Freestyle swimming is the primary stroke used by those who want to move easily through the water. A few freestyle strokes might suffice for those who want to cool off in the summer while competitive swimmers spend hours in the pool honing their freestyle stroke. Those who use the proper freestyle technique have a better chance of swimming faster and more efficiently.
Head Position
Place your head in the water so that the top of your forehead is wet and your hair is just out of the water. This will enable you to move through the water with efficiency and some speed. Your head should be at a 45-degree angle from the rest of your body. Your chest and abdomen should be parallel to the pool floor. Don't tuck your head into your chest, or it will be acting as resistance as you swim and slow you down.
Reach
You must reach forward with your hands and arms as far as they will go. Cup your hands as they pull through the water to help you reach your top speed. If you bend your elbows when you swim, you will not get maximum speed and efficiency. Once you place your hands in the water, try to extend your shoulders a bit to get the best swimming stroke possible.
Breathing
It is important to develop a bilateral breathing technique when swimming. When you can turn to either side when swimming, your stroke will be symmetrical and you will cover a greater distance. Breathing every third stroke will help you learn to breathe on either side. Breathing will come more easily as you concentrate on exhaling when your head is in the water. Then you turn to inhale.
Body Rotation
Your body must rotate from right to left and left to right with each stroke you take. If you try to keep your body stiff when you pull your arm through the water, your stroke will be less efficient and you will grow more fatigued with every movement. Rotating your body will give you more reach as you extend your arms through the water.
Kick
The kick needs to be the most consistent part of your kicking stroke. In most cases, you are not going to try to kick harder if you need more speed at the end of the race. The best swimmers are relaxed as they go through the water and have eliminated tension from all areas of their body, including the legs. Extend your legs and point your toes to the opposite wall as you flex your feet and kick. Maintain a consistent kick as you move through the water and don't tense up to kick harder. Take two to three kicks per arm stroke.
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