Dolphin kick

High school (ages 12+)
Sports & Games

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dolphin-kick

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the propulsion mechanism?Synchronized hip and leg undulation creating a wave-like motion for forward thrust
2. What is the historical development?Evolved from observations of marine mammals and initial integration into breaststroke
3. What is a dolphin kick and how does it help swimmers move faster?The dolphin kick is a powerful wave-like movement that starts at the hips and travels through the legs, pushing water backward to make swimmers go faster.
4. Why do the legs stay close together during a dolphin kick?Keeping the legs close reduces drag and keeps the swimmer streamlined, so more energy goes into moving forward.

Hydrodynamics: The study of how fluids (like water) move and interact with objects.
Kinetic Chain: A series of interconnected body segments that transfer energy during movement.
Propulsive Force: The force generated that pushes an object forward through a fluid medium.