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Choose Your Kick Count

Try 2, 3 and 4 small kicks off the wall to find the breakout that feels smoothest, with your coach watching.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

Push off in streamline and take 2 small kicks before your first stroke.

Core: Push off and one kick. Beat your own best glide.

Ages
14 and up
Time
12 min
Space
Pool
Bring
Pool, coach
Level · skill
Advanced · Streamline & Breakouts

The steps

How it works

  1. Push off in streamline and take 2 small kicks before your first stroke.
  2. Next time take 3, then 4, coming up as soon as you want air.
  3. Your coach tells you which one looked smoothest.
  4. Do 3 rounds of the three, resting at the wall.

Coaching point

Smooth beats long.

Safety: Swim only with a lifeguard or coach watching and, under 14, a grown-up within arm’s reach. Breathe normally before you go under, never take extra fast breaths, and come up as soon as you want air.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Streamline statue: push off in a tight streamline and glide while a partner marks each glide with a flag. Swap, and let the pair try to beat its own total number of flags.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (push off from the wall), Core (push off and one kick), More (push off and a smooth stroke). Beat your own best glide.

Story

You are a rocket sliding through the water without a ripple.

My best

Beat your own count

Beat your own best glide. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

Print it now, or save it free

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