Seeing a Tech 1 diver swimming backwards was the most amazing site I’d seen as a new diver, I’d done about 30 dives at that point and was fascinated.  I really wanted to learn how to do this. 

I've heard it described as the DIR advertising gimmick - and had divers say that they have no more need to swim backwards than learn to wriggle their ears. 

It’s not just a party trick though – being able to kick backwards is vital for holding your position in the water whilst keeping an eye on the people you are diving with.

I’m not going to try to explain the exact technique on the internet – best that you are taught directly.  But for those of you who have been shown the elements of a back kick, yet struggle to make it reliable and effective, I’ll set out a few tips and reminders to help you improve.

Getting backward movement depends on several things – the most important of which is avoiding movement in any other direction other than back. Too energetic a recovery will see a diver pushed forwards, head down trim will see them pulled upwards, and head up trim pulled down.  First two things to do therefore are to get flat (head back, back arched) and slow down.

Fins do not really assist with a conventional backwards kick. They get in the way so first try to move backwards on the surface in confined water without any fins on at all.   If you can acheieve backwards movement in the pool without fins then you are halfway there!

Start slowly and keep that way.  Break the kick down into the propulsion phase and the recovery phase with an intentional pause in between to keep things under control.  Too many people put far too much effort into this kick – and the resulting deterioration in trim plus the dropping of the knees as effort overcomes control tends to work against them.  Slow and steady, building up strength as the kick devlops is the key.

It is vital to keep in trim.  Head up, Back arched, Knees up, Feet flat.  Poor trim will kill an effective back kick dead or drag you up or down rather than backwards.  Too many people drop their head when concentrating which puts them out of trim.  If you find it difficult to remeber to do this face a wall, or a piece of wreck and keep it in view as you try to move backwards away from it.

You will only ever perfect your back kick if you use it.  You would not seek to push off or swim in circles instead of frog kicking, so don’t do this instead of trying to back kick either.  If you find you are drifting forwards throw in a couple of back kicks – if it works great, if it doesn’t well you’ve lost nothing and gained more practice.