Breaststroke

VILLALOBOS,ROALES ROBRIGADO, SANTIAGO, SANTIAGO, SIGUE, SON,

SUTINGCO,QUIROZ
 OVERVIEW
• The breaststroke is swum with the body facing down. The arms perform
semicircular movements, and the legs perform a frog kick.
• Breaststroke is, without a doubt, the most popular swimming stroke. In fact,
for many people, it is the only stroke that they use regularly.
• This can be explained by the fact that this style allows you to swim with your
head above the water and therefore breathe freely and keep your eyes open.
This can be helpful for beginners and more casual swimmers.In terms of
speed, breaststroke is the slowest swimming stroke. This is due to the fact
that during the leg recovery, the thighs are pulled forward into the water
against the swimming direction, which creates a lot of drag.
 Breaststroke Swimming Technique:
In the next section, we will describe the swimming technique of breaststroke.

Body Movement
In breaststroke, the body position changes continuously during the stroke
cycle. It moves from a horizontal position during the glide phase to an inclined
position during the arm pull.
Assume that the starting position is at the end of the glide phase when the
body is horizontal and streamlined, the arms extended forward, and the legs
straight and held together.
Now, when the arms pull backward in the water, the body moves to an inclined
position, with the torso assuming a 45-degree position above the water at the
end of the arm pull while the hips and legs remain in the water.
•The body returns to a horizontal position when the arms are
extended forward during the arm recovery and subsequent glide
phase.
•The head remains in alignment with the body. During the horizontal
glide phase, the head is in a neutral position, facing down.
•During the arm pulling phase, the head remains in a neutral position.
•After the arm pulling phase, when the body is inclined at 45 degrees,
the face is directed downwards and slightly forward, the eyes are
fixed at a point about 3-6 feet ahead.

A common mistake is to look towards the end of the lane instead of

looking down and slightly forward.
Arm Movement
• Let us assume again that the starting position is at the end of the glide phase when the
body is horizontal, and the arms are extended forward.
• When the arms begin to pull, they first move outwards, backward and downwards until
the arms are bent 90 degrees, the elbows are at shoulder level, and the upper arms and
hands are in line and pointing downwards.
• In the second phase of the arm pull, the arms move further back. The upper arms move
to the sides of the body, while the hands move towards each other under the chest.
• At the same time, the upper body rises out of the water until it is inclined at 45 degrees.
• When the hands meet under the chest, the arms are extended forward in a line to return
to the starting position. At the same time, the body returns to a horizontal position.
Leg Movement — Breaststroke Kick
• Let us assume, again, that the swimmer is in the starting position, i.e., he lies horizontally in
the water. The arms are extended forward, and the legs are extended and held together.
• The legs remain more or less extended during the pull phase of the arms.
• At the end of the arm pull phase, the knees bend, and the feet begin to move towards the
buttocks.
• As the arms recover forward, the feet move farther towards the buttocks until they are close
to the buttocks.
• Now, the knees move apart, and the feet begin to move outwards and backward. This is also
the beginning of the propulsive phase of the kick.
• The feet move further outwards and backward, and then inwards and backward so that the
legs come together. We are still in the propulsive phase of the kick.
• At the end of the kick, the legs are extended and together again, and now a short glide
phase takes place before the stroke cycle starts all over again.
Breathing
• Breathing in breaststroke is relatively straightforward.
• Inhalation begins as soon as the head is above water at the end of the
arm pull.
• Exhalation begins as soon as the head is submerged in the water again
during the arm recovery forward.
• Exhalation should continue as long as the head is underwater so that
the lungs are empty just before the head emerges
• This is the breathing pattern used by fitness and competitive
swimmers. On the other hand, more casual swimmers can keep their
heads above water at all times and breathe freely.
Learning to Swim Breaststroke:
Our method is divided into the following steps:
• 1) In the first step, the arm movements, leg movements, and breathing
exercises are practiced individually on land.
• 2) In the second step, the arm and leg movements are practiced separately in
the water, with pull buoys and swimming noodles providing additional
buoyancy.
• 3) In the third step, the arm and leg movements are practiced simultaneously
in the water, with the help of pull buoys and swimming noodles, like in the
previous step.
• 4) The last step, which consists of swimming without any aids, is done when
the student has gained enough confidence in his swimming skills.
 Rules and Regulations
Forward start. Swimmer permitted one full arm pull (beyond hipline) and one kick while submerged at start
and after turns head must surface by the widest part of the 2nd stroke (before hands turn inward).
Arm pulls shall be in same horizontal plane (parallel to water surface).
Hands shall be pushed forward from the breast on or under the water (elbows must remain in water except
at turn or finish).
Stroke cycle consists of one arm pull and one kick in that order; the head must break water surface at least
once each cycle.
Swimmer’s leg motions must be simultaneous; feet must be turned out in downward propulsive part of
kick.
No flutter or butterfly kick is allowed, except during the start and each turn when one downward butterfly
kick may follow initial arm pull if followed immediately by a breaststroke kick.
On the turn & finish, a simultaneous two-hand touch is required. On turn, shoulders must be past vertical
toward the breast when swimmer leaves wall.

Common Violations: Two strokes or kicks underwater; alternating kick; scissors kick; butterfly kick; arms not moving in
the same horizontal plane; break in stroke cycle; over-water recovery; non-simultaneous or one-hand touch.