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Strokes in Swimming

The front crawl is the most common stroke and involves alternating arm movements with a flutter kick to propel forward. The backstroke is similar but done on your back with arms moving backwards and legs kicking. The breaststroke involves simultaneous arm movements in front with a whip kick of the legs. The butterfly requires bringing arms over the head and dolphin kicking the legs together. Floating involves crouching in the water and leaning back to lie horizontally on the surface.

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362 views4 pages

Strokes in Swimming

The front crawl is the most common stroke and involves alternating arm movements with a flutter kick to propel forward. The backstroke is similar but done on your back with arms moving backwards and legs kicking. The breaststroke involves simultaneous arm movements in front with a whip kick of the legs. The butterfly requires bringing arms over the head and dolphin kicking the legs together. Floating involves crouching in the water and leaning back to lie horizontally on the surface.

Uploaded by

John Merlin
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Freestyle/Front Crawl

The front crawl is likely the first swimming stroke you think of when
you picture swimming. It is commonly called the freestyle stroke as most
swimmers choose to use this stroke in freestyle events as it is the fastest.

To execute the front crawl, you lie on your stomach with your body
parallel to the water. Propel yourself forward with alternating arm
movements in a sort of windmill motion that starts by pushing underwater
and recovers above water. Your legs should propel you with a flutter kick,
which is performed with pointed feet as your legs move up and down in
alternation. Do not bend your legs at the knee.

Time your breathing to match your swimming strokes by turning your


head to the side while your arm is in the recovery (above water) position.
Do not turn your head too far and face upward or you will actually sink into
the water rather than remain above it.

Backstroke
The backstroke requires similar movements to the front crawl, but it is
done, as the name suggests, on your back. Doctors often recommend this
stroke to individuals with back problems as it provides a great back
workout.
To perform the backstroke, while floating on your back, alternate your
arms with a windmill-like motion to propel yourself backwards. Like the
front crawl, your arms should start the circular motion by pushing
underwater and recovering above water. Your legs should engage in a
flutter kick. Your face should be above the surface as you look straight up.

Keep your body as straight as possible, with a slight decline in the


lower body to keep your legs underwater. Don’t allow your hips to get too
low or your body to bend too much or it will slow you down. Keep your
legs close together and use the motion from your hips to get a more
powerful kick. Your face will remain out of the water, but you will still want
to be cognizant of your breathing rhythm. Again, match your breaths to
your strokes.

Breaststroke
The breaststroke is the slowest competitive swimming stroke, and it is
the most commonly learned stroke. It’s often taught to beginner swimmers
because it does not require putting your head underwater. However, in
competitive swimming, swimmers do submerge their head and breathe at
designated points in the stroke.
This stroke is performed with your stomach facing down. Your arms
move simultaneously beneath the surface of the water in a half circular
movement in front of your body. Your legs perform the whip kick at the
same time. The whip kick is executed by bringing your legs from straight
behind you close to your body by bending both at your knees and at your
hips. Your legs then move outward and off to the side before extending
and coming back together. This swimming technique is often compared to
a frog’s movement.

Time each arm stroke to match your leg movements for more
effective propulsion by resting the arms while the legs kick, and
straightening the legs while the arms push you forward. This way, there is
always something working to continue forward movement.

Butterfly
To perform the butterfly stroke, start horizontal with your stomach facing
the bottom of the pool. Bring your arms simultaneously over your head and
push them into the water to propel you forward and bring them up out of
the water again to repeat. As you move your arms into the water, you will
push your head and shoulders above the surface of the water.
Your legs will perform a dolphin kick, which requires your legs to stay
together and straight as you kick them similarly to how a dolphin’s lower
body and tail moves. Move your body in a fluid wave-like motion.

The best time to take a breath will be when your arms are just starting to
come out of the water, just before you begin the next forward thrust. Lift
your head straight in front of you during this move and do not turn your
head to the side.

FLOATING
• Stand in the shallow area of the pool, so as to have the water at waist
level.
• Crouch down so that the water gets as shoulder level.
• Spread your arms horizontally a part from the body
• Lean back in the water to get in to an oblique position.
• Push yourself away from the ground with your feet, with enough
momentum so that your legs move upward to the water surface.
• Lean on your back and straighten your body so that it forms a line
from head to toes, with arms spread apart.
• Slowly spread your legs apart.
• Keep your head, back and hips aligned, stay relaxed and breathe
calmly.

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