Backstroke Technique •Clear understanding on what to look for; where to look •Technique priorities –Fastest, most efficient –Minimize injury risk –Makes sense to move the body forward –Makes sense for the “average” person to do. The kick should start in the hips and end at the feet with the knees slightly bending and remaining underwater. Once this has been mastered then the swimmer can practice the full stroke ensuring the arms are performing … The lower you are in the water, the more difficult it will be to both kicks and pull. Swim the backstroke breathing steadily, first making two complete arm strokes very slowly and then two strokes very quickly. BODY POSITION DRILLS Learning to float well on the back is the first step in being comfortable with the backstroke. As this arm rotates through the air, the other arm is sculling water backward underneath the body. Keep your palm open and use it like a paddle to move water. 4. We recommend practicing keeping the head back by doing no arm movements at all. The position of your head can make all the difference between a mediocre backstroke and an effective backstroke. Focus on kicking the feet from the hips. Read our breaststroke arm technique tips from our resident Swim England coaches Lucy and Carolyn, or watch the video below to improve your swimming. The pull of the backstroke will begin with your arm fully extended above your body. The backstroke generates a majority of the propulsion from the movements of the hands. Your right arm will be straight and it will rotate during the recovery so that your hand can enter the water little finger first. As your body rotates, your right thumb or back of wrist will exit the water first. Elbow bend a little wider than 90° Russell Mark … In backstroke, the arm action will provide the majority of the propulsion. Swim the backstroke, pausing for 2” in your arm stroke when your recovery hand is out in front of your face; at this point hold your breath for the 2” pause and then get back into both your stroke and ordinary breathing pattern. Perfecting this technique can immediately improve your speed of the backstroke while saving your energy. The arms are continuous and alternating with one arm providing propulsion under the water whilst the other recovers over the water. Related: What is Early Vertical Forearm? In backstroke, the arms contribute most of the forward movement. One arm leaves the water near the hip and rotates up and backward. Backstroke 1. If you were to imagine that you are lying on a clock face with your head at the 12 o’clock position, your right arm will enter straight and inline with your shoulder at 11 o’clock. Inhaling and exhaling with your arms above your head can cause you to ingest water, which can significantly slow you down. The arms are continuous and alternating with one arm providing propulsion under the water whilst the other recovers over the water. Try not to move your arm too far in our out. Instead, simply kick with your feet while keeping your head in the correct position so that you get used to the feeling. The key to a successful backstroke is proper kicking. Turn your palm to face out so that your pinky will be the first finger to enter the water upon entry. ... backstroke technique › backstroke timing ↑ TOP OF PAGE " Hello, I'm Mark Young, creator of Swim Teach. As your right arm nears your hip, it will extend and your palm will turn in towards your hip to finish the arm pull. Kicking with the hips means that the kick begins in the hip. The drill is very simple. Improving your backstroke arm technique will make the biggest impact on your efficiency in the water. Your legs should remain underwater so that you do not bring your knees out of the water while kicking, as this will drastically slow you down and offset having a flat torso. Now, bend your elbow so that the back of your elbow faces the direction of the pool in which you are swimming. BACKSTROKE: IMPROVING YOUR ARM STROKES. This will often increase your speed and energy levels, giving you a quicker and easier lap time. When we talk about backstroke, we are referring to one of the most elegant swim strokes. Kick it in Gear A common misconception is that backstroke flutter kick was simply freestyle flutter kick rolled over. One component to backstroke swimming that is different than the rest is how easy it is to breathe. Arm Movements . Even though it is easy to breathe while backstroke swimming, you should put a breathing pattern in place so that you always know when you will be breathing. Your hands should be stretched above your head and the legs also extended flat. This is just one of the areas we cover in our 5 pro tips for backstroke swimming. The arms are continuous and alternating with one arm providing propulsion under the water whilst the other recovers over the water. This technique error is something I’ve seen repeated over and over. Good spinal alignment and core tension not only improve comfort on the back, but can also contribute to an effective backstroke. Backstroke Technique. Keep your arm fully extended as you bring your arm out of the water with your thumb on top. The hands during backstroke swimming technique might seem like they are doing crazy things when you see them in slow motion. “One arm stays inactive at your side while the other arm goes through the arm stroke cycle,” Georges explains. A good drill to hone your backstroke technique is to do the one-arm backstroke drill. In this video, you will learn how to improve the arm movements you use during the backstroke. Technique. With your right arm, do one complete backstroke, bringing your arm over the water in a fully aligned arch, then stroking through to your hip. The arm stroke consists of two main parts: the power phase (consisting of three separate parts) and the recovery. Continue for twelve strokes. Backstroke Arm Technique Tips In backstroke, the arm action will provide the majority of the propulsion. However, it is not only the technique that can help you save energy while backstroke swimming. However, just because your face stays out of the water throughout the backstroke doesn’t mean that you can breathe whenever you want. You have to keep your face above water to breathe, and splashing water can be a