Learn How to Swim, Online Swimming Lessons, Breaststroke Steps, Breaststroke Technique Tips
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Learn to Swim - The Breaststroke

Learn to Swim - The BreaststrokeBreaststroke is the slowest swimming stroke but it can be swum powerfully and at speed. It is popular with people who like to swim for fitness as the breathing is much easier than with the front crawl. The initial position of breaststroke is to keep your body level with the surface of the water. Your shoulders need to be in line and your hips must be flat in the water.

Breaststroke Steps / Technique:

Step 1 - Leg Movement: From the initial position move your feet and legs together, like a frog would. Simply bend your knees and lift your feet up as far as your posterior. Turn your feet out in preparation for pushing back with the bottom of your foot. Move your feet out and in again to meet each other, and straighten your legs with your knees touching. It is a good idea to practice this movement at the side of the pool, by holding onto a support rail with your legs stretched out behind you.

Step 2 - Arm Movement: Start out by placing your arms out in front just under the surface of the water. With your palms facing outwards push both hands out and around as if drawing a full circle. Your hands finish by stretching forwards again. Your arms and legs should stay in the water all of the time and you shouldn't splash when doing the stroke correctly.

Step 3 - Breathing: The reason breaststroke is so popular among recreational swimmers is that breathing is achieved easily. When you have mastered the leg and arm movements you will notice that your head starts to lift naturally at the end of the cycle. When this occurs simply lift your face out of the water and take a breath in through your mouth. Put your face back into the water breathing out through your nose and mouth, as you stretch your arms forward to begin the circle again.

Step 4 - The last step is to put the stroke together, so pull your arms and breathe in while pushing your legs back and stretching out with your body level in the water.

Different Swimming Strokes:
Lesson 1 - Breaststroke
Lesson 2 - Freestyle,  Front Crawl Stroke
Lesson 3 - Back Crawl Stroke