SWIMMING

Swimming

Swimming is an individual or team sport that uses

arms and legs to move the body through water. The
sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a
sea or lake).

Competitive swimming is one of the most popular

Olympic sports, with varied distance events in
butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and
individual medley.
In addition to these individual events, four
swimmers can take part in either a freestyle or
medley relay. Swimming each stroke requires
specific techniques, and in competition, there are
specific regulations concerning the acceptable form
for different strokes.
There are also regulations on what types of
swimsuits, caps, jewelry and injury tape are allowed
at competitions. Although it is possible for
competitive swimmers to incur several injuries from
the sport -- such as tendinitis in the shoulder-- there
are also multiple health benefits associated with the
sport.
Inflammation of a tendon, most commonly
from overuse but also from infection or
rheumatic disease.

Tendons are fibrous cords of collagen that

serve as flexible anchors in and around the
joints of the body. They come in many shapes
and sizes, from smalls ones which enable the
movements of fingers, to larger ones, like the
Achilles tendon, which help us stand or walk.
There are many reasons why a tendon can
become inflamed and, when it does, it can
often be painful. The pain tends to be felt
most profoundly at the insertion site where
the tendon attaches to the bone. It can also be
strongly felt where the muscle and tendon
connect.
Tendonitis is most often caused by the over use of tendon
 in the course of work, athletics, or daily activities. It is
most often associated with repetitive movements such as
that caused by assembly line work or sports like golf or
tennis where an action is repeated excessively
Direct injury such as a blow to the tendon can also cause
tendonitis. Inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid
arthritis and osteoarthritis, can also give rise to both the
sudden (acute) and persistent (chronic) inflammations of
tendons.
Tendonitis is more commonly seen in people over 40 with
the risk and severity of symptoms typically increasing with
age.
Common Locations of Tendonitis

Tendonitis can happen almost anywhere on the body

and is typically classified by its location. Because
the condition is associated with the repetitive
movement, we tend to see it in people who perform
certain tasks by routine or who engage in specific
sports activities. Some of the more common types
include:
Achilles tendonitis,

Involving the
tendon between
the calf muscle
and heel.
Patellar Tendonitis

Sometimes
referred to as
jumper’s knees
Elbow tendonitis

commonly known
as tennis elbow
or golfer's elbow
Biceps tendonitis

Involving the
tendon between the
bicep and shoulder
Rotator cuff tendonitis

known as pitcher’s
shoulder or
swimmer’s
shoulder
Wrist tendonitis

sometimes
called bowler’s
wrist
 Symptoms and Diagnosis

Tendonitis is characterized by the sudden

appearance of pain and inflammation and should
not be confused with tendinosis in which
symptoms are chronic and persistent. In many
cases, the appearance of symptoms will be abrupt,
often associated with an injury or a period of
excessive activity. At other times, the symptoms
will appear gradually and worsen over time.
Symptoms and Diagnosis

Tendonitis is characterized by the sudden

appearance of pain and inflammation and
should not be confused with tendinosis in
which symptoms are chronic and persistent.
In many cases, the appearance of symptoms
will be abrupt, often associated with an injury
or a period of excessive activity. At other
times, the symptoms will appear gradually
and worsen over time.
Symptoms and Diagnosis

Diagnosis is typically made with a physical

examination. If the cause is not clear or there
are co-occurring conditions, the doctor may
order additional tests. X-rays and magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI) are generally less
helpful in making a diagnosis and are really
only used if there are concerns about a
possible fracture or joint damage.
 Treatment
The treatment of tendonitis involves three
elements:

1. Restriction of movement of the affected

tendon
2. Reduction of inflammation
3. Rehabilitation of the injured tendon, joint,
and muscle
Measurement and Facilities
Physical property Specified value

Length 50.0 m

Width 25.0 m
2.0 m (6 ft 7 in) minimum, 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in)
Depth
recommended.

Number of lanes 10
Lane width 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)

Water temperature 25–28 °C (77–82 °F)

 FINA or Fédération internationale de
natation 
(English: International Swimming
Federation) is the international federation
recognized by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) for administering
international competition in water sports.
Swimming Equipment
 Swimming equipment

Whether you are an Olympic swimmer or someone

who is stepping into a swimming pool for the first time,
you are going to end up using some form of equipment
to assist you while in the water. Equipment ranges in
purpose from tools used in competitive swimming, to
recreational equipment for snorkeling and other water
sports. New swimmers especially depend on swimming
equipment to help with form and technique when
learning new strokes in the water.
 Earplugs/Nose Clips
Some swimmers use earplugs to block
water from entering the ear canal while
they are swimming. Excess water
entering the ear can cause discomfort
for several hours after swimming and
can also increase your chances of
developing an outer ear infection,
known as "swimmer's ear." Some
swimmers also use nose clips to
prevent water from entering their nose
while they are swimming.
Swimmer’s Ear
Inflammation of the
canal in the outer ear that
is characterized by
itching, redness,
swelling, pain, and
discharge and that
typically occurs when
water trapped in the outer
ear during swimming
becomes infected usually
with a bacterium.
 Goggles

Most pools contain high levels of chlorine or other

chemicals to help keep the water free of bacteria
and control the growth of algae in the water, states
the Environmental Protection Agency. However,
chlorine can irritate the eyes. Goggles allow you to
see while your head is immersed in the water,
without having to worry about chlorine irritation.
Swim Caps

