The idea that triathletes should “save their legs” during the swim is one I don’t fully agree with. That said, I’ll admit there’s a degree of truth to it—after all, both cycling and running are extremely leg-dominant. But the belief that holding back your kick in the water is a smart strategy? That’s where I disagree.

Swimming is exceptionally demanding because water is about 800 times denser than air. If you’ve ever tried running through water, you know how difficult it feels. Drag resists your movement in a way that makes progress slow and exhausting. Instinctively, you’d lean forward to push through more efficiently. Now, take that idea further: if you shift from leaning forward to becoming horizontal, you dramatically reduce your surface area and resistance. And to stay horizontal, you need to kick.

The difference in drag between your entire torso and just the tops of your shoulders and head is enormous. If you stop kicking altogether—or kick very little and incorrectly—your legs will drop, dragging behind you at an angle. This not only slows you down but also increases the energy cost of swimming.

On the other hand, kicking just enough to keep your legs at the surface improves balance and allows your body to stay streamlined. Lowering your head slightly can also help lift your legs, further reducing drag. With better balance, your momentum carries you forward more smoothly, and swimming begins to feel less like a struggle and more like a rhythm.

In short: learning to kick correctly isn’t about wasting energy—it’s about saving it. A well-timed, efficient kick helps you stay balanced, horizontal, and streamlined, which means you’ll finish the swim faster, conserve energy, and start the bike and run in a much better position.