Description of the Freestyle Stroke

The freestyle stroke in swimming is defined as a race in which each competitor has a free choice as to which stroke she uses. The term "freestyle" actually refers to a style of swimming, rather than a specific stroke. FINA, the Federation Internationale de Natation, is the governing body responsible for aquatic sports and sets the rules for freestyle.

  1. Definition

    • The front crawl stroke is usually, but not always, used during a freestyle race. Any stroke technically can be used, although the breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly can't be a swimmer's chosen freestyle stroke if the event is a medley event, as those strokes are used in a specific order.

    Different Strokes

    • The front crawl is swum flat on your stomach with your legs stretched behind you and one of your arms in front of you. While your arms propel you through the water, your legs are kicking up and down--known as the flutter kick. The breaststroke is a favorite with fitness swimmers. Your arms go through the water in a circular formation with the legs performing a frog kick at the same time. It can be hard to coordinate arm and leg movement.

      Also known as back crawl, the backstroke is swum on the back. The arms alternate through the water while the hips and shoulders roll slightly during this stroke, and the kicks should be from the knees. In the butterfly stroke, your arms go through a push, pull and a recovery, and must come out of the water on every stroke. Both arms work together in a circular motion to pull you along, as your body moves in a wave-like motion with the hips going up as the chest is pressed down. The kick is often called a "dolphin kick."

    Competition

    • Eight different freestyle competition distances are swum either in a long course (50-meter) or short course (25-meter) pool. In the United States, 25-yard pools are also used. The main rules include that the wall has to be touched at the end of every length and at the finish, and some part of the swimmer must be above water at all times during the race, apart from the first 15 meters after the start of each length, to prevent faster underwater swimming from being used.

    Comparison

    • The front crawl is the fastest stroke, but other strokes have benefits, too. The backstroke, often called the back crawl, is also fast, although the swimmer must rely on stroke count as he can't see where he's going. Although slower, the breaststroke can still be swum in a powerful way, while the butterfly is widely regarded as the toughest to learn.

    Better Freestyle

    • Swimmers who want to improve their front crawl technique should think about the head and spine being the axis on which the shoulders and hips rotate through the stroke. The head should be kept as still as possible, with the shoulders and hips rotating around the head and spine. When breathing, the head should move at the same time as the rotation. For breaststroke, you should concentrate on keeping your body streamlined: arms straight when they move forward and when you kick, keep your legs tight.

      To get the most out of backstroke, rotate your body as with the front crawl, keeping your head as still and relaxed as possible. With the butterfly, much of the power is generated from your mid-section. The stronger your stomach, back and thigh muscles, the more elegant the motion of your body and the easier the entire stroke will be.