Swimming provides a low-impact, non-weight-bearing aerobic workout that allows you to exercise your upper body, lower body and core muscles. Beginners often find the freestyle and the breaststroke easier to learn than other competitive swimming strokes. Both of these strokes combine a particular leg kick with an arm pull. In the breaststroke, the legs and arms move together simultaneously--whereas in freestyle, the legs and arms move in a staggered rhythm.
Breaststroke
Step 1
Position your body in the water so that your stomach faces the bottom of the pool. Keep your body as close to the surface of the water as possible to remain streamlined.
Step 2
Pull your arms apart simultaneously with your palms facing outward. When your hands reach shoulder width, bend your arms at the elbows to pull your arms through the water toward your chest in a circular motion.
Step 3
Bring your hands together at your chest just under your chin. Then stretch them back out in front of you.
Step 4
Bring your feet toward your bottom to begin the leg kick. You should move both legs simultaneously rather than in a staggered rhythm.
Step 5
Push your feet away from your body with the feet pointing outward. Bring your feet together at the end of the kick to reach a streamlined position. This leg motion is commonly known as the frog kick.
Step 6
Alternate arm pulls and leg kicks, beginning a new leg kick at the end of each arm pull. Lift your head above the surface to take a breath after each arm pull.
Freestyle
Step 1
Position your body in the water so that your stomach faces the bottom of the pool. Keep your body as close to the surface of the water as possible to remain streamlined.
Step 2
Extend your legs behind you with your toes pointing toward the end of the pool. Lift one foot in the water as you lower the other foot, continuing this motion in a staggered rhythm. This leg motion is commonly known as the scissor kick.
Step 3
Reach one arm in front of you while the other arm pulls through the water underneath you. Continue this motion in a staggered rhythm, with one arm reaching forward as the other arm reaches back. Lift your hand out of the water when it reaches your hip and return it to the water once you have extended it fully in front of you.
Step 4
Roll your hips and shoulders slightly to accommodate the movement of your arms through the water.
Step 5
Lift your head above the surface of the water to one side to take a breath. You can breathe from the same side or from alternate sides after every stroke or every other stroke.
Tips and Warnings
- At the beginning of each length, push off the wall and glide under the surface of the water in a streamlined position with your arms stretched in front of you. According to the official rules of the Federation Internationale de Natation--the governing body for competitive swimming--swimmers can remain completely submerged for the first 15 meters of each length. FINA rules allow breaststroke swimmers to take one butterfly kick and one breaststroke kick while submerged at the start of each length.
Things You'll Need
- Swimsuit
- Goggles
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