Table of Contents
Freestyle Floating …………………………………………………………………….…4 Legs movement……………………………………………………………......7 Common mistakes legs movement………...………………………………….9 Arm movement ……………………………………………………………….9 Common mistakes arm movement…………..………………………………13 Breathing ………………………………………………………………...….14 Timing and coordination ……………………………………………………16 How to dive in freestyle? ………………………………………………...…18 Rules and regulations in freestyle………………………………………..….22
Backstroke Body position (floating) ……………………………………………………25 Legs movement……………………………………………………………..27 Common mistakes legs movement………..………………………….……..28 Arm movement………………………………………………………….…..29 Common mistakes arm movement…………………………………………..31 Breathing ……………………………………………………………...….…33 Common mistakes in breathing ……………………………………………..33 Timing and coordination……………………………………………….........34
Breaststroke Body position ……………………………………………………………….35 Legs movements…………………………………………………………….39 Arm movements …………………………………………………………….41 Breathing ……………………………………………………………………43 Timing and coordination ……………………………………………………45 Rules and regulations in backstroke………………………………………....47 USA swimming rulebook and helpful links…………………………………48
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Floating 1-Relax 1- You have to relax. As soon as you master this, you will be able to “swim.” 2- Practice in shallow water until you have confidence in your natural ability to float. 3-Hold your breath for a short moment and feel yourself essentially weightless atop the water. Exhale and repeat. Note: If you can float, but you’re still tense still you have problem.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
2-Improve Your Float Mechanics Gently press your weight onto your shoulder blades and let your head relax into the water as if you are resting your head on a pillow. Or, if you are in streamline position facing the sky, press the top of your hands into the water. If your legs always sink, reach your hands above your head. By reaching your arms above your head, you are creating a longer support above your waist, which gives you more leverage for lifting your legs up to the surface.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
3-Strengthen Your Technique 1-Use your core strength to lift your lower body toward the surface. 2-The link between your mind and your body is powerful. 3- As you do this, stay relaxed.
Legs movement Note: The leg is extended as well as straight with the foot in a stretched (plantar flexed) position. The power from the leg kick rise comes from the thighs the knee flexes slightly. The foot is then allowed to rise ready for the downbeat. The movement of the legs is in the vertical plane although some lateral kicking might result from Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
rotation of the body in the longitudinal axis. The downbeat is powered from the hips once the leg has moved about 30cms the foot starts to whip downwards until the leg is fully extended. The foot is in an angled position toes touching.
1-Kick from the hip Many swimmers bend their knees too much whilst kicking - we call this kicking from the knee. This creates large amounts of drag and is probably the number one reason for a swimmer's legs to sink low in the water. Instead of kicking from the knee you should kick from the hip with a relatively straight leg. See the animated clips
2. Plantar flexed feet (Pointing Your Toes) Plantar flexion is technical jargon for pointing your toes. When you swim you should always have your toes pointed, this presents a much lower profile to the water. Not pointing your toes will push water forwards when you kick, slowing you dramatically.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Common Mistakes There are a few common mistakes in the flutter kick that decrease it's efficiency and hence should be avoided: 1-Large kick • 2-Bicycle kick 3-Bending your knee and pointing your toes during the upbeat •
Arm movement We have 6 steps in freestyle arm movement: 1- Entry. 2- Catch. 3- Pull. 4- Push. 5- Release. 6- Recovery
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Once the hands has passed the head, it enters the water with the fingertips first. The rest of the arm moves through the hole opened by the hand in the water and continues to move forward under the water until it is fully extended. The arm stroke cycle can start anew.
