Dolphin Kick – swimming activities

Wave-like body and leg movement used in butterfly.

Activities

• Body Wave Glide – From a streamlined glide, swimmers make a gentle wave from chest to toes – the movement that drives dolphin kick and butterfly.
• Dolphin Dives – Swimmers porpoise over and under a noodle like dolphins, feeling the head-first wave movement that butterfly uses.
• Dolphin Kick Judges – A team relay where judges award points for good dolphin kick technique – not just speed – so everyone kicks properly under pressure.
• Dolphin Kick on the Side – Dolphin kick lying on the side with one arm extended – swimmers can breathe easily and feel the kick go forwards and backwards.
• Dolphin on the Back – Dolphin kick on the back with arms by the sides – swimmers can breathe freely while learning the undulating kick.
• Fins for Rhythm – Short fins give enough speed for swimmers to feel the full butterfly rhythm – then the fins come off and the rhythm stays.
• Mermaid Tails – Legs together like a mermaid's tail, swimmers wiggle through the water with a dolphin kick.
• Push, Glide, Kick, Break Out – A short, controlled underwater push-off: streamline, a few kicks, then rise gently into the first stroke.
• Single-Arm Butterfly – One arm does butterfly while the other stays extended in front – timing the kick with the arm and breathing without the effort of full stroke.
• Streamline Dolphin with Forward Breath – Streamlined dolphin kick on the front, breathing with a low forward lift – rhythm and breathing without the arms.
• Stroke Switch Relay – Each relay leg uses a different stroke or kick, so swimmers practise switching between skills under light pressure.
• Two-Kick Rhythm – Butterfly timing: one kick as the hands enter, one as they push past the hips – the rhythm that makes the stroke flow.