Breast Stroke Swimming Drills

Swimming the breaststroke involves pulling your body forward with your arms, bending at your waist to initiate a strong breaststroke kick, and holding a long and streamlined glide. To achieve the "wave" motion popular among world-class breaststrokers, you must develop a pull that concentrates energy on the sweep of the arms and delays the raising of the head. Timing is essential. It's important to consult a swim coach to ensure you are using proper form.

  1. Swim Buoy Drill

    • Put a swim buoy between your thighs and swim using only your arms. Focus on a small heart-shaped arm stroke that stays in front of the center of your torso.

    Arms at Sides Drill

    • Push off from the wall, hold your arms at your sides, and keep them there throughout the drill. As you draw your legs up for the recovery portion of the kick, touch your ankles to your fingertips. Swim the length of the pool in this manner. This encourages a strong, narrow breaststroke kick.

    Dolphin Kick Drill

    • Use a dolphin kick rather than the breaststroke kick as you stroke. Focus on undulating your body through the stroke. Try to force yourself up as high out of the water as possible as you achieve the "prayer position," the point in the stroke where your hands and arms are together directly under your chest. From there, plunge down deep into the glide, imitating the motion of a dolphin.

    Triple Pull Drill

    • Take two pulls without kicking, or with a minimal dolphin kick. On the third pull, provide a strong breaststroke kick and a long glide. The first two pulls will get your body moving in an undulating fashion and help propel you through the third complete stroke.

    Lane Line Drill

    • Rest your chest and armpits on the lane line. Practice the breast stroke pull from this position. Observe your arms as you pull. The lane line will keep your arms in the correct position. Concentrate on accelerating your arms through the stroke.

    Count Your Strokes Drill

    • Try to swim a length in as few strokes as possible, emphasizing the glide portion of your stroke. Go for fewer strokes each length.