Lap Swim Techniques

Swimming can provide a total body workout if performed correctly, thanks to a series of strokes designed to propel the body through the water at accelerated speeds. Unfortunately, the benefits of swimming can be lost on someone who does not perform the strokes correctly. Honing your technique not only gives you a better workout, but also aids in making you faster.

  1. Breastroke

    • The breastroke is one of the more difficult strokes to perfect. The stroke itself, when performed correctly, resembles a frog swimming, with the legs bending at the knees and then shooting to the sides, propelling the water around them. For better technique, bend the knees to bring the heels into the groin area. Thrust the legs out from the hips and straight back, snapping the legs together as fast as you can. This is often called the "frog kick." Begin with the arms straight ahead. Keeping the arms straight and the hands cupped, swing the arms out in sync with the leg kick. As you draw them back into the body, you may bend at the elbows, keeping them close to the chest before shooting them straight back out again. As you swing the arms out, your head will dip under water slightly. Keep the shoulders close to the ears and the face toward the water. Breathe every time you draw the arms the chest and the head returns above water.

    Butterfly

    • Widely considered the most difficult swim stroke, a perfect butterfly stroke requires a lot of strength in the abdomen and the shoulders. Glue your legs together, knees slightly bent. Focus on using your abs to move your bottom up and down, essentially kicking the legs together with every movement. This kick is often referred to as the "mermaid" or "dolphin" kick. Begin with the arms straight above the head and your two hands flat and clasped on top of one another. As you begin kicking, swing the arms below the body, hands cupped, keeping them as close to the body as possible. As the arms come up by the torso, swing them overhead to the starting position and begin again. There should be two kicks per stroke, and a breath with every stroke. Like the breastroke, keep the shoulder close to the ears.

    Freestyle

    • The freestyle stroke is considered an easier stroke. When performed correctly, it primarily works the abdomen, shoulders, buttocks and calves. Begin with the legs together, toes pointed. Alternate kicking each leg up and down, keeping the toes pointed. Ideally, legs should stay at the surface of the water, producing a large splash of water with each kick. Begin with the arms pointed straight in front of the face. Alternate bringing each elbow back to the chest and then reaching it up and out of the water, back to the starting position. Cup the hands for extra speed. You should take a breath every third stroke. To breathe, turn the head to the side under the curvature formed by the arm that is out of the water. As you stroke, imagine the body is on a rotisserie, and the body is turning from side to side as your stroke. This will improve your form.

    Backstroke

    • Similar to the freestyle stroke, backstroke is considered the easiest of the strokes due, in large part, to breathing not being inhibited. Perform the same actions as the freestyle, but instead, float on your back in the water. You will repeat the same windmill stroke and flutter kick performed during the freestyle. The trick to backstroke is not swimming to one side of the lane, which can happen if you're stroking more powerfully with one arm than the other.