Swimming: Stroke Development Breaststroke

Kicking Action
Recovery of the feet from the extended position is achieved with the knees bent drawing the heals up close to your seat and bringing the knees in line with the hips little more than hip width apart. Both feet then flatten and turn out into a frog like position, kicking back, round and slightly downwards with your soles pressing on the water until the legs are almost straight. The feet will be pointed as they finish together and the legs fully extended.

Elite Kicking Action
From the extended position concentrate on lifting your heels up to your seat and turn out your ankles as they reach the highest point. As the feet recover to your seat keep the knees behind the line of the hips, little more than hip width apart. Lift of the knee towards the chest under the body should be avoided. Both feet then kick back, round and slightly downwards with your soles pressing on the water. Avoid one leg kicking deeper than the other. Turning out your ankles is the most important part of the breaststroke kick. A screw kick on breaststroke, whereby one foot is turning outwards and the other inwards is a common problem producing poor propulsion. Develop and execute total symmetry and balance and finish the kicking action with both feet whipping together and toes pointing down to the opposite end of the pool. The kick builds with speed throughout and is often referred to as a 'whip kick'. Work on ankle flexibility to improve correct kicking action.

Turns
Always touch the wall with both hands. Lift the knees towards the chest and plant your feet on the wall as the hands make contact. Push one hand forwards cutting underwater and point this arm in the direction you wish to swim. The trailing arm will move over the water surface and start to cut into the water, at which point you will start to push off the wall with your legs. With both hands underwater hold a streamlined position following the push off. Stay underwater to execute one arm stroke and pull back past your hips, the hands are then pushed forwards close to the chest to the front of the stroke. As the hands recover the kick is executed and sends the body to the surface in the stretch position before you resume full stroke.