Swimming: Backstroke - Top Tips

Backstroke kick on your side with or without a float will develop the correct depth of kick and should be no deeper than your chest. The kick should start at your hips and finish with your toes. Good kicking will develop core balance within the stroke and tone up the thighs.

To improve your Backstroke, swim double arm backstroke to develop good balance and symmetry within the stroke. This will also help maintain good flexibility across the shoulders and can be used a cool down drill.

When you are swimming Backstroke practice your arm stroke by holding a float above your head and watch the opposite arm recover correctly as you swim. Keep your arm straight as it recovers over the water and hugs past your ear entering the water with little finger first.

Your Backstroke kick should start at your hips and finish with your toes creating a small amount of white water splash. The kick will develop good balance within the stroke and tone up the thighs.

To improve your Backstroke, hold a float and kick along the pool making sure your knees are kept underwater. Kick for as long as is comfortable, taking rest intervals as and when required.

When you are swimming Backstroke practice your arm stroke by holding a float across your chest and watch the opposite arm as you swim. Keep your arm straight as it recovers over the water and hugs past your ear.

Streamline Kick. Kick on your back with arms stretched out down the pool hugging your ears. Hold a small float or place one hand on top of the other to ensure a streamlined position Ensure the chest is high and clear of the water surface with the hips held high. Do not sit in the water with low hips. Ensure the body is high on the water surface to create good streamlining with head looking upwards.

Double Arm Backstroke or Old English backstroke will keep or increase flexibility across the chest. Watch the arms and hands recover over the water surface. As the arms recover the little fingers cut into the water first. Once the hands and arms have entered the water, push the hands and forearms towards your feet.

Catch-Up Backstroke is executed with a one or two second pause once the opposite hand has met up with the other. Swim with one arm by your side or stretched out above your head. This will slow the stroke down in order to concentrate on the pull. Keep the legs kicking.

Side Kicking. Kick your legs while on your side with one arm stretched out down the pool and your ear resting flat on your upper arm. The opposite arm will be at your side close to the thigh. The leg kick should not be too wide and no more than the depth of your chest. Start the kick from your hips kicking through to your toes with feet and toes pointed.

Kick Breaststroke with hands held together a round your seat. This will develop good s t rength endurance to the legs as high resistance through the water is created from the body position.