How to Learn The Breaststroke

The breaststroke is an ideal swim style for a novice swimmer to learn because of its stability and easy-breathing style. Though the breaststroke is the slowest of all swim strokes, powerful swimmers can perform it with a lot of speed and energy. Whether you want to swim competitively or for fitness, learning and performing this swim stroke is an effective way to strengthen you cardiovascular health and core muscles.

Instructions

    • 1

      Assume the initial breaststroke position by keeping your body at level with the water surface. Keep the shoulders aligned and the hips flat in the water.

    • 2

      Move your feet and legs simultaneously similar to a frog. Do this by bending your knees and lifting or extending them upwards as far as your bottom. Position your feet out so that you can exert force with the soles of your foot. Extend both feet outward and then inward to meet each other. Let both knees touch when the legs are straightened. When practicing, ensure that both legs match each other in movement.

    • 3

      Move your arms as you move the legs. The proper arm movement takes the shape of a "Y." The hands should be turned outwards and pressed together in front of you, just under the surface. Next, push both hands out and around as if making a circle. As you do your arm and leg movements, keep them in the water and avoid making splashes.

    • 4

      Breathe by lifting your head for air at the end of each arm-and-leg motion cycle. Simply lift your face just above the water surface and and take a breath in through the mouth. Submerge your face back into the water and breath out through the nose and mouth, before beginning the arm-and-leg motion again.