How To Swim Backstroke. Swimming tips for efficient swimming technique.

How To Swim Backstroke

Swimming technique broken down and made easy

The majority of the power when swimming backstroke is produced by the alternating arm technique and its horizontal streamlined body position gives it its efficiency. Therefore this is the preferred stroke in competitive races swum on the back.

The nature of floating on the back, face up (supine) can be a calming and relaxing feeling. Also the face is clear of the water, allowing easy breathing and little water splashes onto the face. On the other hand it can be counter productive at first, as it can give a feeling of disorientation and unease, as the person is facing upwards and therefore unaware of their surroundings.

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The supine body position is flat and horizontal, with ears slightly below the water surface. backstroke swimming technique

The legs kick in an alternating action, continuously up and down to help balance the action of the arms. This stroke has two different arm actions: the bent arm pull which is the most efficient, and the straight arm pull, which is the easiest to learn. Therefore the straight arm pull is best for beginners.

Breathing should be in time with recovery of each arm, breathing in with one arm recovery and out with the other. Ideally there should be 6 leg kicks to one arm cycle. This stroke timing may vary according to the swimmers level of coordination.

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