2- Catch: From the entry position the hand then moves forward, still remaining close to the surface of the water. When the arm is near full extension the hands sculls outwards and catches the water. From this position the hand sweeps downward with the elbow beginning to flex, thus ensuring that the hand keeps traveling in a downward direction. The elbow is kept high through the down sweep as the hand starts to accelerate.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
3- Pull: As the down sweep nears completion the elbow begins to increase in flexion and the pitch of the hand turns inward. The flexion continues throughout the in sweep until it reaches 90 degrees. The acceleration of the hand continues to increase throughout this phase.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
4- Push: Upsweep the upsweep is the last of the underwater phase of the arm pull. From the in sweep the hand pitch adjusts again to a backward and outward position. The fingers point the bottom of the pool till the final stages of the upsweep. When the hand passes the hip the wrist rotates, the palm turns inward and releases the water. This places the little finger close to the surface in preparation for the exit and recovery. The arm at this point is close to full extension. 5- Release: At the end of the upsweep no force should be applied because the forearm and hand are mostly moving upward. Otherwise water would be pushed upward, increasing drag and pushing the hips down. The shoulder, upper arm and elbow exit the water in that order, followed by the forearm and hand with the palm turned inward to minimize drag. 6- Recovery: The elbow leads the recovery phase and is followed by the land leaving the water, the tittle finger first. The moves forward close to the head in a relaxed position .The elbow remains flexed and higher than the hand throughout the recovery. The arm starts to extend forwards slightly in preparation for entry.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Common mistakes
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Breathing How to Breathe in the Front Crawl Stroke Let's now have an overview of the breathing technique used in the front crawl stroke:
During an arm recovery with breathing, you roll more on your side than during an arm recovery without breathing. This allows your face and mouth to clear the water and so you can inhale. The inhalation starts at the end of the upsweep (i.e. while your hand moves from below the chest toward the hip during the propulsive phase of the arm stroke), as soon as your mouth clears the water, and continues for the first half of the arm recovery on the breathing side. The second phase of the recovery lasts from the moment your recovering hand passes the head to the moment it is fully extended forward underwater. During this phase the shoulder and hence the body on the recovering side will roll downward while the other side will move upward. Your head will simply follow along and your face will turn downward. As a consequence you should start to exhale as soon as the face turns downward again. This prevents water entering into your mouth and nose. You should then exhale slowly and continuously until the next arm recovery with breathing. You should forcefully expel the remaining air from your lungs while rolling on your side to breathe so that you can inhale fresh air as soon as your mouth clears the water.
The exhalation starts as soon as the head rolls back down and continues for the rest of the stroke cycle Breathing Tips Here are some additional breathing tips for the front crawl stroke:
It is important to not hold your breath but to exhale continuously while your face is turned downward in the water. This allows you to be more relaxed.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Furthermore, there isn't enough time to both inhale and exhale while you are on your side and your mouth has cleared the water. As a consequence you must exhale all the air in the water before the mouth clears the water. Another problem with holding your breath while swimming is that it increases the pressure in your lungs and in your cardiovascular system. It seems that this can be detrimental for your heart if done over the course of many years. Personally I begin by exhaling through both the nose and the mouth. This allows me to expel any water that might have gotten in during the inhalation. Once I have expelled all the water from my mouth, I close it and exhale for the rest of the stroke cycle through the nose. Beginners often lift their head first then roll on their side to breathe in. However this causes their hips and legs to drop and should be avoided. The cause of this is lack of balance, and especially balance when floating on the side. Our swimming drills let you practice balance to correct this problem. On the other hand, if you observe experienced swimmers, you'll notice that when they breathe in it looks as if their head rests on the side on the water surface. They don't lift their head to breathe in. Additionally, don't anticipate the rotation of your body with your head. Roll your body as a unit and let your head follow along. Just rotate your head a little bit further at the end of the roll so that your mouth can clear the water. In my opinion it is important to be able to breathe on both sides, so that you can adapt to any situation you might encounter. For example, in a triathlon event you might be stuck with a competitor splashing water with his feet right into your face. If you can only breathe in on that side you have a problem. As explained above, always inhaling on the same side can make your stroke asymmetrical. This in turn makes you less efficient and can also lead to
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
swimming injuries, for example swimmer's shoulder. So it really is important to learn breathing on both sides. Finally, you can experiment with a nose clip to keep water out of your nose. This way you only have to avoid getting water in your mouth. Once you have internalized the coordination between breathing, arm movements and body roll you will be able to progress
Prefect Timing & Coordination for Smooth Swimming Front crawl timing and coordination usually occurs naturally and correct stroke timing is the result of your legs, arms and breathing in perfect harmony. Arms should provide a continuous power and propulsive alternating action whilst leg kicks also remain continuous and alternating. However, there are a few variations. Six beat cycle: each leg kicks three down kicks per arm cycle. The cycle is normally taught to beginners and used for sprint swims. Four beat cycle: each leg kicks down twice for each arm pull. Two-beat cycle: each leg kicks one downbeat per arm cycle. This timing cycle is normally used by long distance swimmers, where the leg kick acts as a counter balance instead of a source of propulsion. This is not recommended for beginners.