The swim cap is a piece of

equipment that provides multiple
benefits. For professional
swimmers, swim caps reduce
drag to increase speed in the
water. Swim caps also keep hair
out of the face, help reduce the
effects of chlorine on the hair
and help swimmers retain body
heat when they are swimming in
colder water.
Training Tools

Numerous pieces of swimming equipment are

designed to help in strength training and
technique while swimming. For example, pull
buoys are foam flotation devices that can be
placed between the legs and used to strengthen
and place focus on arm technique. The pull buoy
forces swimmers to rely less on their legs to push
through the water and more on the arms.
Training Tools

Swim paddles develop arm strength by

increasing resistance in the water, and they
also help develop proper stroke mechanics.
Kickboards switch the majority of work
onto the legs when swimming to strengthen
the legs as well as help develop proper
kicking technique,
Stretch cords and resistance bands develop
both arm and leg strength.
Kickboard
Kickboards switch the
majority of work onto the
legs when swimming to
strengthen the legs as well
as help develop proper
kicking technique.

A kickboard simply makes

you work your lower half.
The less buoyant the
kickboard, the more you
have to engage your core. 
Pull buoy
Just as a kickboard isolates your legs,
a pull buoy isolates your upper body
while you swim. If the weakest part
of your swimming is your upper
body, pull buoys are a great way to
bring focus to that area. 

Pull buoys are foam flotation devices

that can be placed between the legs and
used to strengthen and place focus on
arm technique. The pull buoy forces
swimmers to rely less on their legs to
push through the water and more on the
arms.
Paddles Swim paddles develop
arm strength by
increasing resistance in
the water, and they also
help develop proper
stroke mechanics.

Paddles work really well with pull

buoys, as you isolate your upper body and
then increase both the strength of your
pulls and their resistance.
Paddles are a terrific shoulder workout
that are guaranteed to leave you sore
getting out of the pool.
Fins/ Flippers

Fins will have you flying

through the water, but will
wear out your legs quickly
due to their weight.
If you're not a great kicker,
then using fins is a great way
to build up your strength.
Parachute
A parachute adds resistance while you swim, it
will eliminate all the inefficient parts of your
stroke out as you struggle to keep your speed
up.  

TIP:
I wouldn't recommend using a parachute on
day one, but they're a fun way to shake up a
workout.
Resistance Socks
Resistance socks works
oppositely with fins though
they produce same result. 

A little easier than adding

a full parachute to your
swim, resistance socks are
a brutal addition to your
kicking workouts.  
Tempo Trainer

Tempo Trainers can fit right on your goggle strap

or in your cap and will beep every interval you set.
They're generally used to help swimmers establish a
stroke rhythm — for a long swim, every second; for
a sprint, every half second.
Snorkel

As so much of swimming is based on breath

control, snorkels are one of the best ways to limit
breathing, or to work on your stroke
without the breathbreaking it up. 
Pace clock

A good swim workout is

predominantly interval-based,
meaning you swim a certain
amount of yards in a certain
amount of time, rinse, and
repeat. If your pool doesn't
have a pace clock, you should
consider bringing your own.
Preparatory skills
Submerging

The more relaxed you are in the water, the

less oxygen is used by our body while length
of time spent underwater increases. The
ability to submerge the face is arguably one
of the most important stages when learning
to swim, particularly when overcoming a
fear of water.
3 Types of Submerging

1. Sitting – a position on which a person

rests his legs directly on a platform or a
surface.
2. Supine – lying on your back with your
face upward.
3. Pronate – lying on your chest with your
face downward.
Bubbling/ Bubbles

Hold the side of the wall. Inhale through your

mouth, submerge your head and blow bubbles
out your nose for 10 seconds. Come up and
inhale through your mouth, submerge and
blow nose bubbles 10 more seconds. Set a goal of
three consecutive, 10-second breaths of
submerged nose blowing,
or make a 3 sets of 10 repetitions of the same
pattern.
Breathing
An often overlooked basic skill in swimming is
the ability to time your breaths. If you're not
comfortable breathing while swimming, you'll
struggle to make streamlined, coordinated
movements.
The basic idea involves breathing out through
both nose and mouth when your head is
underwater, then lift your head to the side, taking
a full breath before plunging your face back
down under the surface.
 Breathing

TIP:

Practice this motion when/while holding

onto the side of the pool with your arms
outstretched.
 Floating

Knowing how to float in the water for long periods

of time could save your life in an emergency.
Although you often see swimmers floating on their
backs, this is just one of many possible positions.
Relaxing and staying motionless help you float
more easily, regardless of the position.

Note: No matter how confident you are in your

floating abilities, always carry a life jacket on any
boating trip.
3 Types of Floating Technique

Horizontal Back Float (Supine)

When performing the horizontal back float, you

don't use much energy, and you stay fairly
comfortable. In the horizontal back float, you lie on
your back in the water with your back slightly
arched, your arms out to the sides and your legs
straight. Your face won't go underwater and your
legs, if relaxed, will float.
3 Types of Floating Technique
Vertical Back Float

In the vertical back float, as in the horizontal

back float, your face remains above the water;
however, in the vertical back float, less of your
body floats above the water. While your upper
chest and your face stay out of the water, your legs
drop down below the surface. Keep your arms
extended, and kick only when it becomes
necessary to stay afloat.
3 Types of Floating Technique
Survival Float (Pronate)

The survival float uses very little energy, making it ideal

for situations when you don't know how long you'll need
to stay afloat. Lie on your stomach with your face
underwater and your arms and legs dangling. When
you need to breathe, bring your head back up and out of
the water while pushing down with your arms and legs.
After you take in a breath, hold it and relax completely for
a few seconds to drop back into the water. When you need
to breathe again, exhale as you bring your face back up
out of the water.
Treading Water

