How to Do the Pull Motion in Water for Freestyle Swimming

Swimming is fun and more so when you master certain basics of stroke mechanics. The freestyle pull is probably the most misunderstood pull by those who haven't had much experience in competitive swimming. The way you pull your hand through the water is important if you want to get good speed and distance with minimal wasted effort.

Instructions

    • 1

      Lie forward, belly down, in the water with your arms extended in front of you. Secure your feet in some way, either by standing and having someone hold on to your waist or by bracing them in or against the overflow gully around the pool's edge.

    • 2

      Begin pulling with your right hand by turning your palm slightly outwards, at about a forty-five degree angle to the plane of the water. "Grab" the water by scooping your hand in a downward motion, bringing your palm in so that it's facing you as your hand goes down into the water.

    • 3

      Start your hand pulling in and up toward your belly, just before you reach full arm extension. Keep your elbow in a relative "up" position throughout the stroke. If you drop your elbow, you will lose stroke efficiency.

    • 4

      Alter the angle of your hand as it pulls up toward your belly, so that you are always pulling "new" water. You want each freestyle pull to be efficient and effective.

    • 5

      Turn your palm down and back as you make the curve toward, then away from, your belly. Thrust your palm back and out of the water just below your hip, near the top of the thigh. Push the water back as you do so; don't just lift your hand out of the water.

    • 6

      Start your left hand pull at that point, when your right hand is pushing back, getting ready to come out of the water. Repeat the vertical "S" curve shape with that hand. As your left hand pulls, bring your right arm back to starting position by relaxing your arm, keeping your elbow up and letting your shoulder do the work. Let your fingertips move along the surface of the water, just out of range of touching it.