Swimming: Breaststroke - Top Tips

To improve your Breaststroke, hold the top of a small float and kick Breaststroke down the pool whilst on your back. Concentrate on keeping your knees underwater. Always turn your ankles and feet out sideways creating symmetry and balance in the stroke. Feet come together and meet up at the end of every kick.

Underwater Breaststroke swimming will help condition the lungs. Swim one stroke on the surface of the water and two strokes underwater with rest intervals at every length, known as hypoxic training this will improve the lung capacity. Only swim for as long as is comfortable.

Following the leg kick after the hands have recovered forwards the body will be stretched out and lying flat in the water in a streamlined position with feet and toes pointed, hips are held high with your face in the water, hands are together with palms facing slightly outwards to keep a hold of the water; At this point of the stroke cycle the pull commences, the head and shoulders will lift and a large breath is taken. The body will rise and fall in relation to the kick, pull breathing patern creating a wave like undulating flow through the stroke cycle.

Rhythm and Timing is the secret to good Breaststroke swimming. Count how many strokes it takes you to glide down the pool. Recover the hands quickly to the front of the stroke after the pull action. Hands and feet always finish together at the end of every stroke.