Treading water makes it easy to transition between

floating positions. Because your head remains
completely above the water's surface, treading
water is ideal in situations where you need to
look at your surroundings. Keeping your arms
outstretched, move them slowly just under the
surface of the water while performing scissor
kicks to stay afloat.
Gliding
Gliding through the water is a basic skill to master
before you even consider kicking and paddling,
according to swimming instructor Ian Cross,
speaking to "The Guardian.“

Gliding helps you to get used to the sensation of

moving through the water headfirst. Try gently
pushing off the side wall of the pool with your
arms stretched out in front of your head. Keep
your head face-down in the water and glide until
you slow down.
Tips in Swimming
Tip 1. focus on your exhalation not
your inhalation
The most common problem swimmers have
with their breathing is not exhaling under the
water. If you exhale under the water between
breaths you only have to inhale when you go
to breathe. This makes things much easier. It
also relaxes you and helps greatly with
bilateral breathing.
This is so important and can make a massive
difference to your swimming.
Tip 2. when you're not breathing, keep
your head still
In between breaths, hold your head still in one
position. Don't roll it around as your body rotates -
this will make you dizzy and will really hurt your
co-ordination!

Concentrate on looking at one point on the bottom

of the pool. Only turn your head to breathe. This
will feel a little strange at first but should quickly
start to feel much nicer. You'll find that you feel
much more coordinated with the rest of your
stroke too.
Tip 3. breathe into a bow wave motion

When you move through the water you create a

‘bow wave' with your head and body, just like a
boat does. The shape of the bow wave means the
water level drops along the side of the swimmer's
face.

You don't have to swim fast to create a bow wave,

even swimming slowly creates a decent pocket for
you to breathe into.
Tip 4. don't lift your head

The problem with lifting your head to breathe is that

your body acts like a see-saw and your legs sink. This
adds lots of extra drag.

With the trough or pocket of air by your head you don't

have to lift your head up to breathe. To breathe into the
trough you just have to rotate your head a little without
lifting it. If you try and lift your head you disturb the
bow wave, reducing the trough. Also, when lifting your
head you tend to breathe too far forward and try
breathing over the high front of the bow wave.
Tip 5. don't over rotate your head

A similar problem to lifting your head is rotating it

too far - so you are looking upwards instead of to
the side when you breathe.

This is a bad technique because it causes your body

to over-rotate onto your side and cause a loss of
balance. To support yourself you tend to cross-over
with your lead hand creating a banana shape with
your body. This causes you to twist down the pool
from one side to the other.
Tip 5. don't over rotate your head

To correct this, you need to get used to breathing into the

trough. When you breathe try and keep your lower
goggle in the water so you have one eye below the water
and one above.

If you are struggling to do this, swim in one of the side

lanes of the pool and have someone walk on the edge of
the pool beside you and ask them to keep their feet about
level with your shoulders. As you swim and turn to
breathe, look at their feet square on.
- Mr Smooth Stationary Head
Tip 6. a lack of body rotation could be
hurting your breathing

Good body rotation is a massive help to your

breathing. That's because once you have
rotated you don't have to turn your head
much further to breathe. If you are
struggling to breathe, perhaps to one side,
poor body rotation could be your problem.
Tip 7. learn to breathe bilaterally

What is 'bilateral' breathing? It is a jargon for breathing to

both sides. You could do this every 3 strokes or swap
sides occasionally, e.g. breathe twice to one side then
twice to the other.

If you only breathe to one side it's very likely your

rotation will be poor to your non-breathing side and you
won't swim in a straight line. We've seen these problem
time and time again with swimmers who only breathe to
one side.
Swimming Events
 Swimming Events

There are currently 16 swimming events on the Olympic

program, for both men and women.
Swimming events with distances
freestyle: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m and 1500m
backstroke: 100m and 200m
breaststroke: 100m and 200m
butterfly: 100m and 200m
(IM) Individual medley: 200m, 400m
freestyle relay: 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m
medley relay: 4 x 100m
Swimming events with distances
and number of laps

freestyle: 50m (1L), 100m (2L), 200m (4L), 400m (8L)

and 1500m (30L)
backstroke: 100m (2L) and 200m (4L)
breaststroke: 100m (2L) and 200m (4L)
butterfly: 100m (2L) and 200m (4L)
(IM)Individual medley: 200m (4L) 1L /stroke,
400m (8L) 2L/stroke
freestyle relay: 4 x 100m 2L/person , 4 x 200m 4L/person
medley relay: 4 x 100m 2L/person/stroke
Swimming Strokes
Freestyle
Freestyle swimming implies the freedom to
choose any stroke style for competitive
swimming. The front crawl is most
commonly chosen by swimmers, as this
provides the greatest speed. During a race,
the competitor circles the arms forward in
alternation and kicks the feet up and down
(flutter kick).
Stand-alone freestyle events can also be
swum using one of the officially regulated
strokes (breaststroke, butterfly, and
backstroke). For the freestyle part of medley
swimming competitions, however, one
cannot use breaststroke, butterfly, or
backstroke
Front crawl is based on the Trudgen stroke that was
improved by Richmond Cavill from Sydney, Australia.
Cavill developed the stroke by observing a young boy
from the Solomon Islands, Alick Wickham. Cavill and his
brothers spread the Australian crawl to England, New
Zealand and America. Richmond Cavill used this stroke
in 1902 at an International Championships in England
to set a new world record by swimming 100 yards (91 m)
in 58.4 seconds. Freestyle competitions have also been
swum completely and partially in other styles, especially
at lower ranking competitions as some swimmers find
their backstroke quicker than their front crawl.
During the Olympic Games, front crawl is
swum almost exclusively during freestyle.
Some of the few rules are that swimmers
must touch the end of the pool during each
length and cannot push off the bottom or
hang on the wall or pull on the lane lines
during the course of the race. As with all
competitive events, false starts are not
allowed (the number of false starts depends
upon the particular competitive rules for that
competition).
 Freestyle Rules

