Monday, August 6, 2007

Eggbeater Made Easy


Hey all - this is the first post in a series concerning the fundamentals of water polo. For those of you looking to start playing, here is a good resource for the basics. For the more advanced players - something to chew on while improving your game. Good luck!

Ben




How to Do an Eggbeater Kick

Accomplished by moving your legs in an eggbeater motion, this is the most powerful way to tread water.


Instructions

• STEP 1: Position yourself vertically in the water, bent at the waist as if sitting in a chair.
• STEP 2: Bending at the knees, swivel both feet in circles opposite each other - just like the motion of an eggbeater. Your left foot should circle clockwise and your right foot counterclockwise.
• STEP 3: Hold both hands out in front of your body, with elbows bent, palms down and hands cupped. Make quick, small circles in the water with your hands.
• STEP 4: Kick harder to raise your body higher out of the water.

Tips & Warnings

• With a strong eggbeater kick, you should be able to hold one or both arms high out of the water for a prolonged period of time. This is an essential skill in water polo for catching, throwing or guarding.
• The eggbeater kick is a strength maneuver and requires time and training to build endurance. The positive side of this is that you can eggbeater the whole time you're in the water, so you're always training.
• When you start to get strong, practice eggbeater kicking while holding something out of the water over your head.