What is the goal of the 'Vertical free kicking' drill in freestyle?

• A. To improve arm speed and reach
• B. To improve kick power and speed
• C. To reduce overall energy expenditure
• D. To focus on timing the breathing with arm strokes

Answer: (B)

Vertical free kicking trains the legs to generate propulsion. When you stay upright in the water and kick hard, the arms aren’t providing forward pull, so all the propulsion comes from the kick. This isolates and strengthens the kick’s power, rate, and ankle flexibility, which directly boosts overall freestyle speed and balance in the stroke. The other options don’t align with what this drill emphasizes: it isn’t about arm speed and reach, it doesn’t reduce energy expenditure (it actually challenges the legs and raises effort), and it isn’t focused on breathing timing with arm strokes.