Do You Make These Front Crawl Timing Mistakes? These various timing and coordination cycles bring varying degrees of mistakes, the most common being an attempt to kick too fast.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
The required speed of the leg kick and therefore the timing cycle required for the stroke depends on the distance that is to be swum. A long distance swim requires the leg kick to counter balance the arm action, so the two beat cycle is best used. The short sprint requires a faster leg kick so the six beat cycle is needed so that the legs can provide more propulsion. It is easy to kick with a fast leg kick and unknowingly allow the arm action to also speed up. This results in a loss of arm technique and overall body shape leading to a poor and inefficient swimming stroke. Catch up is the best swimming exercise to not only establish correct timing and coordination cycle but to experiment with different timing cycles as the delayed arm action slows down the exercise. Catch up exercise along with many others can be found in the book below.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
How to Dive off a Starting Block In competitive swimming, a good dive off the starting block is essential to winning races and improving your times. If you watch any swimming star, such as Michael Phelps, you will notice that they all have a great dive that gets them far out into the pool in very little time. That of course is the goal of your dive. With some practice, you will have a better dive in no time.
1. Learn how to dive without a starting block. If you can't dive from flat ground into a pool, you definitely should not be diving off a starting block yet.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
2. Step onto the starting block, only once you have learned the basics of diving. Start by placing one of your feet on front so the toes of that foot are over the edge. Place your other foot about shoulder-width behind you. It doesn't matter which foot is in front, you can experiment with both to see which you can dive better with. You should be facing toward the pool, remembering to breathe until the starter or your coach says, "Take your mark."
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
3. Crouch down with your feet where they were and grab the front of the starting block with one hand at a time, once you hear, "take your mark." Bend down far enough so your chest is touching the top of your thighs. When you become better, you should be leaning enough forward so you feel like you could fall in at any time. Remember to remain still though until you hear the signal to go.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
4. Jump off the block by pushing forward off it with your arms and legs together once you are given the signal to go. In the air, your arms should quickly move into the streamline position above your head. As you hit the water, make sure your head is tucked in and that you straighten your body out after you enter the water to avoid going too deep. Begin dolphin kicking immediately unless you are doing breaststroke. If you are doing breaststroke then see the article for making a breaststroke pull-down.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Although freestyle refers to the ability to choose any stroke, the front crawl is most commonly chosen among swimmers. During a race, the competitor circles the arms forward in alternation and kicks the feet up and down about a foot apart (also known as flutter kick). Although competitors can do whatever they please during the freestyle stroke, it is not common to see someone doing dog paddle, or sidestroke during a race or competition. Stand-alone freestyle events can also be swum using one of the officially regulated strokes (breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke). For the freestyle part of medley competitions, however, one cannot use breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke. Freestyle competitions have also been swum completely and partially in other styles, especially at lower ranking competitions as some swimmers find their backstroke quicker than their front crawl. During the Olympic Games, front crawl is swum almost exclusively during freestyle. Some of the few rules are that swimmers must touch the end of the pool during each length and cannot push off the bottom or hang on the wall or pull on the lane lines during the course of the race. As with all competitive events, false starts are not allowed (the number of false starts depends upon the particular competitive rules for that competition).
Freestyle means "any style" for individual swims and any style but breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke for both the individual medley, and medley relay competitions. The wall has to be touched at every turn and upon completion. Some part of the swimmer must be above water at any time, except for the first 15 meters after the start and every turn. This rule was introduced (see History of swimming) to prevent swimmers from using the faster underwater swimming to their advantage, or even swimming entire laps underwater. The exact FINA rules are:
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Freestyle means that in an event so designated the swimmer may swim any style, except that in individual medley or medley relay events, freestyle means any style other than backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly Some part of the swimmer must touch the wall upon completion of each length and at the finish Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except it shall be permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 meters after the start and each turn. By that point the head must have broken the surface.
There are eight common competitions that are swum in freestyle swimming, both over either a long course (50 m pool) or a short course (25 m pool). The United States also employs short course yards (25 yard pool).
50 m freestyle 100 m freestyle 200 m freestyle 400 m freestyle (500 yards for short course yards) 800 m freestyle (1000 yards for short course yards) Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
1500 m freestyle (1650 yards for short course yards) 4×50 m freestyle relay 4×100 m freestyle relay 4×200 m freestyle relay
Young swimmers (typically 8 years old and younger) have the option to swim a 25 yard/meters freestyle event. Freestyle is also part of the medley over the following distances:
100 m individual medley (short 25 m pool only) 200 m individual medley 400 m individual medley 4×100 m medley relay
In the long distance races of 800 m and 1500 m, some meets hosted by FINA (including the Olympics) only have the 800 m distance for women and the 1500 m distance for men. However, FINA does keep records in the 1500 meters distance for women and the 800 meters distance for men, and the FINA World Championships, as well as many other meets, have both distances for both genders. And I need to add some additions: 1- After dive and turn the swimmer should break the water with his head. 2- Not allowed any swimmer jump before the signal. 3- You can swim any stroke during freestyle race except relay races. 4- Before the race start we have different beeps: - 3 beeps: swimmer should take his clothes off and wait behind the block. - Long beep: swimmer should be in the block and ready for the race, then the referee to say take your mark then small beep to start the race. 5- In relay race should the swimmer before dive his teammate touch the wall finish. 6- We have 10 lanes in the Olympic swimming pool, but we using only 8 lanes (each lane 2 meters except first and last lane 2.5 meters). 7- Eight swimmers participate in swimming competition and also in relay team eight teams. 8- You can touch with any part of your body in race finish.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
For Easy Smooth and Efficient Swimming Backstroke body position is flat and horizontal, with ears slightly below the water surface. Your body position is an essential starting point for correct swimming technique. Correct Body Position for Easy Swimming Good floaters will find this position relaxing and relatively easy, whereas poor floaters will find it difficult to achieve a comfortable head position.
The head remains still throughout the stroke with the eyes looking slightly down the body at a point the swimmer is swimming away from. The head position is important because a raised head makes it more difficult to keep the hips raised in the correct position which leads to a sitting type position in the water. The hips and shoulders remain at or near the water surface but roll with the stroke. The legs and feet should be extended and remain together to maximize efficiency, with knees remaining below the water surface. Backstroke Body Position Mistakes That Cause You to Sink Ever get that feeling that you are sinking when you swim on your back? It is very common to allow the legs to drop and the body position to become angled in the water without knowing it is happening. This is usually caused either by allowing the hips to drop or lifting the head slightly or a combination of both. As the legs drop deeper the whole stroke becomes less efficient and more energy consuming. Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Performing a push and glide from holding the poolside is a good way of testing how flat you can remain. Ensure that you look upwards as you push away and stretch out so that your hips, legs and feet rise to the surface. The overall body position is easily maintained with a correct and efficient leg kick.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Legs movements Do You Kick Correctly? Legs should be stretched out with toes pointed (plantar flexed) and ankles should be relaxed and loose with toes pointing slightly inwards. The amount of propulsion generated from the kick will depend on the size of the feet, ankle mobility and strength of the legs. The knee should bend slightly and then straighten as the leg kicks upwards. Toes should kick to create a small splash but not break the water surface.
