Perfecting Breaststroke for Competitive Swimming

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Constant stroke improvement is a key element of Swimfit. So to make sure you are squeezing the most out of your time in the pool here are a few breaststroke tips and videos.

As a competitive swimmer we don't have to tell you how important it is to perfect your strokes so we have developed some advice from the experts at the ASA.

On this page you'll find tips and videos to guide you - note there's no sound to the videos, only action.

If you want to get into greater detail try our Ask The Expert facility. Before you do, check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page first to see if the answer has already been provided.

In the water

Your body position should be with your head facing forward in line with your body.
Keep your shoulders, hips and legs as horizontal as possible but slope your body slightly to allow the leg kick to stay beneath the water.
The leg kick uses your core and abdomen muscles more than freestyle so it’s important to not to let your hips drop in the water. Your legs should be behind you rather than below you.
Try to keep your neck and shoulders as relaxed as possible to aid the arm action and reduce strain. Look downwards as you glide to avoid straining your neck.

Arm action

From the glide position the hands should be pitched down and out.
Keep your elbows high as you skull your hands out and round.
Your hands should then sweep back in to the body as though they were to meet at the upper chest.
Try not to sweep your arms too wide – remember much of the propulsion comes from the legs – not the arms.
Your hands can recover under or over the water but your elbows should remain below the surface.
Your arms can then stretch forward with your hands close together to restart the arm action.

Kicking

In contrast to front crawl, the majority of propulsion comes from the leg kick.
Your knees should be just a little over hip-width apart, facing down, slightly out behind the hip line.
Turn your feet out as they sweep out and backwards in a circular action. Keep your feet flexed rather than loose.
The legs finish together, long and in a streamlined position with the feet in-toed.
The legs are recovered to bring the heels towards the seat with the soles of the feet facing outwards. Concentrate on bringing your feet to your bum rather than your knees to your chest.

Timing

Good timing of the arm action and leg kick are imperative to make the most out of your breaststroke.
Try to time your arm action and leg kick so there is always something propelling you through the water.
The arms will be propulsive while the legs recover and the legs propulsive while the hands recover.

Breathing

Lift your shoulder to bring your face out of the water to breathe. Don’t raise your head – let the head naturally rise with the shoulders so your chin is resting just above the water.
Lifting your head rather than your shoulders can lead to back pain and lowers your hips which will increase resistance.
Inhale through your mouth before letting your shoulders drop as you sweep with your arms. Exhalation usually occurs explosively during the glide.

Turning

Your hands should touch the wall simultaneously below, at, or above the water surface.
Rotate your body on its side as the hips pike, knees tuck and feet plant on the wall.
Move your higher hand over your head to spear and push through the water as your kick off from the wall.
Stay streamlined and parallel to the water with your chin on your chest after extending your legs.
Perform one long, propulsive arm action with your hands staying close to the body line and finishing at your thighs.
Keeping your hands close under your body, bring your arms back to the front of your head and powerfully kick to continue momentum.
As you lift your head, start your regular arm action with your head breaking the surface before the hands being to sweep back to the body.

Useful?

Talk

10

1.39pm 23rd March 2013
Tony Mullord from Billericay England

2 1/2 years ago I was fitted with a dynamic hip screw after breaking my hip. I was told not to do the breaststroke leg kick in future
A friend tells mer that this is disputed by some
What is your advice please?
I am 76 yo
Thanks
9

1.34pm 23rd March 2013
Tony Mullord from Billericay England

About 2 and a half years ago I broke my right hip and was fitted with a dynamic hip screw. I was told not to do the breaststroke leg kick. A friend tells me that there isn’t agreement about this. What is your advice pleas? I am 76 yo.
Thanks
Tony
8

11.57am 4th March 2013
Sandra Burgess from shropshire

Have had a discussion with a comprehensive school PE teacher today during which he asserted that it did not really matter that he was teaching children to do a leg kick before arm pull when starting the breaststroke length as it “all comes right in the end anyway”, but as an ASA FIoS I disagreed. Has any one else come across this thinking amongst non swimming teacher PE staff as all the staff in my school teach in this way (even telling the children that to use an arm pull first is totally wrong) and it is driving me crazy, particularly when they will not even concede that they might be wrong. Just wondered if this is a fault of their initial training?
7

10.27pm 26th October 2012
bensdad

Competitive swimmers always appear to come fairly high out of the water with a real force downwards. I have read tips saying not to come out so high as its waited energy and you should aim to pull your body out of the water to the minimum amount. Can you advise whats best?
6

9.02pm 16th September 2012
Motoko

How can upper body can come out high from water?
Would it be related flexibility of the back rather than how to pull arms?
5

8.03pm 16th January 2012
sophie from cornwall

good info here guys
4

11.12am 20th December 2011
procoach from kent

janet
you mention that you cannot do weight training however many people think and have a stereotype that you must lift huge weights and there is a high risk of injury .
in my opinion you should invest in a light set of dumbbells 2x1kg and these will not be hard at all for anyone to lift nor will they build muscle, and they should not affect your condition being so light. . Indeed I have a pair and have noticed significant speed increases whilst using them. Also they will tone and strenghthen existing muscle tissue. the variety of exercises that can be performed with dumbbells are amazing from abs to triceps to biceps to chest to shoulder and the list goes on !!!
So that covers strength but remember to buy a light pair( under3kg’s each). Also remember to complete high reps/numbers of each exercises for example bicep curls for as long as possible ( should be over a minute.
For aerobic exercises you should think about cycling . A bike ride for an hour a week or more will do you the world of good and increases you cardiovascular fitnness, a component of fitness vital for swimming
a 1000 m of breastroke woul take approximately this long in the following ages for an average swimmer
15-30 yrs- 22mins
30-40 yrs 25mins
40-50- 29mins
50-55-32mins
55-65 35mins
65+ 40mins+

(these are rough guidelines and various factors will affect the swimmers times)
3

10.31pm 23rd August 2011
JANET EDGEj from WORKINGTON CUMBRIA

I have been swimming for over 40 years, but took about 9 years out after breaking my spine, having breast cancer and then losing my husband. I got back into the pool about 2 months ago and have gradually built up my stamina.
I have always been a strong swimmer, but find now I am going at least 4 times a week and swimming at least 1000 metres breaststroke each time.
Initially I am swimming to keep in shape, to help my recovery, stop the old body stiffening up. I was just wondering how long should it take to swim this far? Although I have noticed a change in body shape, I have put on weight, I know muscle is heavier than fat, can you recommend anything else I can do to promote weight loss .
I am a fruitarian, so basically live on fruits, salads and chicken. I don’t eat fast foods, take alcohol in moderation, and basically need a little advice on how to get more toned.
I can’t do weight training because of the spine, I also have osteoarthritis.
Does anyone have any advice out there for me
2

12.26pm 11th March 2011
Frank (British Swimming) from Loughborough

Hi Bryan

Quoting the FINA swimming rule:

SW 7.2 All movements of the arms shall be simultaneous and on the same horizontal plane without alternating movement.

Full and comprehensive rules on all stokes can be found on the FINA website HERE
1

8.44am 11th March 2011
Bryan West from jeddah

Regarding the leg kick and keeping the movement on one plane. Given the slight vertical body undulation , how much vertical leg movement (not intentional kicking ) is allowed in competition swimming before it becomes illegal?