Health & Fitness

How to Master the Basic Swim Strokes

Stanislaw Pytel/Getty Images

by Adam Bible

Going full Nemo at the beach or pool can help you build muscle, burn calories, and give your achy joints and tendons a break from the gym.

But before you dive in, take some advice from Team Speedo’s David Marsh, head coach of the 2016 U.S. Women’s Olympic Swimming Team: “The best swimmers use smooth, rounded movements that are fluent, powerful, and work to reduce drag.” Click through for more techniques to swim like a pro.

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1. Freestyle

Elongate your spine and keep your eyes looking down.
Perform a steady kick with loose ankles.
Think about pulling with your forearms, not your hands. Breathe on every third stroke on opposite sides to help balance your motion.
Allow your arms to have a relaxed recovery and breathe low to the water.

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2. Backstroke

Elongate your spine with your head still and relaxed, as if you were lying on a pillow.
Do a steady kick but with little splashing—try to churn the water with your toes.
Pull your arm out of the water with the thumb leading, just beyond the hip.
Dip your hand in directly above the shoulder, then slightly bend the elbow to initiate the catch.

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3. Breaststroke

Bring your feet toward your butt, kick out with your soles, then “slam” your feet together and directly point your toes.
Do a small scoop pull with your arms and keep your elbows in front of your ribs.
Begin to breathe after the start of the pull and maintain head angle of 45 degrees.
Use a long, narrow extension of your arms, then glide and finish with a quick kick.

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4. Butterfly

Perform a steady dolphin-like movement from the head through the toes.
Make sure your thumbs enter the water directly in front of the shoulders.
Use an hourglass motion, accelerate your arms on the way up, and have both arms recover together.
Keep your head low, breathe at the start of the pull, and then breathe every other stroke.

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