During specific leg practices the legs kick in a vertical plane. However, the arm action causes the body to roll making the legs kick part sideways, part vertical and partly to the other side.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Common Backstroke Kick Mistakes The most common fault with the leg kick during back stroke is closely related to the body position, when the swimmer allows their legs to sink well below the water surface. The toes should just break the water surface and the legs kicking from the hip with a slight bend at the knee. An easy exercise to help maintain leg kick technique at the correct level in the water is to hold a float or kick board across the chest and perform the leg kick. The float will provide support so that the swimmer can focus on kicking up towards the water surface whilst maintaining a level head and level hips. Only then will the leg kick be at its most efficient.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Arm movements Simple and Effective Swimming Technique Backstroke arms provide the power and drive for backstroke so correct technique is a must. There are two possible arm actions for backstroke. The bent arm pull, which is more effective because it is faster and has greater propulsion, and the straight arm pull used in more recreational swimming. Which Arm Technique Is Best For You? Straight Arm Pull Entry The arm should be straight and as in line with the shoulder as possible. Hand should be turned with palm facing outwards and little finger entering the water first. Propulsive phase (push) The arm sweeps through the water in a semi-circle, pulling with force just under the water surface, pulling to the outside of the hips.
Recovery The thumb or the back of the hand should exit the water first. The shoulders roll again with the shoulder of the recovering arm rolling upwards. The arm rotates through 180 degrees over the shoulder. The palm is turned outwards during recovery to ensure that the hand enters the water little finger first.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Bent Arm Pull This version of backstroke arm action is used more by competitive swimmers. As the arm pulls through to completion, the overall path should follow the shape of the letter S.
1- Entry The entry is the same as the straight arm pull, with the little finger entering first, the palm facing out and the arm close to the shoulder line. 2- Catch (downward sweep): The palm should always face the direction of travel. The shoulders roll and the elbow bends slightly as the arm sweeps downwards and outwards. 3- Pull (upwards sweep): As the hand sweeps in line with the shoulder, the palm changes pitch to sweep upwards and inwards. The elbow should then bend to 9o degrees and point to the pool floor. 4- Push (second Downward sweep): The arm action then sweeps inwards towards the thigh and the palm faces downwards. The bent arm action is completed with the arm fully extended and the hand pushing downwards to counter balance the shoulder roll. 5- Release and recovery: The thumb or the back of the hand should exit the water first. The shoulders roll again with the shoulder of the recovering arm rolling upwards. The arm rotates through 180 degrees over the shoulder. The palm is turned outwards during recovery to ensure that the hand enters the water little finger first.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Do Your Backstroke Arms Have These Common Mistakes? Two common faults cause backstroke arms to become weak and the overall stroke inefficient. Firstly the upper arm must brush past the ear and the edge of the hand must enter the water in line with the shoulder. If the hand enters the water wide of the shoulder line then the arm pull with be incomplete and lack power.
Secondly it is very common to perform one arm pull at a time. In other words one arm completes a full arm pull cycle before the second arm begins its arm cycle. The arm pulls for back stroke should be continuous where one arm begins to pull as the other arm begins to recover. Practicing the arm technique whilst holding a float on the chest is a good way of ensuring the hand is entering in line with the shoulder and that the arm pull is complete. Once this has been mastered then the swimmer can practice the full stroke ensuring the arms are performing continuous cycles.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Breathing Correct Breathing Technique for Easy Swimming Backstroke breathing should be relaxed and easy, due to the supine body position and face being out of the water throughout the stroke. Correct breathing makes the whole stroke easier. Most swimmers are neither aware of the way in which they breathe, nor the pattern of breathing or point at which a breath is taken. Breathing should be in time with recovery of each arm, breathing in with one arm recovery and out with the other. This encourages a breath to be taken at regular intervals. A regular breathing pattern should be encouraged to prevent breath holding, particularly in beginners.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Common Backstroke Breathing Mistakes Breath holding is a common mistake made when swimming this stroke and the result is a very tired and breathless swimmer. Do you ever feel like you become out of breathe very quickly when swimming this stroke? It goes without saying that swimming contains a very large element of fitness and stamina but this is only one factor. Breathing technique is essential and it is very common for swimmers, especially beginners to hold their breath without knowing they are doing so. Performing the stroke slowly at first or with floats to provide support, swimmers must breathe out and then in again in time with each arm pull. Try to establish a rhythm of breathing through each stroke cycle and this will help to prevent breath holding and unnecessary tiredness and exhaustion. An established breathing rhythm will help to maintain the timing and coordination of the arms and legs as they pull and kick. It will also assist the swimmer to relax and therefore swim with a calm, controlled and smooth swimming stroke.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Timing and coordination Improve Your Timing and Swim Smooth Backstroke timing and coordination of arms and legs develops with practice. A smooth and effortless stroke is achieved with correct timing and coordination. Ideally there should be 6 leg kicks to one arm cycle. The opposite leg kicks downwards at the beginning of each arm pull. This helps to balance the body. This may vary according to the swimmer’s level of coordination. Arm action should be continuous. When one arm enters and begins to pull, the other should begin its recovery phase. Like front crawl, the timing and coordination for this stroke can be a 6 beat, 4 beat or one beat cycle, depending on the ability and level of coordination of the swimmer.
