How To Swim Breaststroke: Overview
Let’s now have a brief overview of the different phases that occur during one breaststroke cycle:
In the initial position, you are in a horizontal position on your stomach. Your arms are close together and extended forward, palms facing downwards. Your head is in line with your trunk, and you look straight down. Your legs are pressed together and your toes are pointed.
Now the active phase of the arms starts. Your palms rotate outwards, your arms separate, and your body forms an Y-like shape.
When your arms are outside of your shoulders, your elbows flex, and your hands continue to move backwards but also downwards. Your knees start to flex and your feet start to recover towards the buttocks.
Once your hands have moved past behind your shoulders they move towards each other rather than backwards, until they meet under the chest.
As your hands move towards each other your head and shoulders rise above water, and your feet continue to move towards the buttocks.
Your upper body is at it’s highest point when your hands have met below your chest and your feet are at your buttocks.
Now the propulsive phase of the legs starts. Your feet kick backwards and apart while your arms extend forward under water. Your chest and your head drop in the water again.
Once your legs are completely extended they are brought together. You then glide for a short moment in that position.
You start a new breaststroke cycle once the momentum of the glide fades.: