Tips to improve breaststroke technique

 Each swimming style has its secrets and difficulties. In that sense, the famous 'chest' usually presents certain obstacles, especially for those who start in this sport. Here are some tips to improve your breaststroke.

As in many other sports, having a well-polished technique is essential in swimming. The reasons are many; first of all, because this ensures greater propulsion and swimming speed. 

Almost hand in hand with the above, we have the fact that making more efficient movements makes the swimmer tireless. Therefore, his performance is enhanced and his endurance increases, something very important in competitions of longer duration with lifeguard certification online.

Tips to swim better breaststroke style

Now, how can we improve our way of executing the breaststroke? Of course, it is always advisable to work with a trainer. This professional will be able to apply all of his knowledge to make sure that the athlete makes the right movements.

However, it is also good that the swimmer himself is aware of the actions that he must carry out in the pool. In this way, he will increase his proprioception of himself and identify on his own where he needs to improve.

To evaluate and correct your technique and thus be able to swim better breaststroke style, the athlete must consider aspects such as the stroke, kick, and coordination. In the following enumeration, we will mention each of them:

The breaststroke

One of the first recommendations is that the swimmer should not have their elbows too far behind their shoulders at the moment of bringing their hands together. This is a common mistake that undermines the coordination of all the remaining actions; at this time, the head is fully above the surface.

Likewise, another issue that must be observed is to keep the fingers of the hands closed and to extend the arms and shoulders well during the propulsion phase. Throughout this cycle, the arms never go behind the shoulder line, which is why it is often called a 'half stroke'.

The kick, essential to swimming better breaststroke style

One of the peculiarities of this style of swimming is that it is the only one in which the force of the legs weighs more on the propulsion than the movement of the arms. However, what makes it particularly challenging is that the movements of the upper and lower extremities are not simultaneous.

To perform a correct kick for the stroke, we must clearly distinguish three times: the first is to bend both legs at the same time and bring the heels to the buttocks. Immediately afterward, take the feet out and, finally, execute the third time: extend the legs and bring them together to achieve propulsion.

What mistakes occur most often? In addition to some asymmetric movements, which are a product of the complexity of this type of kick, the knees are also usually brought to the chest when bending. Nor should you kick with the instep.

How to coordinate to swim better breaststroke

We mentioned before that coordination in this style is especially difficult. To specify it correctly, we must make sure to follow the following procedure:

The first movement that we must make is the traction of the arms. That is, these go from being extended to meeting below the line of the shoulders, after making the circular movement for propulsion.

The second step is the leg curl, during which the arms begin to return to their starting position.

When the legs are extended, the arms are too: this alignment of the body facilitates the push that is carried out with the force of the legs.

Do you want some advice to polish this coordination and thus achieve a better breaststroke swim? Lie down on the floor on a mat and practice the movement,  you will see that you will master it perfectly in no time!

Finally, the best thing about this style is that breathing is very easy to do. Since the head is buoyant with each cycle, the swimmer can choose to breathe as often as works best for them. Of course, both this and the other points may undergo slight variations according to the preferences and characteristics of each athlete.