Common Backstroke Timing Mistakes That Cost Energy A common mistake is performing one arm cycle at a time, resulting in an uneven and unbalanced stroke overall. Timing and coordination problems occur with back stroke when the legs are allowed to sink below the water surface and the arm lose their continuity and pull one are at a time. Counting in your head can sometimes help to maintain stroke rhythm and timing. If you are able to perform a 6 beat cycle then you should count to 3 during each arm pull, therefore kicking 3 legs kicks per arm pull. If a one beat cycle comes more naturally then there should be one leg kick for each arm pull. Performing the stroke slowly at first will help to establish the rhythm and timing and only when you are proficient swimming at a slow steady pace should you try to increase speed. With increases in speed comes the greater potential for the timing and coordination to become disrupted and the overall swimming stroke to lose it efficiency.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
Body Position Make yours smooth and efficient Breaststroke body position is the most important starting point when learning to swim this stroke. Get this wrong and your stroke will be hard work. The overall shape and body position should be inclined slightly downwards from the head to the feet.
The body should be as flat and streamlined as possible with an inclination from the head to the feet so that the leg kick recovery takes place under the water. The head movement should be kept to a minimum and the shoulders should remain level throughout the stroke. The main aim should be good streamlining, however the underwater recovery movements of the arms and legs together with the lifting of the head to breathe, all compromise the overall body position.
In order to reduce resistance created by these movements, as the propulsive phase of an arm pull or leg kick takes place, the opposite end of the body remains still and streamlined. In other words, as the legs kick to provide propulsion, the arms should be extending forwards to create the optimum streamlined body position at the front. Similarly as the arms begin to pull around, the legs should be in their glide phase to create the same streamlined body position at the back. It is common for beginners to have a greater angled body position with the legs deeper underwater. This is especially the case for nervous beginners cautious about lifting their feet up from the pool floor.
Common Breaststroke Body Position Mistakes The most common mistake with the body position for breast stroke is being too flat in the water. The cause of this usually being the face is submerged too much causing the hips, legs and feet to rise to the surface. This could then make lifting the face to the front to breathe more difficult. It could also lead to the feet breaking the surface of the water as they kick and therefore losing power. The angled body position can be perfected with a simple push and glide exercise. Push and glide from the poolside either holding a float or without, but with the head and face up above the water surface.
Breaststroke Exercises Finding the right breaststroke exercises is essential to learning and improving your basic technique in a straight forward, step-by-step way. Break down your breaststroke into simple steps with these easy to follow exercises. Once you have fine-tuned each part, piece it back together again and swim a smoother, more efficient breaststroke.
Example breaststroke exercise Being able to practice each individual stroke part makes learning the stroke quicker and correcting bad habits easier. It allows you to learn each aspect of basic breaststroke one step at time and really focus in on the finer details of the technique. Each exercise contains: Description of the aim of the exercise. Photograph of the exercise being performed. A list of technique tips. Key focus points. A simplified illustration.
Breaststroke Kick Technique Breaststroke kick is the powerhouse of breaststroke swimming stroke. Get this wrong and you go nowhere. The leg action provides the largest amount of propulsion in the stroke and swimmers will favor a wedge kick or a whip kick depending on which comes most naturally. Either way, the kick is a vital component of the timing and coordination of the overall stroke. During breast stroke it is important for a swimmer or swimming teacher to recognize the difference between the wedge kick and the whip kick. Get Power from Your Breaststroke Kick Correct technique is essential for maximizing the propulsion and momentum gained from a good leg kick. For a whip kick, the legs kick in a whip-like action with the knees remaining close together. For a wedge kick the legs kick in a wider, more deliberate circular path.