The classic freestyle, also known as the front

crawl, combines a scissor kick with an
overhead arm pull in which the arms move in
an alternating pattern. Swimmers face the
bottom of the pool to swim the freestyle.
 Freestyle Rules

The international swimming governing body does

not provide specific rules for the execution of the
freestyle in its rulebook. In fact, swimmers can
swim in any style they choose during freestyle
events, except in medley events, when they may
not swim backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly.
Still, most swimmers perform the classic freestyle
stroke that has proved to be the fastest stroke in
competitive swimming.
 Freestyle Rules

Freestyle means "any style" for individual swims and any

style but breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke for both the
individual medley, and medley relay competitions. The
wall has to be touched at every turn and upon completion.
Some part of the swimmer must be above water at any
time, except for the first 15 meters after the start and every
turn. This rule was introduced to prevent swimmers from
using the faster underwater swimming to their advantage,
or even swimming entire laps underwater.
The exact FINA rules are:
1. Freestyle means that in an event so
designated the swimmer may swim any
style, except that in individual medley or
medley relay events, freestyle means any
style other than backstroke, breaststroke, or
butterfly.
2. Some part of the swimmer must touch the
wall upon completion of each length and at
the finish
The exact FINA rules are:

3. Some part of the swimmer must break the

surface of the water throughout the race,
except it shall be permissible for the swimmer
to be completely submerged during the turn
and for a distance of not more than 15 meters
after the start and each turn. By that point the
head must have broken the surface
There are eight common competitions that are swum in
freestyle swimming, both over either a long course (50 m pool)
or a short course (25 m pool). The United States also employs
short course yards (25 yard pool).
• 50 m freestyle
• 100 m freestyle
• 200 m freestyle
• 400 m freestyle (500 yards for short course yards)
• 800 m freestyle (1000 yards for short course yards)
• 1500 m freestyle (1650 yards for short course yards)
• 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
• 4 × 200 m freestyle relay
In the long distance races of 800 m and 1500 m, some
meets hosted by FINA (including the Olympics) only have
the 800 m distance for women and the 1500 m distance
for men. However, FINA does keep records in the 1500
meter distance for women and the 800 meter distance for
men, and the FINA World Championships, as well as
many other meets, have both distances for both genders.
There are also open water swimming events, where the
style is free of choice, but freestyle is always chosen by
elite swimmers. The Olympics has a 10 km event.
Triathlon also includes open water swimming, with free
choice of style.
Backstroke
Backstroke is one of the four swimming
styles used in competitive events regulated by
FINA, and the only one of these styles swum
on the back. This swimming style has the
advantage of easy breathing, but the
disadvantage of swimmers not being able to
see where they are going. It is also the only
competition swimming style that has a
different start.
The swimming style is similar to an upside
down front crawl or freestyle. Both
backstroke and front crawl are long-axis
strokes. In individual medley backstroke is
the second style swum; in the medley relay it
is the first style swum.
In the initial position, the swimmer
performing backstroke lies flat on the back;
arms stretched with extended fingertips, and
legs extended backwards.
Arm movement

In backstroke, the arms contribute most of the

forward movement. The arm stroke consists
of two main parts: the power phase
(consisting of three separate parts) and the
recovery. The arms alternate so that always
one arm is underwater while the other arm is
recovering. One complete arm turn is
considered one cycle.
From the initial position, one arm sinks
slightly under water and turns the palm
outward to start the catch phase (first
part of the power phase). The hand
enters downward (pinkie finger first)
then pulling out at a 45 degree angle,
catching the water.
During the power phase the hand follows a semi-circular
path from the catch to the side of the hip. The palm is
always facing away from the swimming direction, while
remaining straight as an extension of the arm, and the
elbow always points downward towards the bottom of the
pool. This is done so that both the arms and the elbow can
push the maximum amount of water back in order to push
the body forward. At the height of the shoulders, the
upper and lower arms should have their maximum angle
of about 90 degrees. This is called the Mid-Pull of the
power phase.
The Mid-Pull phase consists of pushing the palm of the
hand as far down as possible with the fingers pointing
upward. Again, the goal is to push the body forward
against the water. At the very end of the Mid-Pull, the
palm flaps down for a last push forward down to a depth
of 45 cm, creating the finish of the power phase. Besides
pushing the body forward, this also helps with the rolling
back to the other side as part of the body movement.
During the power phase, the fingers of the hand can be
slightly apart, as this will increase the resistance of the
hand in the water due to turbulence.
To prepare for the recovery phase, the hand is rotated so
that the palms point towards the legs and the thumb side
points upwards. At the beginning of the recovery phase of
the one arm, the other arm begins its power phase. The
recovering arm is moved in a semicircle straight over the
shoulders to the front. During this recovery, the palm
rotates so that the small finger enters the water first,
allowing for the least amount of resistance, and the palms
point outward. After a short gliding phase, the cycle
repeats with the preparation for the next power phase.
A variant is to move both arms synchronized
and not alternating, similar to an upside
down butterfly stroke. This is easier to
coordinate, and the peak speed during the
combined power phase is faster, yet the
speed is much slower during the combined
recovery. The average speed will usually be
less than the average speed of the alternating
stroke.
Another variant is the old style of swimming
backstroke, where the arm movement formed
a complete circle in a windmill type pattern.
However, this style is not commonly used
for competitive swimming, as a lot of energy
is spent on pushing the body up and down
instead of forward. Furthermore, the added
strain on the shoulder is considered less than
ideal and can lead to injuries.
It is also possible to move only one arm at a
time, where one arm moves through the
power and recovery phases while the other
arm rests. This is slow, but it is used
frequently to teach students the movement,
as they have to concentrate on only one
arm.
 Leg movement

