4 basic strokes in swimming [ultimate guide]

Have you ever wanted to swim like a fish?

Or maybe just impress everyone during adult lap swim?

If so, you’re probably going to want to master the 4 basic strokes in swimming. But even if you can’t swim all of the strokes masterfully,  don’t feel ashamed to hit the pool. I made it on my high school swim team only swimming freestyle. (But honestly, I was embarrassed by my bad breaststroke form.)

If you are just getting into swimming, this guide is for you! I break down the 4 basic strokes in swimming to get you on your way to developing a super efficient swim technique. So strap on your goggles because we’re “diving in” and swimming an individual medley of these four strokes!

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Table of Contents

• Front Crawl (Freestyle)
• Breaststroke
  • Breaststroke Technique
• Butterfly
  • Butterfly Technique
• Backstroke
  • Backstroke Technique
• Frequently asked questions about the 4 basic strokes in swimming

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Please do not confuse my personal blog for medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting or altering any training plan. This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I get a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you.

Front Crawl (Freestyle)

Front crawl, also known as freestyle in competitive  swimming, is the most popular and commonly used swimming stroke. It is the first stroke that most people learn when they start swimming, and for a good reason. Not only is it the fastest swimming stroke and most efficient way to move through the water, but it is also the easiest stroke to learn and perfect.

And honestly, no one is going to grade your front crawl on style points. It’s all about speed 🏊‍♂️. 

To perform the front crawl, you must start by floating on your stomach, with your head down in the water, looking at the bottom of the pool. Your legs should be kicking up and down with a flutter kick. Most of the propulsion should come from your arms. You’ll need to pull one arm back towards your hip while simultaneously pushing the other arm forward in a sweeping motion.

Oh yeah. And you’ll want to breath… To breathe, you’ll need to head to the side when your arm after bringing your arm back past your shoulder. You don’t need to breathe after every stroke, and you can choose to breathe on your right or left side. (If you’re open water swimming, it helps to breathe on the side of your body facing shore so you don’t swallow a wave and get E. coli!)

The freestyle stroke has several benefits, including improving your cardiovascular fitness, building endurance, and toning your muscles. It is also an excellent stroke for triathletes because it is both fast and efficient. Also- since you’re getting a lot of power from your arms, it helps keep your legs fresh for the biking and running portions of the race.

To master the front crawl, you need to practice proper technique, such as maintaining a streamlined body position, using a high elbow recovery, and keeping your kick small and steady. If you want to get faster, I recommend doing drills to help your body position and technique to make you faster. Finally, having the right gear, such as a well-fitted swim cap, goggles, and a swimsuit, can make all the difference in your performance.

Breaststroke

The breaststroke is not only one of the oldest of the four swim strokes but also has the longest history for swim races. It has a rich history that dates back to the Stone Age, with cave paintings in Egypt depicting humans swimming the breaststroke. When competitive swimming was started in London in  the 1800’s, breaststroke was the only stroke used until two American Indians entered a race and used front crawl to dominate the competition.

Breaststroke Technique

To perform the breaststroke, you start by floating on your stomach, with your arms extended in front of you and your legs together. To begin the stroke, you need to pull your arms back towards your chest. As you do this, you bring your head above the surface of the water and breathe. One nice thing about breaststroke is that it’s easy to see where you’re going. 

The breaststroke kick is complicated and is timed so that you kick while your arms recover and pull while your legs recover. To execute the breaststroke kick bend your knees and drawing your feet up towards your buttocks then kick your legs outwards and then bring them back together before extending them again for the next cycle.

The breaststroke kick is different from the scissor kick- so you’ll want to avoid this type of motion if you’re in a competitive swimming meet. 

To master the breaststroke, you need to focus on your timing and coordination between the arm pull and leg kick. If you’re bad at breaststroke (like me 🙋‍♂️) you can practice each part of the stroke separately and then combine them gradually until you feel comfortable with the full stroke. 

Butterfly

The butterfly stroke is often considered the most physically challenging swimming stroke due to its intense demand for upper body strength and coordination. It is also the stroke that burns the most calories, making it a favorite among fitness enthusiasts! Also- if you’ve ever gone to open lap swim, there’s nothing more impressive than watching a swimmer blast out some laps of fly.

Butterfly Technique

To perform the butterfly stroke, you must start by floating on your stomach, with your arms extended in front of you and your legs together. To begin the stroke, you need to simultaneously pull both arms back towards your hips while kicking your legs up and down together in a dolphin kick. To swim fly efficiently, you’ll want to keep your head looking towards the bottom of the pool. When you need to breathe, you’ll lift your head straight forward above the plane of the water as your arms reach forward. Like freestyle swimming, getting a proper head position can help your hips stay at the proper level in the water. 

The butterfly stroke requires excellent upper body strength and coordination, with a focus on maintaining a strong body line and a fluid motion. To master the butterfly stroke, you need to focus on the timing of the arm pull, the kick, and the breath, as well as developing a strong core and upper body strength.

Backstroke

The backstroke is the only common swimming stroke that is swum on the back. While backstroke is one of the four competitive swimming strokes, it can also be a relaxing change of pace when swimming laps because of your natural buoyancy of the body when you’re floating on your back.

Backstroke Technique

To perform the backstroke, you must start by floating on your back, with your arms extended above your head and your legs together. To begin the stroke, you need to alternate your arms, sweeping them overhead and then back to your sides while simultaneously kicking your legs in a steady, fluttering motion. The arm movement looks kind of like a windmill. As you do this, you need to keep your head back and your face up towards the sky. You can kind of breathe whenever you want. 

The backstroke requires proper body position, with a focus on keeping your hips up ⬆️ and your legs close together. Rotating your body from side to side can help you get more power. To master the backstroke, you also need to practice proper arm technique, such as keeping your elbows straight and your arms close to your body during the recovery phase.

The backstroke offers several benefits, such as improving your posture, strengthening your back and shoulder muscles, and providing an excellent cardiovascular workout. It is also a great stroke for those who have trouble with breathing while swimming or for people that have a fear of drowning because your nose and mouth are always out of the water. While it’s not the fastest stroke, it’s also not the slowest. 

To perform the backstroke efficiently, you need to focus on maintaining a steady kick, alternating your arms in a smooth motion, and using a well-fitted swimsuit and goggles to minimize drag in the water.

Frequently asked questions about the 4 basic strokes in swimming