Breast Stroke 1
This stroke is swum on the breast with the arms moving forwards and pulling backwards under the surface and the legs kicking backwards and recovering under the surface of the water. The swimmer is permitted to drop their head underwater during portions of each stroke cycle. Because swimmers can lower their head between their arms, they can improve their streamlining during the kick phase of the stroke cycle. The picture (1) depicts the swimmers' head and shoulders coming up out of the water when the swimmer breathes and the hips are lowered during the leg recovery.
Breast Stroke 2
The propulsive phase of the breaststroke arm stroke: The out sweep begins by moving the arms out and forward when they near complete extension at the end of the recovery. They then trace a semicircular path sweeping out, forward and slightly up until they pass the shoulders. The out-sweep ends as the catch is made and the in sweep begins. This is the propulsive phase. The arms move in a large semicircular sweep out, back down and in. The elbows remain high and the hands and forearms rotate down and in around them. The in-sweep ends as the hands come together under the chest.
Breast Stroke 3 The recovery of the arms begins when the hands are approximately halfway through their inward motion. Swimmers releases pressure on the water and squeeze their arms down and in under their shoulders. The hands continue moving up and forward until they are near the surface and in front of the face.
The kick: Swimmers extend their legs in an inverted V and then attempt to squirt a wedge of water backward as they squeeze their legs together. The feet scull out, down and in, as well as back. The soles of the feet are the primary propulsive surfaces.
After completing the propulsive phase of the arm stroke, the lower legs are forward until they are near the buttocks. As the legs kick they circle out with an outward sweep, the soles are pitched out and back. The legs sweep down and back until fully extended and nearly together behind the swimmer.
Putting it all together: The arms pull whilst the legs are straight and streamlined to reduce any drag. When the arms finish pulling and begin to recover the legs bend to move up into the kicking position. The legs kick and the arms move forward and remain streamlined.
Breathing: Breathe every complete stroke cycle and take this breath at the end of your arm pull just as your arms are beginning to recover. When you lift your head take a breath in (do not expel it). Blow out wasted air through your mouth and nose into the water as you end your arm pull cycle.
The Dive
The Backstroke
The Butterfly
The Crawl
The Swimmer's Programme
