Backstroke Swimming | How to swim backstroke? Use the 5 best backstroke swimming drills to improve your swimming technique and get a basic understanding on the important elements in backstroke swimming. Hopefully you will become a great backstroke swimmer after watching this video or at least do elementary backstroke!
Body position, leg kicks, arms movement, breathing and body rotation are all key elements in order to improve your backstroke swimming technique. Let’s break them down together.
Body Position:
When you start swimming backstroke, make sure your body is in the correct position. Lie flat on your back with your head tilted slightly back and your chin pointing upwards. Your arms should be straight and alongside your body, with your palms facing downwards. Keeping your body straight and level is important for maintaining balance and reducing drag.
Leg Kick:
A strong, steady leg kick is essential for efficient backstroke swimming. To kick properly, start by pointing your toes and keeping your legs close together. Then, move your legs in a flutter kick motion, making sure to keep your knees slightly bent. You should aim for a continuous and fast flutter kick, as this will help generate forward momentum.
Arm Movement:
Coordinating your arm movement with your leg kick is key to efficient backstroke swimming. To start, bring your arms up to your shoulders and then rotate your wrists as you push your arms down and towards your hips. Keep your elbows bent and your arms close to your body to reduce drag while doing backstroke swim strokes. As your arms move, they should form a continuous circle, with your hands passing your hips before coming back up to your shoulders.
Breathing:
Breathing is an important aspect of backstroke swimming. To breathe properly, you should roll your head to the side as your arms move past your ears. Take a breath and then exhale underwater. Try to time your breathing with your arm and leg movements to maintain a steady rhythm.
Body Rotation:
Body rotation is key to maintaining balance and reducing drag when swimming backstroke. As your arms and legs move, your body should rotate slightly from side to side. This rotation should come from your core and be subtle, not from your hips or shoulders. The rotation should also be in sync with your arm and leg movements to keep your body streamlined.
These 5 drills will help you improve the above mentioned elements as shown in the video:
1. Single arm (arm rotation, hand entry and body position)
2. Streamline kick (leg strength and body position)
3. The superman (stroke timing and outstretched body position)
4. Popov drill (transition from recovery to catch phase)
5. Isolated catch (improves catch phase)
As with any new skill and swimming sports, practice is essential for improving your technique. Start with short distances and gradually increase your speed and endurance. Experiment with different arm and leg movements to find a technique that works best for you. Practice breathing on both sides to improve your overall rhythm. With time and effort, you'll be able to swim backstroke smoothly and efficiently. Use these 5 drills frequently and do them over and over again. Once you feel comfortable you can train your backstroke start and the backstroke flip turn. Be aware of the illegal backstroke turn in competition.
If you imagine improving your other swimming skills, we’ve created an in-depth guide for freestyle swimming: • Freestyle Swimming Dri... and also the best drills for butterfly swimming: • Butterfly Swimming Dri...
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