1. Do the Breast Stroke
As one of the four swimming strokes of competitive swimming, the breast stroke (or breaststroke) is equally suited for the recreational swimmer. It's the only stroke where the hands remain just below the water surface for the entire time. This beautiful gliding stoke appears to be an easy stroke with arms and legs moving together, but appearances can be deceiving. The breast stroke takes practice to look as natural as it does.
2. Streamline Skills
The breast stroke depends on a good streamline. Think of yourself as a torpedo. Reach out in front of you with fingers stretched out. Keep your body straight and sleek down to your pointed toes. Even your head is part of the straight line with your face looking down in the water. Have you ever watched seals or sea lions swim underwater at an aquatic park? It's a seemingly effortless glide. This is what the breast stroke streamlining looks like in between arm and leg movements. When you reach the wall, perform an open turn and move into a glide as you push off from the wall.
3. Whip a Kick
The breast stroke kick is unlike other swimming kicks. Although it sometimes looks like a frog kick, it's usually called a whip kick because of how the legs whip out and together. Bring heels up to your bottom, and turn feet out so that they're the same width as the hips. Then, kick out and down (the whipping movement) until legs meet again. Again, practice helps. Practice with a kickboard until you get the breast stroke kick down.
4. Arm Action
When you're in the streamlining position, your palms are face down. Flex your wrists down slightly as your bring your arms out and down your body to where the shoulders are. Think of your hands as blades sculling the water. Your elbows should be high and close to your body before bringing hands together in front of you to push in and up into your streamline. Repeat the arm movement and kick with both arms and legs pushing out and coming back together in a synchronized swimming motion.
5. Remember Breast Stroke Breathing
Once you have the sequence of arms, legs and streamlining down, breathing is a breeze. Take a breath with the beginning of your arm stroke, lifting your chin just high enough out of the water to breathe. Once your hands come together in front of your chest, put your face back in the water for the streamline movement. Take a breath with every stroke. Now, that's not something you're likely to forget.
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