What a flexed foot is
A flexed foot stays bent up at the ankle during the kick, instead of pointing back toward the wall behind you.
Instead of trailing in line with the shin, the foot sits at an angle and shows a broad, flat surface to the water.
Why it costs you
A flexed foot works like a brake and turns each kick into drag.
A pointed, loose foot works like a fin. On every kick it presses water back, which is what helps hold the legs up and move you along.
How to fix it
Point the toes and keep the ankles loose, so the foot flicks at the end of each kick.
Think long legs and floppy feet. A stiff, pointed foot is not the goal; a relaxed one that follows the leg is.
One drill to try
- Kick a few lengths with fins, on your front or your back, and feel the foot press the water back.
- Take the fins off and keep the same long, loose ankle.
- Keep the splash small and at the toes, not at the knees.
How to film it so Llyr can read it
Stand your phone on the pool deck, side-on to your lane, with your feet in the frame as well as your head. Llyr shows you how to frame the shot.
The ankle angle is clearest from the side. Head-on, the foot points straight at the lens and its angle cannot be read.
Already have a clip? You can import a video you filmed earlier. Read the full filming guide.
What you see in Llyr
When a foot stays flexed on kick after kick, Llyr names it Flexed foot and shows it on a still from your own video.
Its glyph is a shaded angle at the joint, between the foot as filmed and the dashed line it aims for.
The cue to take into your next set is Flick the water like a fin.
Llyr is a second set of eyes, not a coach. Check each correction on the replay, and if your coach sees it differently, go with your coach.