The leg kick as a whole should be a simultaneous and flowing action, providing the majority of the propulsion.
Knees bend as the heels are drawn up towards the seat and toes are turned out ready for the heels and soles of the feet to drive the water backwards. Turning the feet out and exposing the soles of the feet to the water gives a larger surface area from which to provide power for the kick than if the toes and feet remained pointed backwards. The legs sweep outwards, around and slightly downwards in a flowing circular path, accelerating as they kick and return together and straight, providing a streamlined body position.
Common Leg Kick Mistakes The feet cause most of the problems when it comes to kicking. Failure to turn the feet out will result in a lack of power and that feeling of going nowhere. Failure to turn out both feet and only turning out one foot will result in something known as a screw kick. This is where one leg kicks correctly and the other swings around providing no propulsion at all. The best exercise for correcting these common faults is to swim on your back (supine) with a woggle or noodle held under the arms for support. Then the swimmer is able to sit up slightly and watch their own leg kick as they perform it.
Breaststroke Arms Make yours smooth and efficient The amount of propulsion generated from breaststroke arms has developed over the years as the stroke has changed to become more competitive. For an in-depth look at all aspects of breaststroke, including practical exercises to help perfect the technique. Breaststroke Made Easy
The arm pull technique can be broken down into three parts. Those parts being: Catch - as the hands begin to pull. Propulsion - as the arms pull to generate some movement. Recovery - as the hands and arms return to the catch position.
Breaststroke Arms Step-By-Step
Catch: Arm action begins with the arms fully extended out in front, fingers and hands together. Hands pitch outwards and downwards to an angle of about 45 degrees at the start of the catch phase. Arms pull outwards and downwards until they are approximately shoulder width apart. Elbows begin to bend and shoulders roll inwards at the end of the catch phase.
Propulsive phase: The arms sweep downwards and inwards and the hands pull to their deepest point. Elbows bend to 90 degrees and remain high. At the end of the down sweep, the hands sweep inwards and slightly upwards. Elbows tuck into the sides as the hands are pulled inwards towards the chest and the chin.
Recovery: Hands recover by stretching forwards in a streamlined position and they recover under, on or over the water surface, depending on the style of stroke to be taught.
ď ą
Do You Make These Common Mistakes?
The arm technique for this stroke usually becomes the dominant force when it should not. It is very common for swimmers to put more effort into pulling themselves through the water, when it should be the leg kick providing the power and momentum. In an attempt to haul themselves through the water the arm pull is too big and too wide. It is not uncommon to pull arms completely to the side, making for a inefficient recovery under the water surface, which will almost certainly result in the swimmer slowing down. An easy exercise to practice to help perfect the arm pull technique is to walk slowly through shallow water of about shoulder depth, ensuring the arms pull in small circles and the hands remain in front of the swimmer at all times. They should also extend forwards and remain there momentarily for the glide phase
Breaststroke Breathing Technique When to breathe in and when to breathe out Breaststroke breathing usually occurs naturally as overall breaststroke technique action has a natural body lift which gives the ideal breathing point with each stroke. Inhalation takes place at the end of the insweep as the body allows the head to lift clear of the water. The head should be lifted enough for the mouth to clear the surface and inhale, but not excessively so as to keep the frontal resistance created by this movement to a minimum.
Breaststroke Made Easy The head returns to the water to exhale as the arms stretch forward to begin their recovery phase. For an in-depth look at all aspects of breaststroke including practical exercises to help practice and perfect the techniques.
