| - Zoom forward as legs kick - Streamline - Hands come together under the shoulders, pause - Thumbs down |
| Breaststroke Techniques & Tips |
| ABOUT THE STROKE |
| ARM PULL |
| ARM RECOVERY |
| KICK |
| BODY POSITION |
| BREATHING |
| START |
| FLIP TURN |
 |
| Breaststroke is the slowest stroke because of the gliding involved in performing the stroke. It requires, though, a srong upper body for pulling wide and strong legs for explosive kicking. |
| - Hands stretched out and deep - Hands pitched out - Press wider than shoulders - Elbows stay up - Hands sweep inward - Thumbs lead - Elbows squeeze together under chin |
| Defects: Hands = palms upward Pull = too wide, too narrow, elbows tucked into ribs Elbow/Wrist = dropped elbow, dropped wrist, ridged wrist Recovery = incomplete extension of arms, hands held far apart Follow Through = deceleration of hands, turning palms up |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Drills: ~ Use a pull buoy ~ Partner holds ankles ~ Scull ~ Pull with dolpin kick ~ Left arm, Right arm ~ Fists ~ Double pull ~ Streamline ~ Swim underwater |
| - Heels set up ouside hips - Toes turned outward - Kick wide, squeeze, extend, life, recover - Ankle flexibility |
| Defects: Kick = lack of control, knees drawn too far under body, early leg extension, knees too far away from hips |
| Drills: ~ Use kickboard ~ Hands on back ~ Streamline ~ Kick on back ~ Touch heels ~ Tread water |
| - Flat on the surface |
| Drill: ~ Pop-Up Head |
| - Head held still - Inhale when hands are under chin - Minimum motion |
| Drills: ~ Pop-Up Drill ~ Watch hands |
| - Pulldown = 1 kick and 1 pull, 2nd kick brings you to surface, may take a 2nd pull to reach surface - Long underwater pulldown |
| - Lower one shoulder after completing final arm pull - Two hand touch - Rotate 90 degrees - Get in and out of the wall fast |
|
| TIMING |
| - Pull - Breath - Kick - Some overlap - Head down = Feet up |
|
| Drill: ~ Kick-Stretch-Pull |
| Defects: Breathing = rigid head position, excessive lift, submerging head, early head lift |
|
| BREASTSTROKE |
|
| Y Karen A. Everson |