The leg movement in backstroke is similar to

the flutter kick in front crawl. The kick
makes a large contribution to the forward
speed, while significantly stabilizing the
body.
Breathing

Breathing in backstroke is easier than in other

strokes, as the mouth and nose are usually
above water. Competitive swimmers breathe
in through the mouth during the recovery of
one arm, and breathe out through the mouth
and nose during the pull and push phase of
the same arm. This is done to clear the nose
of water.
Body movement

Due to the asynchronous movement of the arms, the body

tend to roll around its long axis. By taking advantage of
this rolling motion, swimmers can increase their
effectiveness while swimming backstroke. The overall
position of the body is straight in the horizontal to reduce
drag. Beginners frequently let their posterior and thighs
sink too low, which increases drag. To avoid this, the
upper legs have to be moved to the extreme down position
at each kick even with a little help by the back and the foot
tips have to be fixed in the extreme lower position and the
head is held out of the water to act as a counter-weight.
Start
Start
The backstroke start is the only start from the
water. The swimmer faces the wall and grabs part
of the start block or the wall with their hands.
Ideally, there are grips on the block for this
purpose. The legs are placed shoulder width apart
on the wall with both heels slightly off the wall.
Just before the starting signal, the swimmer pulls
their head closer to the start block, while keeping
the knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Some
swimmers prefer to keep one foot slightly lower
than the other during the start.
For the takeoff, the swimmer pushes his or her hands away
from the block and swings his or her arms around sideways
to the front. At the same time, the swimmer throws his or
her head to the back. The swimmer then pushes away from
the wall with his feet. Ideally, the swimmer's back is arched
during the airborne phase so that only the feet and the
hands touch the water while the rest of the body is above
the water line. This reduces drag and permits a faster start.
On September 21, 2005, FINA modified the backstroke
start rule regarding toes below the water line. The feet can
now be above the water, but not above or curled over the
lip of the pool gutter.
After the start, the swimmer is completely underwater.
Due to increased resistance at the surface, experienced
swimmers usually swim faster underwater than at the
surface. Therefore, most experienced swimmers in
backstroke competitions stay under water up to the
limit set by FINA (15 meters after the start and after
every turn). Most swimmers use a butterfly kick
underwater, as this provides more forward movement
than the flutter kick. The underwater phase includes
the risk of water entering the nose, so most swimmers
breathe out through the nose to stop water from
entering.
The swimmer's head must break the surface
before 15 m under FINA rules. The swimmer
starts swimming with one arm, followed by
the other arm with half a cycle delay. The
swimmer continues in regular swimming
style, staying on the back for the entire time
except the turns.
Turn and finish

Approaching the wall has the problem that the

swimmer cannot see where he or she is going.
Most competitive swimmers know how many
strokes they need for a lane, or at least how
many strokes after the signal flags or the
change in color of the separating lines.
Turning the head is also possible, but slows
the swimmer down.
Turn and finish
Prior to September 1992 swimmers had to touch the wall
on their back before initiating the turn or rolling off their
back in order to turn. After September 1992 when
approaching the wall, the swimmer is allowed to turn to his
or her breast and make one push/pull phase with one arm
or simultaneous double arm pull. Next, the swimmer makes
half a tumble turn forward, resting the feet against the
wall. The arms are in the forward position at this time, and
the swimmer pushes their body off the wall. Similar to the
start, the swimmer can remain up to 15 m under water, with
most swimmers using a butterfly kick for speed. This rule
change allowed for faster turns
Turn and finish

For the finish, the swimmer must touch the

wall while lying on his back, less than 90
degrees out of the horizontal, and must not
be completely submerged.
Below are the official FINA rules which
apply to swimmers during official
competitions:

- Before the starting signal, the swimmers shall line up in

the water facing the starting end, with both hands holding
the starting grips. Standing in or on the gutter or bending
the toes over the lip of the gutter is prohibited.
- At the signal for starting and after turning, the swimmer
shall push off and swim upon his back throughout the race
except when executing a turn. The normal position on the
back can include a roll movement of the body up to, but
not including 90 degrees from horizontal. The position of
the head is not relevant.
- Some part of the swimmer must break the
surface of the water throughout the race. It
shall be permissible for the swimmer to be
completely submerged during the turn, and
for a distance of not more than 15 meters
after the start and each turn. By that point,
the head must have broken the surface.
- During the turn, the shoulders may be turned over
the vertical to the breast after which a continuous
single arm pull or a continuous simultaneous double
arm pull may be used to initiate the turn. Once the
body has left the position on the back, any kick or
arm pull must be part of the continuous turning
action. The swimmer must have returned to the
position on the back upon leaving the wall. When
executing the turn there must be a touch of the wall
with some part of the swimmer’s body.
- Upon the finish of the race, the swimmer
must touch the wall while on the back in
his/her respective lane. Competitive
swimmers frequently swing their arm back
and down into the water, bringing the head
and upper body with it. This creates a large
amount of forward momentum into the wall.
A single dolphin kick is used to keep the toes
above water, and therefore, legal.
Breast stroke
Breaststroke is a swimming style in which
the swimmer is on their chest and the torso
does not rotate. It is the most popular
recreational style due to the swimmer's head
being out of the water a large portion of the
time, and that it can be swum comfortably at
slow speeds.
Speed and Ergonomics