Explosive or Trickle Breathing? Trickle breathing is generally easier and less energy consuming. The act of breathing in and out as you swim is more comfortable than holding your breath. Performing explosive in and out breaths in a short time can be very exhausting. Some swimmers perform the stroke with the head raised throughout to keep the mouth and nose clear of the water at all times. This simplifies the overall breathing technique. Correct breathing technique is essential to maintain a smooth swimming stroke
ď ą Do You Make These Common Breaststroke Breathing Mistakes? Some beginners experience difficulty breathing during breaststroke. The two main reasons are:  Failing to lift the head enough to clear the water surface and inhale  Holding the breath and therefore failing to breathe out into the water This swimming stroke needs a powerful leg kick and it is this leg kick that gives a natural body lift. Together with the arm action there should be enough lift to enable the mouth to clear the water surface to inhale. The most common mistake made with the breathing technique for breaststroke is failing to exhale during the glide phase making it impossible to inhale again, or forcing the swimmer to use an explosive breathing technique. Although explosive breathing is a valid breathing technique for this swimming stroke, it is usually only used competitively. When swum recreationally, exhaling during the glide phase of the stroke is more efficient and uses less energy. Using a woggle or swim noodle under the arms provides support and allows the swimmer to swim in slow motion whilst practicing the breathing technique. Extending the body into a long glide as exhalation takes place ensures the breathing takes place at the same time as keeping the stroke at its most efficient.
Breaststroke Timing and Coordination
Get That Smooth Effortless Swimming Stroke Breaststroke timing and coordination is a continuous alternating action, where one propulsive phase takes over as one ends. For an in-depth look at all aspects of breaststroke including practical exercises to practice and help perfect the technique. Breaststroke Made Easy Incorrect timing will make good leg kick and arm techniques cancel each other out and render them ineffective. The timing and coordination for breaststroke can be summed up with the following sequence: Pull - Breathe - Kick - Glide A good way of practicing the timing sequence is to perform it in slow motion. Forget trying to cover any distance at first and just practice each part, one at time. In a short time you will find the pieces all falling into place and you swimming along without really trying. Correct Timing Sequence = Smooth Breaststroke
If
remembering the sequence and getting it together is tricky, try 'kicking your hands forwards'. In other words, as your legs kick back in their circular action, your arms should be stretching forwards. A streamlined body position at the end of the timing sequence is essential to capitalize on the propulsive phases of the stroke. The timing can be considered in another way: when the arms are pulling in their propulsive phase, the legs are streamlined and when the legs are kicking to provide propulsion, the arms are streamlined.
Full body extension, where the legs and arms are together and streamlined, is essential for the glide phase before the start of the next stroke cycle. Competitive variations in stroke timing can be found by decreasing or even eliminating the glide and using the arm and leg actions in an almost continuous stroke to give more propulsion.
Common Breaststroke Timing Mistakes As this stoke is a simultaneous stroke it is very common to kick with the legs and pull with the arms at the same time. The result will be a very inefficient swimming stroke as the arms and legs counter act each other. To ensure the timing and coordination of the arms and legs are correct the swimmer must focus on performing an arm pull followed by a leg kick, or on 'kicking their hands forwards'. In other words as their legs kick round and back, their arms must extend forwards. This ensures that the arms and legs are working efficiently and are extended out together during the glide phase.
BACKSTROKE 1 Prior to the starting signal, the swimmers shall line up in the water facing the starting end, with both hands holding the starting grips. Standing in or on the gutter or bending the toes over the lip of the gutter is prohibited. 2 At the signal for starting and after turning the swimmer shall push off and swim upon his back throughout the race except when executing a turn as set forth in SW 6.4. The normal position on the back can include a roll movement of the body up to, but not including 90 degrees from horizontal. The position of the head is not relevant.
3 Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race. It is permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn, at the finish and for a distance of not more than 15 meters after the start and each turn. By that point the head must have broken the surface. 4 When executing the turn there must be a touch of the wall with some part of the swimmer’s body in his/her respective lane. During the turn the shoulders may be turned over the vertical to the breast after which a continuous single arm pull or a continuous simultaneous double arm pull may be used to initiate the turn. The swimmer must have returned to the position on the back upon leaving the wall. 5 Upon the finish of the race the swimmer must touch the wall while on the back in his/her respective lane. Backstroke races: 1- 50 meters. 2- 100 meters. 3- 200 meters.
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak
USA SWIMMING RULEBOOK 2015 USA Swimming Rulebook 2015 USA Swimming Mini-Rulebook 2014 USA Swimming Rulebook 2014 USA Swimming Mini-Rulebook
HELPFUL LINKS FAQS USOC Website USADA Website FINA Website Our Kids Initiative - aligning rules from different swimming organizations
Coach. Ahmed Abdulrazak