Swimming: Stroke Development Backstroke

Turns
Touch Turn. On the last stroke into the wall stretch your arm out to hold the wall with one hand, lift your knees towards the chest and turn to the left if your left hand is on the wall or right if your right hand is on the wall, place your feet on the wall. The arm that is not holding the wall will stretch out above the head then take your arm from the wall over the water surface in line with your shoulder and push off the wall on your back. Ensure both arms are stretched out above the head on the water surface hugging the ears.

Body Position
Streamlined and almost horizontal in the water with the back of the head in the water looking up towards the ceiling and slightly forwards. Hold the head perfectly still in a central position. Chest clear of the water surface with hips held high towards the water surface.

Timing
Coordination of kicking and pulling into a continuous movement with emphasis on the development of stroke length and stroke rate which will differ from one swimmer to the next. Develop the optimum stroke count for a given speed in order to find true efficiency.

Pulling Pattern
Alternating circular action over and under the water with a straight arm recovery over the water surface. Hand entry into the water is controlled with the palm facing out and little finger first. At the deepest point following entry the elbow bends and the hand pushes towards the feet, as the arm straightens underwater the hand presses downwards before sweeping towards the thigh. Arm moving in line with the shoulder. Hand recovery out of the water is close to the thigh with thumbs first and elbow straight as the arm is taken past the head to entry point.