Breastroke is an excellent swimming technique to learn for both recreation and competition. While it is the slowest stroke, perfecting coordination and technique can take some time. It is a great stroke to add to your repertoire if you only swim freestyle since it is relatively easy to start but challenging to master. The breaststroke swimming technique is worth learning and perfecting at any stage in your swimming career.
Breaststroke for beginners
Breastroke allows the swimmer to keep their head out of the water after each stroke. To begin the stroke, your body should remain flat with your face downwards. This may feel uncomfortable initially, but the proper technique will allow for more efficient strokes.
Your arm movements begin with the catch. Allow your arms to stretch outward before you but keep your hands together. From here, make a sweeping motion outwards. This will allow you to catch as much water as possible. Next, you must move your arms backward as if to pull the water. When pulling the water, move outward before your hands and forearms move inwards, allowing your body to propel forward.
The proper kick for breaststroke
It can be challenging to master the breaststroke kick. In breaststroke, the rush generates most of the force, especially after the arms recover. The proper breaststroke kick requires you to thrust your legs outward and back. Recover your leg stroke by allowing your heels to move towards your back before starting the next lift. There are many drills to practice this. You can use a kickboard to perfect this part of the proper breaststroke swimming technique.
Important steps in breaststroke
Unlike most other swimming strokes, the breaststroke technique is powered by the legs. It is often thought that leg power accounts for up to 70% of the breaststroke speed. While the breaststroke is a slower stroke, one of the essential steps for improving the swimming technique is keeping your legs narrow. This allows the stroke’s drag to be reduced while simultaneously generating a more fluid kick.
With reducing drag in mind, another critical step in maintaining the proper technique is not overpulling your arms. This may cause your elbows to derail proper breaststroke technique and efficiency. Another thing to keep in mind to maximize efficiency is to count your strokes. This will help you keep track of the distance you reach with each stroke. Remember that the quickest movements do not mean you will be the fastest swimmer. Instead, try to maximize each stroke, so you are getting the most out of our breaststroke technique.
Breaststroke Swimming Training Near Me
Regardless of how much swimming experience you have, getting proper instructions and training can allow your technique to improve exponentially. Choosing a swimming instructor should be a no-pressure process. If you are in the Miami area, Coach Slava has a team of swimming professionals with many years of experience. They work with both experienced and beginner swimmers. Watch Coach Slava’s website to take the first step into the water.