Swimming Strokes

An excellent form of exercise, swimming does not put stress on your joints the way running or jogging will. Water adds natural resistance, making your muscles work while stroking. Even though many can only enjoy pools and beaches in the summer, if you’re fortunate enough to live in a tropical climate or have a heated pool, you can enjoy the benefits of this aquatic activity year-round.

List of Swimming Strokes

What are some typical strokes you’ll see swimmers perform and which movements do they involve? Let's take a look.

• Front crawl: This is viewed as the fastest swimming style and the one most people think of when they imagine swimming. The arms and legs move continuously; the arms alternately push and pull, and the legs perform the flutter kick. The swimmer usually turns his head to the side to take in breaths. This is also known as the Australian crawl. Variations on the front crawl include:
  • Trudgen
  • Trudgen crawl
  • Double trudgen
  • Double trudgen crawl
  • Dolphin crawl
  • Catch-up stroke
  • Total immersion

These variations involve differences in kick styles or arm movements.

• Dog paddle: This stroke is often taught to children and new swimmers because the head stays above the water during this stroke. The arms and legs move continuously to keep the swimmer afloat, imitating the natural style that dogs and other animals use when in the water.
• Breast stroke: In this stroke, the swimmer’s head is out of the water much of the time. This is usually one of the first strokes new swimmers learn and it’s generally regarded as the slowest. The swimmer’s arms break the water’s surface only slightly and the legs remain underwater. The kick involved is often referred to as the frog kick. A variation of this is the heads-up breast stroke, where the swimmer’s head stays above the water at all times.
• Butterfly: The swimmer’s arm movements in this stroke resemble flying wings, thus the name. This is considered one of the most difficult of the swimming strokes and requires a good grasp of technique to be executed correctly, making it hard for beginners to truly master. The arms, head and parts of the shoulder are lifted out of the water while the swimmer moves her arms simultaneously. The feet remain together and point downward, maintaining synchronous movement. This is the second fastest stroke. A variation is known as the slow butterfly or moth stroke.
• Sidestroke: The swimmer is positioned on his side in this endurance technique. Once the swimmer is tired of moving the arm and leg on one side, he can turn over and use his other arm and leg, giving the first side time to recover. A variation is the overarm sidestroke.
• Backstroke: As the name denotes, this stroke is swam on the back. A long-axis stroke like the front crawl, this allows the swimmer to breathe easily, but doesn’t allow her to see where she’s headed. This is the only competition stroke that begins with the swimmer in the water. The arms move independently and provide the forward movement; one arm is always underwater while the other is recovering. The legs perform the flutter kick or more rarely, the breast stroke kick or butterfly kick. Variations on the backstroke include:
  • Elementary backstroke
  • Inverted backstroke
  • Inverted butterfly
  • Back double trudgen

Other strokes that are recognized but not as familiar to most people include:

• Human stroke
• Turtle stroke
• Corkscrew swimming
• Gliding

Competitive Strokes

These are the four swimming strokes you’ll see in competitions over and over:

• Front crawl
• Breast stroke
• Butterfly
• Backstroke

Viewing Different Strokes

If you’re not currently taking lessons but would like to see the different strokes in action, visit the Los Angeles Trade Tech College for some great video-taped examples.

Great Exercise

Whether you’re interested in enjoying the pool or beach more during the summer or you want to learn as much about swimming strokes as possible, you’ll enjoy the health benefits of working out in the water. Knowing how to swim, especially for those who live near the water, is a useful skill; this is an activity you can learn, use, and enjoy the rest of your life!