An Overview of Breaststroke

In this article, we will provide advice, hacks & tips as a part of an overview of Breaststroke.

Breaststroke is the slowest and least efficient of all the competitive strokes.

• Although breaststroke can generate effective propulsion from both the arms stroke and the leg kick, the recovery of both the arms and the legs, creates large amounts of drag, slowing the stroke dramatically.
• Swimmers have to work hard to make their stroke effective.
• As a result, competitive breaststroke requires a high degree of power, strength, endurance, speed, and coordination to generate the required propulsion for each stroke.

We have produced a related article on the major muscles used during breaststroke. Which you can view by clicking this link: the major muscles used during breaststroke

We have produced a related article on dryland training exercises for breaststroke. Which you can view by clicking this link: dryland training exercises for breaststroke

• Being the slowest competitive stroke, breaststroke is usually the most decisive leg during individual medleys.

The key technical components of an effective breaststroke

The key technical components of an effective breaststroke include,

• Ability to ‘catch’ (feel) the water, assisted by sculling and stroke counting drills.
• A strong, quick, powerful and narrow arm pull.
• A powerful lunge into the leg kick.
• An effective and powerful leg kick.
• An effective glide phase at the end of the stroke.
• Aided by a tight streamlined technique.
• The stroke timing ensuring that the three phases of the stroke, the pull, the kick and the glide combine for an efficient stroke.
• Efficient starts, turns & finishes.
• Which are aided by a combination of an effective underwater dolphin leg kick and tight streamlining.

The timing sequence of an effective breaststroke

To achieve a fast and effective breaststroke, you should maintain a smooth balanced and coordinated stroke combined with the correct tempo.

• This should be maintained throughout the stroke’s three distinct phases, a strong, quick arm pull, a powerful leg kick and a tight streamlined glide.

Below we have provided a general overview of breaststroke.

• Giving you a general overview of the stroke
• Then breaking the stroke down into its main constituent parts,
• Providing advice, tips and hacks on the correct position and technique

A general overview of breaststroke

Body position

Your body should be in a horizontal, prone and streamlined position.

• There should be a slight slope from your head to your feet so that the leg kick can be performed underwater.

Head position

Your head should be facing forwards in line with your body.

• The neck and shoulders should be as relaxed as possible to aid the arm action and reduce strain.
• The head should be in a tucked, streamlined position during the glide phase.
• The shoulders should remain level throughout the stroke.

Hips position

Your hips should be just under the surface of the water to help ensure that the legs also remain under the surface.

• Your hips should remain level throughout the stroke.

Arm stroke

The secondary propulsive force during breaststroke comes from the arm stroke.

From the streamlined glide position at the end of a previous stroke (or from a diving start or push and glide)

• You should scull with your palms turned slightly outwards, and with your arms moving level just under the surface until they are just outside the width of your shoulders.

The catch is the start of the propulsive phase of the breaststroke arm pull

• At the end of the out sweep, you should bend your arms and move your forearms and hands downwards, so that your fingers are pointing towards the bottom of the pool while ensuring that your elbows remain close to the surface.

The in-sweep is the main propulsive phase of the arm stroke and should be the quickest part of the arm stroke.

• At the end of the catch, you should move your arms backwards, inwards and upwards so that your hands are below your chest and you are pushing the water backwards.

At the end of the in-sweep, you should drive your arms and chest forward until your arms are fully extended again, and they are once again in a prone streamlined position.

• During the lunge, you should keep your elbows tucked in close to your body to prevent unnecessary drag.

Leg position

During the kick phase, you should bend your knees to facilitate your heels being brought up towards your buttocks.

• Your legs should perform a fast ‘whipping’ action to drive the propulsion.
• During the glide phase, your legs should be streamlined and under the surface of the water.
• With your ankles close together.

There are five phases of an effective breaststroke leg kick. The glide, the recovery, the catch, the out sweep and the glide.

You should adopt a tight streamlined position.

• Your hands should be parallel, with your thumbs touching.

As you complete the propulsive phase of your arm stroke (the in sweep).

• You should bend your knees to facilitate your heels being brought up towards your buttocks, at speed.
• You should ensure that you bring your knees up towards your buttocks, to help ensure a full and powerful kick.
• Your feet should be in a pointed (plantar flexion) position

As soon as your heels are close to your buttocks, you should rotate your feet outwards, at an approximate ninety degrees angle, providing a large surface area to provide propulsion.

As soon as you have completed the catch.

• You should then push your heels and feet backwards and outwards, in a fast simultaneous and continuous leg action.

The leg kick should be performed with a circular motion, finishing in a streamlined position,

• Your feet should be in a pointed (plantar flexion) position during the glide phase, which helps to reduce drag.
• Ready to begin the next stroke cycle.

Hip and leg flexibility

Good hip and leg flexibility can provide many benefits to the breaststroke swimmer, these include,

• Improving your body position in the water, which can help to reduce drag.
• Increasing your range of motion and flexibility in your legs and hip joints.
• Enabling the application of greater propulsive force from the kick during the stroke.
• With approximately 70 percent of the propulsion of breaststroke coming from the leg kick, it can help the swimmer achieve a faster and more efficient stroke.
• It is estimated that approximately 86 % of specialist breaststroke swimmers have suffered from some form of injury to their knees.
• Having good hip & leg flexibility can help to reduce the risk of breaststroker’s knee.

We have produced a related article on developing breaststroke hip & leg flexibility. Which you can view by clicking this link: developing breaststroke hip & leg flexibility

We have produced a related article on breaststroker’s knee. Which you can view by clicking this link: breaststroker’s knee

Takeaways

In this article, we will provide advice, hacks & tips as a part of an overview of Breaststroke.

• Breaststroke is the slowest and least efficient of all the competitive strokes.
• Although breaststroke can generate effective propulsion from both the arms stroke and the leg kick, the recovery of both the arms and the legs, creates large amounts of drag, slowing the stroke dramatically.
• Swimmers have to work hard to make the stroke effective.

As a result, competitive breaststroke requires a high degree of power, strength, endurance, speed, and coordination to generate the required speed for each stroke

Above we have provided an overview of breaststroke.

• Giving you a general overview of the stroke
• Then breaking the stroke down into its main constituent parts,
• Providing advice, tips and hacks on the correct position and technique

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