Breaststroke is the slowest of the four

official styles in competitive swimming.
The fastest breaststrokers can swim about
1.70 meters per second. It is sometimes the
hardest to teach to rising swimmers after
butterfly due to the importance of timing and
the coordination required to move the legs
properly.
Speed and Ergonomics
In the breaststroke, the swimmer leans on the chest,
arms breaking the surface of the water slightly, legs
always underwater and the head underwater for the
second half of the stroke. The kick is sometimes
referred to as a "frog kick" because of the
resemblance to the movement of a frog's hind
legs; however, when done correctly it is more of
a "whip kick" due to the whip-like motion that
moves starting at the core down through the
legs.
Speed and Ergonomics

The body is often at a steep angle to the forward

movement, which slows down the swimmer more
than any other style. Professional breaststrokers
use abdominal muscles and hips to add extra
power to the kick, although most do not perfect
this technique until the collegiate level. This much
faster form of breaststroke is referred to as "wave-
action" breaststroke and fully incorporates the
whip-kick.
Speed and Ergonomics

A special feature of competitive breaststroke

is the underwater pullout. From the
streamline position, one uses the arms to pull
all the way down past the hips. As the arms
are pulling down, one downward dolphin kick
is allowed (as of the 2005 season), though
still optional; more than one dolphin kick will
result in disqualification.
Speed and Ergonomics

This is followed by the recovery of the arms to the

streamline position once more with a breaststroke
kick. The pullout is also called the "pull down". The
pullout at the start and after the turns contributes
significantly to the swimming times. Open turns can
be easily performed at the walls, but both hands
must make contact with the wall. Therefore, one
way to improve swimming times is to focus on the
start and the turns.
Technique

The breaststroke starts with the

swimmer lying in the water face
down, arms extended straight
forward and legs extended straight
to the back.
Arm movement
There are three steps to the arm movement:
outsweep, insweep, and recovery. The movement
starts with the outsweep. From the streamline
position, the palms turn out and the hands separate
to slightly past shoulder width. The outsweep is
followed by the insweep, where the hands point
down and push the water backwards. The elbows
stay in the horizontal plane through the shoulders.
The hands push back until approximately the
vertical plane through the shoulders.
Arm movement
At the end of the insweep the hands come
together with facing palms in front of the chest
and the elbows are at the side at the body. In
the recovery phase, the hands are moved
forward again into the initial position under
water. The entire arm stroke starts slowly,
increases speed to the peak arm movement
speed in the insweep phase, and slows down
again during recovery.
 Arm movement

The goal is to produce maximum thrust

during the insweep phase, and minimum
drag during the recovery phase. Another
variant is the underwater pull-down, similar
to the push phase of a butterfly stroke.
 Leg Movement

The leg movement, colloquially known as the "frog

kick" or "whip kick", consists of two phases:
bringing the feet into position for the thrust phase
and the insweep phase. From the initial position
with the legs stretched out backward, the feet are
moved together towards the posterior, while the
knees stay together. The knees should not sink too
low, as this increases the drag. Then the feet point
outward in preparation for the thrust phase.
 Leg Movement

In the thrust phase, the legs are moved

elliptically back to the initial position.
During this movement, the knees are
kept together. The legs move slower
while bringing the legs into position for
the thrust phase, and move very fast
during the thrust phase.
 Leg Movement

Breaststroke can also be swum with the

dolphin kick in butterfly, but this also
violates the FINA rules. One kick is allowed,
however, at the start and at the turn,
providing that it is part of the body's natural
movement.
Breathing

The easiest way to breathe during breaststroke is to

let the head follow the spine. When the swimmer's
elbows have reached the line of his eye and have
begun to rise, his head starts to lift. If he uses his
high elbows as a hinge for the inward sweep of his
hands and forearms, he will create the leverage he
needs to use his abdominal muscles to bring his hips
forward. When his hips move forward, his chest,
shoulders and upper back will automatically lift up.
Breathing
Breathing is usually done during the beginning of
the insweep phase of the arms, and the swimmer
breathes in ideally through the mouth. The
swimmer breathes out through mouth and nose
during the recovery and gliding phase. Breaststroke
can be swum faster if submerged completely, but
FINA requires the head to break the surface once
per cycle except for the first cycle after the start and
each turn.
 Body movement

The movement starts in the initial position

with the body completely straight, body
movement is coordinated such that the legs
are ready for the thrust phase while the arms
are halfway through the insweep, and the head
is out of the water for breathing. In this
position the body has also the largest angle to
the horizontal.
 Body movement

The arms are recovered during the thrust phase

of the legs. After the stroke the body is kept in
the initial position for some time to utilize the
gliding phase. Depending on the distance and
fitness the duration of this gliding phase
varies.
Body movement

