LESSON 4

TYPES OF SWIMMING
STROKES
Swimming Is an individual or team sport
that involves using arms and legs to move
the body through water.
Swimming is an individual or team racing
sport that requires the use of one's entire
body to move through water. ... Competitive
swimming is one of the most popular
Olympic sports, with varied distance events
in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke,
freestyle, and individual medley.
COMPETITIVE TYPES OF STROKES

 FREESTYLE
 BREAST STROKE
 BACKSTROKE
 BUTTERFLY
 FREESTYLE/FRONT CRAWL
 1922 Another breakthrough moment in the history of front
crawl came in 1922 when Johnny Weissmuller became the
first person to swim 100m freestyle in less than a minute.
As front crawl is the fastest of the four contemporary
swimming strokes, it is swum almost universally in the
freestyle event in competitive swimming Freestyle
swimming implies the freedom to choose any stroke style
for competitive swimming. This style is generally the
fastest.
 The front crawl is likely the first swimming stroke you think
of when you picture swimming. It is commonly called the
freestyle stroke as most swimmers choose to use this
stroke in freestyle events as it is the fastest.
 BACKSTROKE
 Is one of the four swimming styles used in competitive events?
Regulated by FINA, and the only one of these styles swum on the
back.
 This swimming style has the advantage of easy breathing, but the
disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are
going.
 The backstroke requires similar movements to the front crawl, but it
is done, as the name suggests, on your back. Doctors often
recommend this stroke to individuals with back problems as it
provides a great back workout.
 To perform the backstroke, while floating on your back, alternate your
arms with a windmill-like motion to propel yourself backwards. Like
the front crawl, your arms should start the circular motion by pushing
underwater and recovering above water. Your legs should engage in a
flutter kick. Your face should be above the surface as you look
 BREASTSTROKE
 Is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on
their chest and the torso does not rotate? It is the
most popular recreational style due to the
swimmer's head being out of the water a large
portion of the time, and that it can be swum
comfortably at slow speeds.
 The breaststroke is the slowest competitive
swimming stroke, and it is the most commonly
learned stroke. It’s often taught to beginner
swimmers because it does not require putting your
head underwater. However, in competitive
swimming, swimmers do submerge their head and
BUTTERFLY
 Is a swimming stroke swum on the chest, with both arms
moving symmetrically, accompanied by the butterfly kick
(also known as the "dolphin kick")
 The butterfly is an advanced swimming stroke that provides
an excellent workout. It can be more difficult and tiring to
learn, but it is also a lot of fun. It is the second fastest
competitive stroke, and the favorite stroke of Olympic legend
Michael Phelps.
 To perform the butterfly stroke, start horizontal with your
stomach facing the bottom of the pool. Bring your arms
simultaneously over your head and push them into the water
to propel you forward and bring them up out of the water
again to repeat. As you move your arms into the water, you
will push your head and shoulders above the surface of the
 Your legs will perform a dolphin kick, which
requires your legs to stay together and straight as
you kick them similarly to how a dolphin’s lower
body and tail moves. Move your body in a fluid
wave-like motion.
 The best time to take a breath will be when your
arms are just starting to come out of the water,
just before you begin the next forward thrust. Lift
your head straight in front of you during this move
and do not turn your head to the side.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UffZn_-lU54
 OTHER KINDS OF STROKES
SIDESTROKE
 This is an older swimming style that is not typically used in swim
competitions, but is still an important stroke to learn for safety reasons. It
is most commonly used by lifeguards when they rescue someone, as this
stroke most easily allows you to pull something along with you. It involves
swimming on your side, as the name implies, propelling yourself forward
with a scissor kick and alternating arm movements. It’s one of the easier
strokes to learn, and can be a nice break from the more popular swim
strokes if you’re looking to add more variety into your routine.
 One way to remember the sidestroke is by comparing it to apple picking.
Your first arm will stretch above your head and pick an apple, then your
hands will meet in front of your chest. The first arm hands the apple to
the second arm (the side of the body that is on top and partly out of the
water). The second arm will reach out to toss the apple behind you as the
first arm reaches above your head for another apple.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN0eGhrfEs0
 ELEMENTARY BACKSTROKE

 This is a variation from the typical backstroke you see. It

uses a reversed breaststroke kick while your arms move
in sync beneath the water. It’s called “elementary”
because of its simple technique that’s easy to pick up,
and is often one of the first swim strokes taught to new
swimmers for this reason.

