Swimming is not only an essential survival skill, but it has also proven to be an extremely technical sport that requires an optimal level of athletic performance. Today, we are going to go over the most common swimming strokes and how they are performed.
The four most common Swimming Strokes used in competitive events
We will go over some of the rare styles that can also be learned for swimming, but our priority is to describe the most relevant strokes and techniques. We will explore each of the four common swimming strokes, starting with the fastest and most efficient.
The Freestyle stroke
This is the most effective and also the fastest swimming technique that anyone can learn. This is performed by being on a horizontal position as the body is performing quick rolls from side to side to allow arms to alternate as they pull water one at a time. The legs perform very quick alternating movements that help the body maintains stability and speed. This also happens to be the easiest stroke to learn, but using the impeccable technique can take a long period of time.
The breaststroke
While the Freestyle is the fastest and easiest, the Breaststroke is probably the most popular due to the natural instinct of a person when they learn to swim very similar to this stroke. The technique involves the arms creating an arc type of movement that goes from the extended front position to the lower chest, and the cycle is repeated. The legs are going to be performing asymmetrical kick that has a whip type of motion, and they will reach full extension at the end to help boost the body forward.
The Butterfly Stroke
This is the second-fastest of the four main strokes, but it’s also the most demanding and difficult to perform. It takes a very long time for any swimmer to be able to work their way to a proper performance of the butterfly stroke. Describing this movement is very difficult as the body is performing a very specific undulated movement while the hips are performing motions that go up and down as the arms are symmetrically moving forward. Those who learn this stroke are also going to be performing a highly demanding exercise that is very beneficial to their bodies.
Backstroke
This stroke is the only competitive stroke that you need to perform while you are on your back. This is a very simple stroke as it is performed in a very similar way to the freestyle stroke, but there is no need for you to move your head to the sides to take a breath because your face is always above water.
Swimming lessons for kids
When you consider the value of learning all of these techniques from a very early age, you will find that taking your children to swimming lessons is ideal. Not only does it make them stronger of mind and body, but it also provides an essential survival skill that may be needed in some situations, not only for their safety but also for the safety of those around them.
