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Fan's Guide to Swimming and Diving Page 2 of 5 (Strokes)

swimmer1- History & Object
2- Strokes
3-The Essentials (events, scoring, etc.)

4- Pool Diagram
5- Diving

The Essentials

 

Strokes

It is helpful to understand basic swim strokes before learning about competitive swimming events. There are four major strokes used during swimming races. While others exist, such as the sidestroke and dog paddle, only the crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly are used in competition.

Crawl (Freestyle): The fastest stroke. Consists of flutterkick — a scissor-like kick — and overhead alternating arm pulls, like a windmill. Crawl is swum during 8 of the 11 events, including the 50 freestyle (or “free”), 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, the last section (or leg) of the individual medley, the last leg of the medley relay, and in both freestyle relays. Technically, any stroke may be swum during a “freestyle” event; however, all swimmers elect to swim the crawl because it is faster than any other stroke. Because all freestyle races require swimming more than one lap, swimmers execute a “flip turn” to turn around at the wall and push off to start the next lap.

Backstroke: The only stroke swum on a person’s back. Consists of flutterkick and backwards alternating arm pulls. Backstroke is swum during 3 of 11 swim events: 100 backstroke, one leg of the individual medley, and one leg of the medley relay. Swimmers use a flip turn to start each additional lap. Also called “back.”

Breaststroke: Consists of a frog kick and a double-armed pull and shrug through the water. Legs, as well as arms, must always been moving in unison. Tends to be the slowest stroke. Breaststroke is swum during 3 of 11 swim events: 100 breaststroke, one leg of the individual medley, and one leg of the medley relay. Swimmers touch the wall with both hands on the turn and execute a long pull-down underwater before surfacing. Also called “breast.”

Butterfly: Consists of a dolphin kick and a double-armed pull over the water, in which both arms move together. Legs, as well as arms, must always move in unison. Butterfly is swum during 3 of 11 swim events: 100 butterfly, one leg of the individual medley, and one leg of the medley relay. At the end of each lap, swimmers touch the wall with both hands, turn, and dolphin kick underwater before resurfacing. Also called “fly.”

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