The gliding phase is also longer during the

underwater stroke after the start and each
turn. However, the gliding phase is usually
the longest phase in one entire cycle of
breaststroke.
Start

Breaststroke uses the regular start for

swimming. Some swimmers use a variant
called the frog start, where the legs are pulled
forward sharply before being extended again
quickly during the airborne phase of the start.
 Start

After the start a gliding phase follows under

water, followed by one underwater pulldown
and dolphin kick, then one whip kick as the
hands are recovered back to a streamline.
This is known as the pull-out.
 Start

The head must break the surface before the

arms reach their widest point on the first
stroke after the pull-out. The downward
butterfly kick was legalized by FINA, WWF
and the NCAA in 2005, and remains optional.
The downward fly kick is now allowed in
MCSL.
 Turn and finish

For competitive swimming it is important that the wall at

the end of the lane is always touched by both hands
(known as a "Two-Hand Touch") at the same time due to
FINA regulations.
The turn is initiated by touching the wall during the gliding
or during the recovery phase of the arms, depending on
how the wall can be touched faster. After touching the wall,
the legs are pulled underneath of the body. The body turns
sideways while one hand is moved forward (i.e. towards
the head) along the side of the body.
Turn and finish

When the body is almost completely turned, the other hand

will be swung straight up through the air such that both
hands meet at the front at the same time. At that time the
body should also be almost in the horizontal and partially
or totally submerged. After the body is completely
submerged, the body is pushed off the wall with both legs.
Doing this under water will reduce the drag. After a gliding
phase, an underwater pull-out is done, followed by another
gliding phase and then regular swimming. The head must
break the surface during the second stroke.
 Competitions

There are 8 common distances jumped in competitive breaststroke

swimming, 4 in yards and 4 in meters. 25-yard pools are common
in the United States and are routinely used in age group, high
school and college competitions during the winter months.
• 25 yd Breaststroke (age group and club swimming for children
8 and under)
• 50 yd Breaststroke (age group swimming for children 12 and
under)
• 100 yd Breaststroke
• 200 yd Breaststroke
 Competitions

25 meter or 50 meter pool distances

• 25 m Breaststroke (age group and club
swimming for children 8 and under, 25 meter
pool only, and not swum in year-around
swimming)
• 50 m Breaststroke(age group and club
swimming for children 12 and under)
• 100 m Breaststroke
• 200 m Breaststroke
Butterfly
The butterfly (colloquially shortened to the fly[1])
is a swimming stroke swum on the chest, with
both arms moving symmetrically, accompanied by
the butterfly kick (also known as the "dolphin
kick"). While other styles like the breaststroke,
front crawl, or backstroke can be swum
adequately by beginners, the butterfly is a more
difficult stroke that requires good technique as
well as strong muscles. It is the newest swimming
style swum in competition, first swum in 1933 and
originating out of breaststroke.
Speed and ergonomics

The peak speed of the butterfly is faster than that

of the front crawl, or freestyle due to the
synchronous pull/push with both arms and legs.
Yet since speed drops significantly during the
recovery phase, it is overall slightly slower than
front crawl, especially over longer distances.
Another reason it is slower is because of the
extremely different physical exertion it puts on the
swimmer compared to the freestyle.
The breaststroke, backstroke, and front crawl can all be
swum easily even if the swimmer's technique is flawed.
The butterfly, however, is unforgiving of mistakes in style;
it is very difficult to overcome a poor butterfly technique
with brute strength. Many swimmers and coaches consider
it the most difficult swimming style. The main difficulty
for beginners is the synchronous over-water recovery,
especially when combined with breathing, since both arms,
the head, shoulders and part of the chest have to be lifted
out of the water for these tasks. Once efficient technique
has been developed, it becomes a smooth, fast stroke.
 Technique
The butterfly technique with the dolphin kick
consists of synchronous arm movement with a
synchronous leg kick. Good technique is crucial to
swim this style effectively. The wave-like body
movement is also very significant in creating
propulsion, as this is the key to easy synchronous
over-water recovery and breathing.
In the initial position, the swimmer lies on the
breast, the arms are stretched to the front, and the
legs are extended to the back.
Arm movement
The butterfly stroke has three major parts, the pull, the
push, and the recovery. These can also be further
subdivided. From the initial position, the arm movement
starts very similarly to the breast stroke. At the beginning
the hands sink a little bit down with the palms facing
outwards and slightly down at shoulder width, then the
hands move out to create a Y. This is called catching the
water. The pull movement follows a semicircle with the
elbow higher than the hand and the hand pointing towards
the center of the body and downward to form the
traditionally taught "keyhole".
Arm movement

The push pushes the palm backward through the water

underneath the body at the beginning and at the side of the
body at the end of the push. The swimmer only pushes the
arms 1/3 of the way to the hips, making it easier to enter
into the recovery and making the recovery shorter and
making the breathing window shorter. The movement
increases speed throughout the pull-push phase until the
hand is the fastest at the end of the push. This step is called
the release and is crucial for the recovery. The speed at the
end of the push is used to help with the recovery.
Leg movement
The legs are synchronized with each other which
uses a whole different set of muscles. The
shoulders are brought above the surface by a
strong up and medium down kick, and back below
the surface by a strong down and up kick. A
smooth undulation fuses the motion together.
The feet are pressed together to avoid loss of water
pressure. The feet are naturally pointing
downwards, giving downwards thrust, moving up
the feet and pressing down the head.
Breathing

