How to Push Down the Upper Body in Freestyle Swimming

In the freestyle swim stroke, the swimmer makes five distinct motions to complete the stroke: the reach, the catch, the pull, the push and the recovery. This stroke is the fastest forward stroke and any avid swimmer should learn how to freestyle at some point. When freestyle swimming, your upper body should be submerged in the water and your hips should be slightly elevated to give you more speed.

Instructions

    • 1

      Practice the freestyle swim stroke very slowly at first, thinking out each of the five steps. As you do this, focus on keeping your upper body down in the water and your hips slightly forward. The freestyle stroke takes a bit of practice to get each movement perfect, and practicing it slowly will help you improve your overall form.

    • 2

      Keep your eyes focused on a line running along the bottom of the pool. This will help you keep your head in the water and push down your upper body for a streamlined motion.

    • 3

      Pull your chin in slightly toward your chest, while still looking forward at the bottom of the pool. Doing this will also bring your upper body slightly deeper into the water. Don’t bring your chin in too far or your upper body will sink too deep into the water, decreasing speed.

    • 4

      Keep your hips slightly elevated. As you do this, your upper body will naturally be pushed a bit deeper into the water.