problem. You can tell if somebody is a good backstroke swimmer, because they seem to torpedo through the … When the arm arrives at shoulder level, start to rotate the palm outwards. Because backstroke swimming is relatively easy, it often doesn’t get the attention that it deserves to be perfected. The movement of the arms in backstroke is somewhat unique. Keeping your torso flat will reduce drag and allow you to push through the water quickly. Catching the water is when your palms enter the water and push the water back, propelling you through the water to gain or maintain speed. When your right arm returns to its starting point, do the same thing with your left arm. Keeping your torso flat will help your body stay at the surface where it belongs while your legs stay slightly underneath to give you the most propulsion possible. The ideal technique for correcting this flaw is one-arm backstroke. When the elbow gets to a 90 degree bend, push the water towards your hip. Breathing is imperative to increase energy and reduce injury while backstroke swimming. "I think fins are a great tool to teach the backstroke." Russell Mark rmark@usaswimming.org / : russellmark1226 The Catch – The Most Important Aspect 2 Rotation Finish Tempo Kick. Muscles that are supplied with adequate amounts of oxygen are also less likely to cramp or stiffen. Tips for improving backstroke kicking. Drag is when improper form causes a part of the body to slow the lap speed down. Technique. The backstroke, or back crawl, uses alternating and opposite arm movements. Finally, use your hand to push the water and straighten your hand so that your thumb is the first finger to exit the water. Russell Mark rmark@usaswimming.org / : russellmark1226 The Catch 3 Palm faces towards your feet Fingertips pointing away from the body Upper arm in close line with your back. Once your hand has entered the water with your palm facing out, turn your hand so that the back of your hand faces the same direction as your head and the palm of your hand faces your feet. The aim is to keep the head as still as possible as it’s your rudder and if you lift your head, it will waste unnecessary energy as well as your hips and feet dropping causing drag. Swimming Backstroke – Arm Technique and Movements; The Backstroke Kick – Swimming Technique; Swimming Backstroke – Breathing Technique and Tips; Elementary Backstroke: Swimming Technique and Tips; Swimming Backstroke: How to Avoid Bumping into the Wall with the Head; Learn To Swim Backstroke: Drills and Exercises ; Overview of Common Swimming Strokes / … As one arm pulls through the water from an overhead position to the hip, the other arm recovers above the water from the hip to the overhead position and vice versa. Your torso will need to stay straight and flat while your back glides across the surface of the water. Pease said there are a number of more advanced drills out there, but for those just getting started in the stroke, these four are great building blocks: One-Arm Drill. At the same time turn the torso towards the elevating arm. This helps prevent fatigue and increase energy. The backstroke swimming technique demands a lot from your arms so it is important know the correct movements to help avoid injury. This will help take their backstroke from mediocre to perfection in just a short amount of time. Midway through the stroke, rotate your arm in the position that you began with your palm facing out and your pinky on the bottom. The kick should not start by bending the knees. Backstroke swimming is considered to be the easiest swimming style to learn and perform because the moves are simple and straightforward. An insufficient catch means you waste energy for a pull that slows you down. Both arms should be fully extended at all times. Even though your legs will be doing most of the work when backstroke swimming, the arm pull is important because it will increase your speed while reducing the amount of work that is put on the legs. The knees will naturally bend when the feet are kicked, but this should not be the reason the feet are being kicked. The arm re-enters the water behind your head, with your pinkie finger entering the water first. Your arm will start to bend so that the palm and forearm are facing towards your feet. When the knees come out of the water, drag is created. Once you have a breathing pattern that you practice, it will become part of the backstroke swimming routine, just like pulling and kicking through the water. Pushing your chin into your chest will cause your head to come too high out of the water. The backstroke is undoubtedly the easiest swimming style for breathing as your face stays out of the water throughout the duration of the swim. Your face will stay above the surface of the water during the backstroke, except when turning off the wall. This exercise is commonly used as a part of a backstroke swimmer’s warm-up routine. Maintaining a neutral position beginning with the head will cause the rest of the body to follow. The focus is to make the body as flat as possible which is great when it comes to swimming. The backstroke pull begins with your hand exiting the water thumb-first. This gives you the most propulsion and speed while reducing the amount of energy that is used. Try not to move your arm too far in our out. Time the stroke so that as one arm enters the water, the other arm is completin… ), The Complete Guide to Front Crawl Swimming. If you can float on your back, the rest will follow. While this is happening, your left arm will be entering the water at 1 o’clock and the body rotates towards the entering arm. Improving your backstroke arm technique will … February 20, 2019. Repeat this pattern with deep breaths to keep your breath steady. The arm pulls for back stroke should be continuous where one arm begins to pull as the other arm begins to recover. Relaxed lying back in the water with eyes looking upwards in a neutral position. As your right arm enters the water, your body will rotate towards the entering arm. The swimmer starts this exercise by standing upright with their feet shoulder-width apart. Attention is focused on both their body position and arm movement. Try to take the knees out of the equation. Improving Your Backstroke