There is only a short window for breathing

in the butterfly. If this window is missed,
swimming becomes very difficult.
Optimally, a butterfly swimmer
synchronizes the taking of breaths with the
undulation of the body to simplify the
breathing process; doing this well requires
some attention to butterfly stroke technique.
Breathing
The breathing process begins during the underwater
"press" portion of the stroke. As the hands and forearms
move underneath the chest, the body will naturally rise
toward the surface of the water. With minimum effort, the
swimmer can lift the head to fully break the surface. The
swimmer breathes in through the mouth. The head goes
back in the water after the arms come out of the water as
they are swinging forward over the surface of the water. If
the head stays out too long, the recovery is hindered. The
swimmer breathes out through mouth and nose till the next
breath.
Body movement
Swimming butterfly is difficult if the core is not utilized,
and correct timing and body movement makes swimming
butterfly much easier. The body moves in a wave-like
fashion, controlled by the core, and as the chest is pressed
down, the hips go up, and the posterior breaks the water
surface and transfers into a fluid kick. During the push
phase, the chest goes up and the hips are at their lowest
position. In this style, the second pulse in the cycle is
stronger than the first pulse, as the second pulse is more in
flow with the body movement.
 Body movement

Although butterfly is very compatible with

diving, the resulting reduction in wave drag
does not lead to an overall reduction of drag.
In the modern style of the Butterfly stroke
one does only little vertical movement of the
body.
Start
Butterfly uses the regular start for swimming.
After the start a gliding phase follows under
water, followed by dolphin kicks swim under
water. Swimming under water reduces the
drag from breaking the surface and is very
economical. Rules allow for 15 m of
underwater swimming before the head must
break the surface, and regular swimming
begins.
 Turn and finish
During turns and during the finish, both hands must
simultaneously touch the wall while the swimmer remains
swimming face down. The swimmer touches the wall with
both hands while bending the elbows slightly. The bent
elbows allow the swimmer to push himself or herself away
from the wall and turn sideways. One hand leaves the wall
to be moved to the front underwater. At the same time the
legs are pulled closer and moved underneath of the body
towards the wall. The second hand leaves the wall to be
moved to the front over water. It is commonly referred to
as an "over/under turn" or an "open turn".
 Turn and finish
The legs touch the wall and the hands are at
the front. The swimmer sinks under water and
lies on the breast, or nearly so. Then the
swimmer pushes off the wall, keeping a
streamline position with the hands to the
front. Similar to the start, the swimmer is
allowed to swim 15 m underwater before the
head must break the surface. Most swimmers
dolphin kick after an initial gliding phase.
Medley
Medley is a combination of four different
swimming styles butterfly stroke,
backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle into
one race. This race is either swum by one
swimmer as individual medley (IM) or by
four swimmers as a medley relay.
 Individual medley

Individual medley consists of a single

swimmer swimming equal distances of four
different strokes within one race.
 Stroke order
Individual medley consists of four strokes. The
swimmer will swim one quarter of the race in each
style, in a certain order. The strokes are swum in
this order:
1. Butterfly
2. Backstroke
3. Breaststroke
4. Freestyle (this can be any stroke except the
butterfly, backstroke, or breaststroke; most
swimmers use the front crawl)
 Medley relay

Medley relay consists of four different

swimmers in one relay race, each swimming
one of the four strokes.
 Stroke order

Medley relay is swum by four different swimmers,

each swimming one of the four strokes. Backstroke
is the first event as backstroke is started from the
water. If backstroke were not the first event, the
starting backstroke swimmer and the finishing
previous swimmer could block each other. The
remaining strokes are sorted according to the
speed, with breaststroke being the slowest and
freestyle being the fastest stroke.
Stroke order

The order of the strokes is as follows:

• Backstroke
• Breaststroke
• Butterfly
• Freestyle the only limitation being that
none of backstroke, breaststroke, or
butterfly stroke may be used for this leg.
Most swimmers use the front crawl.
 Rules
These are the official rules of the FINA regarding medley
swimming:
• In individual medley events, the swimmer covers the
four swimming styles in the following order: butterfly,
backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.
• In medley relay events, swimmers will cover the four
swimming styles in the following order: backstroke,
breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
• Each section must be finished in accordance with the
rule which applies to the style concerned.
 Rules

Freestyle includes a special regulation for

medley events:

• Freestyle means that in an event so

designated the swimmer may swim any style,
except that in individual medley or medley
relay events, freestyle means any style other
than backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly.
 Rules
Additionally, the normal rules of relay events apply:
• In relay events, the team of a swimmer whose feet lose
touch with the starting platform before the preceding
team-mate touches the wall shall be disqualified, unless
the swimmer in default returns to the original starting
point at the wall, but it shall not be necessary to return to
the starting platform.
• Any relay team shall be disqualified from a race if a
team member, other than the swimmer designated to swim
that length, enters the water when the race is being
conducted, before all swimmers of all teams have finished
the race.
Rules

• The members of a relay team and their order of

competing must be nominated before the race. Any
relay team member may compete in a race only once.
The composition of a relay team may be changed
between the heats and finals of an event, provided that it
is made up from the list of swimmers properly entered by
a member for that event. Failure to swim in the order
listed will result in disqualification. Substitutions may
be made only in the case of a documented medical
emergency.
 Rules

• Any swimmer having finished his race, or their

distance in a relay event, must leave the pool as
soon as possible without obstructing any other
swimmer who has not yet finished their race.
Otherwise the swimmer committing the fault, or
their relay team, shall be disqualified.
• There shall be four swimmers on each relay
team.