Breaststroke Kicking Sets

Set 1

(8 times through)

Odd rounds—as few kicks as possible

Even rounds—stronger effort

Take 20 seconds rest after each repetition

Take 40 seconds rest after each round

• 20 seconds vertical kick (or wall kick if in shallow water)
• 25 breaststroke kick on back with board on knees
• 25 breaststroke kick with board
• 25 breaststroke kick on back
• 25 breaststroke

Purpose and Focus Points

The purpose of this set is to introduce you to different kicking strategies and help you understand the key concepts of effective breaststroke kick.

Start with vertical kick so you can focus on kicking straight down and set up your kick effectively. Then work on an effective recovery by trying to avoid kicking the board while kicking on your back. Then you'll see if you can kick well on your stomach and then on your back, this time without the board on your knees. Then you'll give breaststroke a test run to see if you can execute a great kick within the stroke.

On the odd rounds, focus on efficiency. On the even rounds, perform your kick with speed.

Set 2

(2 times through)

Take 20 seconds rest after each repetition

Take 40 seconds rest after each round

• 4 x 30 seconds on/30 seconds off vertical breaststroke kick
• 4 x 50s breaststroke kick: Odds 25 with board/25 on back; evens 25 on back/25 with board—take fewer kicks each 50
• 4 x 30 seconds on/30 seconds off vertical breaststroke kick
• 4 x 50s breaststroke kick: Odds 25 with board/25 on back; evens 25 on back/25 with board—descend 1–4
• 6 x 25s: 1 and 4, three-kick, one-pull; 2 and 5, two-kick, one-pull; 3 and 6, breaststroke
  
  

Purpose and Focus Points

This set challenges your kicking skills by working your kick in several different ways.

Start off with vertical kick to help you learn to set up your kick effectively and kick straight down. Then go into some 50s during which you alternate kicking on your back and with a board. You'll work your kick in slightly different positions, which can improve your overall kicking ability. During the first group of 50s, focus on efficiency and in the second, focus on speed. Then, to ensure you can apply your kick to your swimming, you'll work in more and more arm strokes, moving from three-kick, one-pull to two-kick, one-pull, to breaststroke.

Set 3

Take 30–40 seconds rest after each repetition

• 4 x 75s breaststroke kick with board: Within each 75, take one less kick per 25; before each 75, do 10 seconds wall kick
• 2 x 50s breaststroke: 1 minimize stroke count, 2 strong effort
• 4 x 75s breaststroke kick with board: Within each 75, add two kicks per 25 and build; before each 75, do 10 seconds wall kick
• 2 x 50s breaststroke: 1 minimize stroke count, 2 strong effort
• 4 x 75s breaststroke kick with board: Descend 1–4 without changing stroke count; before each 75, do 10 seconds wall kick
• 2 x 50s breaststroke: 1 minimize stroke count, 2 strong effort

Purpose and Focus Points

With this set, you'll work on your breaststroke kicking endurance while developing your skills.

Each kick repetition starts off with some wall kick to help you feel the resistance and pressure on your feet. Then you move into some breaststroke kick, during which you have a specific task to accomplish. On the first part, aim for efficiency; on the second part, aim to add kicks to create speed; and on the last part, aim for both. Learning to use your kick while swimming breaststroke is always important, so after each section, do some breaststroke, working on creating length and then speed.

Set 4

Take 30–40 seconds between each 50

• 3 x 50s breaststroke kick, choice kicking style, descend 1–3 to race effort
• 3 x 50s three-kick, one-pull, descend 1–3 to race effort
• 3 x 50s two-kick, one-pull, descend 1–3 to race effort
• 3 x 50s breaststroke , descend 1–3 to race effort
• 100 recovery choice
• 2 x 50s breaststroke kick, choice kicking style, descend 1–2 to race effort
• 2 x 50s three-kick, one-pull, descend 1–2 to race effort
• 2 x 50s two-kick, one-pull, descend 1–2 to race effort
• 2 x 50s breaststroke, descend 1–2 to race effort
• 100 recovery choice
• 50 breaststroke kick, choice kicking style at race pace
• 50 three-kick, one-pull at race pace
• 50 two-kick, one-pull at race pace
• 50 breaststroke at race pace

Purpose and Focus Points

With this set, you're working on creating repeatable speed with your legs. Within each section of the set, you move from kicking to swimming. That allows you to work your legs in isolation and then gradually incorporate your legs into your swimming. That will help you improve your kick while you're swimming. By repeating the high-quality efforts, you'll get better at sustaining a fast and effective kick. Throughout each section of the set, get faster with the descends. And as the repetition numbers drop, take advantage by trying to go even faster.

Set 5

(2–3 times through)

• 2 x 25s: 10 yards/meters piston kick with board; 15 yards/meters breaststroke kick with board
• 2 x 25 three-kick, one-pull: 1 build to fast; 2 fast
• 2 x 25s: 10 yards/meters piston kick with board; 15 yards/meters breaststroke kick with board
• 2 x 25s two-kick, one-pull: 1 build to fast; 2 fast
• 2 x 25s: 10 yards/meters piston kick with board; 15 yards/meters breaststroke kick with board
• 2 x 25s breaststroke: 1 build to fast; 2 fast

Purpose and Focus Points

This set helps you learn how to recover your feet quickly and create speed with your kick. Rather than just doing speed work, focus on your kick to help you improve your ability to create a fast and effective kick. If your kick rate isn't fast, you won't go fast. If your kick isn't effective, you won't go fast. Gradually move from pure kicking to full breaststroke to help you learn to integrate your kick into your swimming. By using the piston kick in each section, you'll prime your kick for fast tempo. Work your foot speed during the piston kick and try to carry that foot speed through to every other part of the set.