Swimming Technique (5 Pro Tips), Pro Tip #2: Kick with the Hips; Not the Knees, Pro Tip #4: Make the Most Out of the Pull, Your Guide to Swimming Strokes (Which Muscles Will Get a Workout? Your head should be positioned neutrally so that your head is lying flat and looking directly at the ceiling above. Breathing is important because it restores oxygen to your muscles as they are used. The pull of the backstroke will begin with your arm fully extended above your body. Breathe once per arm cycle. One … The backstroke starts with the swimmer flat on their back. This will slow your lap time down as you will actually begin to sink when this happens. The number of leg kicks to each arm pull is the secret to a steady, smooth stroke pattern. The single-arm technique, like for example swimming backstroke with one arm, allows swimmers to think about what they are doing in the water. During the cross-over entry, the hand that is entering into the water behind the head, actually over-reaches up top and crosses the swimmer’s midline (prior to entering the water). Your arms mimic the action of a windmill when swimming backstroke. The single-arm technique, like for example swimming backstroke with one arm, allows swimmers to think about what they are doing in the water. During this phase, the whole arm moves backward, upward and inward as a unit. This means that you do not have to wait to breathe until your face has come up out of the water, as this can sometimes be the most difficult component of swimming to master. Tips for improving your backstroke body position. Because of this, we want to ensure that every swimmer knows these 5 pro tips for backstroke swimming. Moving your arm too far inside or outside of staying in line with the shoulder will cause you to inadequately catch the water as you enter the pull. Improving your backstroke often means dissecting each component of the stroke and making them perfect. Your stroke should be a straight line, pulling you directly forward. Deep, steady breathing is important even though the backstroke … This means that your chest and your hips will be aligned with no part of the body under or out of the water as you swim. Attention is focused on both their body position and arm movement. Your little finger will enter the water first with your palm facing outwards. By Christophe / August 4, 2015 July 28, 2019 / Backstroke, Backstroke Technique, Breathing Technique Swimming backstroke poses a few challenges for breathing. Backstroke arm recoveries are an excellent exercise for strengthening and increasing flexibility to the muscles around the swimmer’s shoulder. While your head remains still, your … February 20, 2019. This can leave a swimmer struggling to stay energized or make quick lap times. While swimming backstroke, the first upsweep is the first propulsive phase of the arm stroke. Here are the four progression drills that Pease outlined for swimmers looking to learn the fundamentals of the backstroke. Backstroke Arm Technique Tips In backstroke, the arm action will provide the majority of the propulsion. The arm also rotates so that the forearm and palm change from a backward, downward and outward facing position to a backward, upward and inward facing position. It is best to inhale and exhale when your arms are not over your head. Practicing the arm technique whilst holding a float on the chest is a good way of ensuring the hand is entering inline with the shoulder and that the arm pull is complete. Backstroke swimming can be improved just by perfecting your pull. If keeping your head tilted back feels uncomfortable, start slow. Once you are used to how it feels, add in the arm strokes so that you can put it all together. To maximize your arm pull, you will need to make sure your hands enter, catch, and exit the water correctly. This makes breathing easier than freestyle, breaststroke, or butterfly swimming; however, just because breathing is easy doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be practiced. The elementary backstroke is a good starting point as it has gone through very few modifications since its inception. 1. As the only swimming stroke entirely on the back, any swimmer performing backstroke has to rely on body awareness, timing, spatial awareness - and a little intuition goes into it as well. Continue to elevate the arm until it arrives in an overhead position. Your little finger should enter the water first with your arm straight and your palm facing outwards. While the knees will need to bend to finish the kick, this should not be where the kick begins, nor should the knees come out of the water. Because the backstroke uses the legs more than the arms to propel you through the water, it is imperative to know how to properly kick. With your arm fully extended, move your arm behind your head, staying in line with your shoulder. A good policy is to breathe in as one arm leaves the water, then breathe out as the other leaves the water. To keep your torso flat, you will keep your back muscles flexed to push your torso to the surface so that it stays in a straight line from your shoulders to your hip. How to perform backstroke arm recoveries. To properly kick, you will begin the kick in your hips. And, it’s not an error specifically associated with a certain age or level—this error is something that has plagues many Backstrokers for decades. SET GOALS AND LOG SWIMS ON OUR JUST SWIM APP. With your arm fully extended, move your arm behind your head, staying in line with your shoulder. Part of the reason this error is so comm… Turn your palm to face out so that your pinky will be the first finger to enter the water upon entry. The legs perform a flutter kick, … The arms alternate so that always one arm is underwater while the other arm is recovering. Your recovering arm should be at its highest point when the pulling arm is at its peak in the power phase of your stroke. In this case, the knees create drag when they come out of the water for being too bent. All you need is to be on your back while doing basic arm stroke in combination with the breaststroke frog kick for propulsion You will still need to practice proper breathing techniques to maximize your backstroke. 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