caves, and enhances a your overall control and situational awareness. This skill is complex to learn but very rewarding once mastered.
Usefull at:
Backing out of tight spaces in wreck or cave diving.
Adjusting position near a safety stop line or during ascents.
Avoiding obstacles without needing to turn around.
Maintaining control near delicate areas like coral reefs or debris fields.
Learn How to
Reverse the frog kick by pushing water forward with your fins.
Focus on ankle and lower leg movements to control backward propulsion.
Practice maintaining neutral buoyancy to avoid rising while back kicking.
Practice in a clear, open space until you're comfortable with moving backward.
Step by Step
Click on the arrow to see a step by step guide for this skill.
01
Have a look at the 4 major steps where we start here with the first one with streching the legs.
There are 4 major steps to learn the back kick:
Try to master first each of them separate before putting them together.
Stretch your legs and bend your feet as if you were going to walk on tiptoes like a ballet dancer. This will prevent your fins from displacing any water and will keep you in place.
02
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In case you don`t know this actor anymore, look it up on the net and see how he is walking. The goal is to spread the feet 90° apart. It also helps to turn the knees into bowlegs so that the fins are ready to displace water>
03
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Now with the fins placed in the water column we kick with our lower legs like if you would dance Charleston. As well here check it out on the net if you don`t know this dance ;) Once you kicked don`t do anything to let the magic happen.
04
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Once the gliding stops, then bring your feet together again, straighten your legs and start with 1 again.
05
Once back in the original position start with the Primaballerina Move again.
You can practive as well just to straighten your legs and bring them back. If done properly you shouldn`t move at all.
06
Then bend your legs to “activate” your fin blades
07
Kick by pulling your lower legs up.
Important here is that you keep your head up high and take a point a bit away as refference.
Since the fin kick is slightly pushing the water to the ground, you have to counter that a bit. Else you will slowly go up to the Surface.
08
After the kick just glide backwards. Once you feel the movement slowing down, then bring your fins together again.
Back Kick - Side View
The 4 Steps from the side
Click on the arrow to see a step by step guide for this skill.
Back Kick - Back View
The 4 Steps from the back
Click on the arrow to see a step by step guide for this skill.
Practice - Hold on to something
For learning this skill it may help you to forget about your buoyancy first just concentrating on the right leg and feet movement. Therefore find something underwater that you can hold on and practice the back kick there. Once you start to get it, you will notice, that it becomes har to hold on, since you create the back movement away from the object you are holding on.
Practice - Look ahead
Alot of divers learning this skill are looking down. This will result in that you are kicking yourself slowly to the surface. To stay at the same depth, aim at a point in front of you and keep it as a reference for your position. You can as well let your fins “hang down” a bit to make it easier.
Practice - Let the Magic happen
Patience is key for this movement, so once you kicked, stop and glide first backwards. Once you notice that the gliding slows down, then you can put your legs back together and start the next attempt.
