The propulsive part of the breaststroke is often referred to as scooping and involves moving your hands around in front of your body, imagining that you are scooping a large ball.
This description, while concise, only touches on one aspect of the breaststroke. A comprehensive explanation involves several key components: the body position, the arm stroke, the leg kick, and breathing/timing.
Key Elements of the Breaststroke:
1. Body Position:
- Maintain a streamlined, horizontal position in the water to reduce drag.
- The body undulates slightly throughout the stroke, rising for the breath and submerging slightly afterward.
- Focus on core engagement to maintain stability.
2. Arm Stroke:
- Outsweep: Start with your arms extended forward, hands together. Sweep your arms outwards and slightly downwards, creating a wide arc.
- Insweep: Bend your elbows and bring your hands together under your chest. This is the "scooping" action, propelling you forward.
- Recovery: Extend your arms forward again to the starting position. Keep your elbows low during the recovery to minimize resistance.
3. Leg Kick (Whip Kick or Frog Kick):
- Bring your heels towards your buttocks, keeping your knees relatively close together.
- Turn your feet outwards.
- Kick outwards and backwards in a circular motion, squeezing your legs together at the end of the kick for maximum propulsion.
- Extend your legs back to the streamlined position.
4. Breathing and Timing:
- Breathe in during the insweep of the arm stroke, as your head naturally rises out of the water.
- Exhale underwater during the arm extension and glide phase.
- Coordinate the arm stroke and leg kick. A common rhythm is: pull (arms), breathe, kick, glide.
Example Breakdown:
Imagine this sequence:
- Glide: You are streamlined, face down in the water, arms extended forward, legs extended behind you.
- Outsweep: Arms begin sweeping outwards.
- Insweep/Breath: Arms scoop inwards, you lift your head to breathe.
- Kick: Legs perform the whip kick while arms are extended forward.
- Glide: Return to the streamlined position and glide briefly before repeating the cycle.
Practicing each component separately and then gradually combining them will help you master the breaststroke. Focus on maintaining a smooth, coordinated rhythm for efficient swimming.
