You can overcome this by counting how many strokes it takes to complete a lap. Sidestroke can be done on your own or with the help of a kickboard. You may be less familiar with this stroke because it is not used during competitive events. Here is a look at the technique and benefits of sidestroke :. Just like the name suggests, you will swim this stroke on your side. Begin by positioning your body on one side in the water. Stretch the arm beneath that side of your body forward in the water.
The arm on top will rest on top of your horizontally positioned body. Rest your head on the arm stretched out straight in front of you.
Your head will not move from this position the entire time you swim sidestroke. Since your face does not enter the water, you will not have to worry about your breathing technique. Both of your arms will move during sidestroke. The arm stretched out in front of you is referred to as your lead arm. Your lead arm and the arm resting on the side of your body will both sweep downwards through the water, bent at the elbow.
Your hands will come toward one another in front of your chest and then sweep upwards back to the straight, starting position. During sidestroke, most of your forward momentum will come from your legs. You will move your legs using a scissor kick, which means your legs move back and forth beneath the water in an alternating motion.
As you kick, your arms will move toward one another and then back to a straight position. You can burn more than calories swimming sidestroke for 30 minutes. While not a competitive stroke, sidestroke is often used by lifeguards to perform in-water rescues. So, knowing how to swim sidestroke can come in handy if you are ever in an emergency situation.
You will use your arm and leg muscles to propel you forward, while you will work your core muscles to maintain a smooth, horizontal position in the water.
From purely an exercise standpoint, sidestroke allows you to keep your face out of the water while working multiple muscle groups. Of all the different swimming strokes, the butterfly is probably the most challenging.
Butterfly requires a great deal of strength and coordination that takes time to develop. Here is what you should know about this swimming stroke:. The butterfly is named for the way a swimmer's arms move while swimming this stroke. Your arms arch up and out of the water together, looking like a pair of wings. Your body is in the same horizontal position as required by freestyle and breaststroke. You begin by placing your arms out in front of you, your thumbs facing down toward the water.
Sweep your arms down and out with your elbows slightly bent. Your arms should form a Y-shape in front of your body. Pull your arms back through the water, parallel to your body. Next, you will pull them back up out of the water and begin the cycle again. As your arms move through this cycle, your legs will be continuously moving using a technique known as dolphin kick. During dolphin kick, your legs remain zipped together in one smooth line. The legs move up and down together, pushing you forward in the water.
The heels and soles of your feet will break the surface of the water as you kick upward. You will kick down as your arms reenter the water and sweep down. The breathing technique for butterfly is similar to that of breaststroke. You will use your shoulder muscles to bob your head up out of the water and back down.
You should come up to breathe as your arms are recovering and preparing to sweep back up again. The butterfly burns the most calories of any swimming stroke, approximately calories for every 30 minutes of swimming. This stroke is an excellent option for combining core and upper body training. During this stroke, you challenge your core muscles to keep your body stable as your arms and legs move simultaneously.
You also work your arm, chest and upper back muscles to raise both of your arms up out of the water and over your head.
Your body's position during the butterfly also helps improve overall flexibility. While a fantastic workout, the complicated movements that go into the butterfly can be a challenge to master. If you are looking for a challenge in the water, the butterfly is the way to go. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Different Swimming Strokes and Their Benefits. Freestyle Breaststroke Backstroke Sidestroke Butterfly Competitive swimmers race in a variety of different swimming strokes.
Freestyle Freestyle is probably the most well-known of the swimming strokes. For this reason, the term freestyle is often used as a synonym for front crawl. The front crawl requires you to flutter kick your feet while reaching forward with alternating strokes. Follow these 4 steps to learn how to swim and refine your front crawl swimming technique. Keep your body flat, lie facing down in the water with your body kept in line with the water surface.
Choosing a side to breathe will depend on being right or left handed. Whilst your hand is early in the recovery phase, turn your head sideways for a quick breath one second. The trick is to time the roll of your head with your arm movement. To receive the latest updates on the happenings in the Singapore sports scene, or to find out more about some of the latest programmes on offer at ActiveSG, like our Facebook page here.
How do you swim freestyle or front crawl? Swimming is a great form of exercise, but many people who have not been taught to swim effectively at a young age can be put off by its technical nature.
This article breaks down the fundamental parts of the front crawl to help you better understand and improve your swimming. This refers to the point of entry of your hand into the water. Ideally, your hand and fingers should be straight with your fingers entering first, nearly parallel to the angle of the water.
This should create minimal splash and decrease drag. You should maintain this wrist angle as you glide through the water to initiate the catch. The catch refers to the point where you bend your hand and wrist in the water to begin pulling your hand back, to allow propulsion through the water. This is a crucial part of the stroke and one many people get wrong. When you bend your hand it should become directly perpendicular to the bottom of the pool.
This occurs immediately after the catch and refers to pulling your hand back though the water to propel yourself forward. Imagine you were looking at yourself swimming from behind and you had a smiley face drawn on the palm of your hand. You should be able to see that face through the entire stroke until your hand exits the water.