 This stroke is often taught to children using fun

nicknames for the parts of the movement. Bring your
hands to your armpits like a monkey, spread your arms
like an airplane, and then push them down to your sides
like a soldier.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPgt7djgloQ
 COMBAT SIDE STROKE
 This is a form of the sidestroke that all US Navy SEALs
have to learn. Efficient and energy-saving, the combat
side stroke is a kind of a combination of breaststroke,
freestyle, and, obviously, sidestroke. It reduces the
swimmer’s profile in the water, making them less
visible while allowing them to swim with maximum
efficiency–two critical criteria for combat operations
that require swimming on the surface. You will f focus
on balance, length, and rotation. The combat side
stroke is a relatively complicated stroke to learn, so
click here for the full official description and steps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziymDC73Eug
 TRUDGEN
 This stroke evolved from the sidestroke and is named
after the English swimmer John Trudgen. You swim
mostly on your side, alternating lifting each arm out
of the water and over your head. It uses a scissor
kick that only comes in every other stroke. When
your left arm is over your head, you spread your legs
apart to prepare to kick, and then as the arm comes
down you straighten your legs and snap them
together for the scissor kick. This stroke is
particularly unique because your head remains
above the water for the entirety.
 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY
Individual medley consists of a single swimmer swimming
equal distances of four different strokes within one race.
Individual medley consists of four strokes. The swimmer
will swim one quarter of the race in each style, in a
certain order. The strokes are swum in this order:
 Butterfly
 Backstroke
 Breaststroke
 Freestyle (this can be any stroke except the butterfly,
backstroke, or breaststroke; most swimmers use the
front crawl)
MEDLEY RELAY
Medley relay consists of four different swimmers in one
relay race, each swimming one of the four strokes.
Medley relay is swum by four different swimmers, each
swimming one of the four strokes.
 The order of the strokes is as follows:
 Backstroke
 Breaststroke
 Butterfly
 Freestyle the only limitation being that none of
backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly stroke may be used
for this leg. Most swimmers use the front crawl.
 THE BENEFITS OF LEARNING DIFFERENT SWIMMING STROKES
Less Risk of Swimming Injury

 When you learn different swim strokes, you have the opportunity to use more
muscles in your body. The risk of swimming injury, or any athletic injury for that
matter, lessens when you are not always placing stress on one particular area of
the body; something that could be possible if you were to use the same stroke
over and over again. Practicing several types of strokes when swimming can
provide a more balanced musculature that reduces the chance of injury in the
future.
Makes Swimming More Fun
 We believe that swimming can be a fun, lifetime sport for many students. The
variety that is offered by learning several different swim strokes can increase a
love and devotion to swimming. It’s not always fun and exciting to stick to the
same swim stroke. Learning different strokes can challenge students to meet
goals and improve upon their swimming overtime. In addition, by learning a new
stroke, it can help students perform better in existing strokes. For example, the
balance skills you learn for the freestyle or front crawl are also needed for
backstroke. The body undulation needed for the butterfly stroke can help improve
Helps Swimmers Stay Competitive
 Finally, for swimmers who are planning to move on to a swim team or
compete in a triathlon, learning different swim strokes can be very
beneficial. Learning how to freestyle allows swimmers to swim faster
and tire less than if he or she were to swim the breaststroke the entire
time. Switching over to breaststroke can provide a swimmer with better
visibility that’s not always available in a freestyle swim. If swimmers do
become tired, they can turn on their backs and do a backstroke, which
provides them with a chance to relax and recover.
 Learning the four different strokes – breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle,
and backstroke can be very beneficial and offer variety for a swimmer.
Texas Swim Academy offers two programs that can provide an
opportunity for swimmers to improve swim strokes. Our Stroke
Development program is a step-by-step development program where
one skill is built upon another. Skills are practiced repetitively so your
child learns each skill to a level of proficiency. There are six different
levels of classes based on swimmers’ maturity, physical strength,
coordination and skills and there is not a time limit for completion of
each level; swimmers learn at their own pace.
END!