Swimming Races Article

Swimming Strokes and Styles: A Primer

Swimming Styles, or Strokes, are defined by the position of the swimmer and the pattern of movement made by his or her arms, legs and head. Strokes also commonly refer to a single repetition of the movements that make up a style. The styles defined below are limited only to competition styles and freestyle styles, so this list is by no means comprehensive.

There are four swimming styles that are most commonly used in competitions; Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly stroke and Freestyle. Freestyle is a term that refers to all unregulated styles. Any style, including those not normally utilized for competition, is viable during a freestyle competition, but most swimmers utilize the front crawl style for freestyle competitions due to its superior speed. When it comes to medley swimming, freestyle is meant to include any style that is not breaststroke, backstroke or butterfly.

Breast Stroke- The breast stroke is the slowest of the four “official” competitive swimming styles. The fastest breaststroke is done at about 1.67 meters per second. The breaststroke is popular for recreational swimming because of its stability and ability to keep the swimmers’ head up and out of the water. The breast stroke is the swimming style that many new swimmers learn first.

Back Stroke- The back stroke is the second slowest of the four “official” competitive swimming styles. The maximum swimming speed for this style is approximately 1.84 meters per second. The backstroke uses different muscles than the other styles, and is the only regulated style that is swum on the back. It offers the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of poor navigation as it is difficult for a swimmer to see where he or she is heading. The Back Stroke is essentially an upside down front crawl.

Butterfly Stroke- The butterfly, or fly stroke is the second fastest of the four “official’ competitive swimming styles, second only to the front crawl. This style is swum on the breast, with both arms moving at the same time. The butterfly kick was initially developed separately, and is therefore also known as the dolphin kick. The butterfly requires a great amount of technique to be effective, and many students consider it to be the most difficult swimming style.

Front Crawl- The Front Crawl is also known as the Australian Crawl, and is the fastest developed swimming style. It is the style that is most used during freestyle swimming competitions, and is nearly universally used. The maximum swimming speed possible using the front crawl style is approximately 2.17 meters per second. The front crawl is not regulated by FINA like the backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke, which is why it is only popular for freestyle competitions.