Breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and crawl (freestyle) are the most popular swim strokes. The breaststroke and butterfly are more difficult to learn than the backstroke and crawl.
Breaststroke
The breaststroke involves exquisite timing, and in fact, you can be disqualified from competition if you miss even one stroke. The stroke involves form that causes your body to bob up and down as you glide forward through the water. This is a difficult stroke and not one to choose if you're just learning how to swim. The basics are that your arms pull, you breathe, you kick (arms alternate with the kick), and you glide. Here are details.
The leg kick:
Bring the knees to chest
.
Thrust the legs backward and straight
.
Snap the legs together to push the water and propel you forward (frog kick).
The arm stroke:
Start with the arms overhead
.
Pull on the water, and bring arms toward the chest
.
Keep the hands cupped
.
Return arms to starting position
.
The breathing:
Breathe every time you stroke with your arms.
Butterfly
Like the breaststroke, this is a difficult stroke and not recommended for beginners because it requires perfect timing and a good deal of strength. During the stroke, the legs move together in a dolphin kick (imagine a mermaid), the arms move together to push the water downward and backward, and the torso undulates like an earthworm as the body moves forward through the water.
The leg kick:
Bend the knees slightly, and keep them together.
Make a downward thrust by straightening the knees and whipping the feet downward.
There should be two kicks for every arm stroke.
The arm stroke:
Move the arms together, and pull through the water with the hands cupped.
Face the palms outward, and press down and outward.
Swing the arms forward above the water in a sweeping motion to complete the stroke.
The breathing:
Breathe at the end of the arm stroke.
Backstroke
The backstroke is easier than the butterfly or breaststroke and similar to the crawl in that you use an alternate windmill arm stroke and flutter kick. Two keys to a proper backstroke are (1) that your arms move with equal strength, otherwise you will swim off to one side, and (2) that your body rolls from side to side so that your arms catch enough water to propel you forward.
The leg kick:
It's a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating order.
Bend the knees slightly.
Relax the feet and ankles (they should be almost floppy).
Emphasize the up-kick for propulsion.
The arm stroke:
Move the arms in an alternating, windmill pattern as they rotate and pass your face.
Cup the hands, and the thumb leaves the water first.
Move the hands in an "S" pattern when they are pushing the water.
The breathing:
Keep your head back and eyes toward the ceiling.
You can find your own breathing pattern with the backstroke because the breathing is less coordinated with the arms and kick than other strokes since your head should always be out of the water.
Crawl (freestyle)
This is the most popular stroke and the easiest for beginners to learn. It is a simple flutter kick and windmill arm motion, like the backstroke, only on your belly. The most difficult part is coordinating the breathing since your face is in the water most of the time.
The leg kick:
It's a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating order.
Bend the knees slightly.
Relax the feet and ankles (the should be almost floppy).
Emphasize the down-kick for propulsion.
The arm stroke:
Move the arms in an alternating windmill motion.
Pull each arm through the water with equal strength and arm reach to ensure that you swim straight.
Pull arms underwater in an "S" pattern.
Cup the hands but keep the wrist and hand relaxed during recovery.
The breathing:
Raise one arm to begin the stroke. As the shoulder rises, turn the head to catch a breath.
Turn the head only enough to leave the water to breathe. Do not lift the head because it will slow you down.
Take as many breaths as necessary and then exhale through the nose and mouth when the head returns to the water.
Repeat the head turn to the other side in coordination with the beginning of the opposite arm stroke.
The freestyle flip turn (when swimming the crawl)
There are a couple of options for turning around when you reach the wall during lap swimming. You can simply touch the wall and turn around and start swimming again or you can do a flip turn. The flip turn is essentially a somersault in the water where you flip and turn and use your legs to power-kick off the wall. The flip turn, when completed properly, is fast, efficient, and time-saving. If you've ever watched Olympic swimming, you see the swimmers gracefully execute their flip turns. Here are the basics.
Start the somersault before reaching the wall by tucking the chin and pulling the knees into a tuck position.
Blow out air to avoid inhaling water.
Straighten out the body-tuck halfway through the flip and extend the legs toward the wall.
You will be on your back at this point.
Push off the wall.
Roll over onto the belly and glide toward the surface of the water.
Hold the glide until you break the surface of the water, and then start stroking immediately.
The flip turn takes practice, but with consistent work, you can master it. It's worth trying if you swim laps for exercise.
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For competitive swimming as well as aquatic fitness activities, such as lap swimming and water aerobics, a good swimsuit will increase your efficiency in the water, keep you feeling comfortable during your activity, and stand up better to the deteriorating effects of chlorinated water than most fashion swimsuits.
- Determine Your Size
- Measuring Tips
- Step-by-Step Measuring Guide
- Find Your Size
- Determine How You'll Use Your Suit
- Racing/Competitve Swimming
- Aquatic Fitness
- When to Replace Your Swimsuit
To determine your swimsuit size, you'll need to measure yourself using a tape measure.
Measuring Tips
- Take your measurements while wearing only your underwear
- Stand in front of a mirror
- While measuring, make sure that the tape measure is straight, not twisted
- To get an accurate measurement, the tape measure should be snug, but not pinching or tight
Step-by-Step Measuring Guide
- Find your natural waistline by bending to one side. While standing straight, measure around your waistline
- Men should measure just above the hipbone (or about an inch below your natural waistline) to determine the appropriate swimsuit size
Find Your Size
- If you are between sizes, choose the smaller size in a racing/competition suit and the larger size in an aquatic fitness suit
- Most men's suits are sized based on waist measurement. Men should choose the size that corresponds with their waist measurements.
| Determining Your Suit Size | |||||||||
| Men's Swimsuits | |||||||||
| Size | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 |
| Waist | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 |
Determine How You'll Use Your Suit
To select the right suit, first determine the activity for which you'll be wearing the suit most often:
- Racing/Competitive swimming which includes both practicing and racing at either the school or club level
- Aquatic Fitness which includes activities such as lap swimming and water aerobics
Racing/Competitive Swimming
- For both training and competition, competitive swimmers need high-performance suits that maximize speed in the water and improve glide times by reducing drag and increasing water flow.
- Many swimmers buy separate suits for training and competition. For both training and competition, compression, resulting in a tight fit, is the key.
Sizing
- For training, buy your normal size, but realize that the fit will be snugger than that of a regular fashion swimsuit
- For competition, consider buying a suit at least one size smaller than your training suit
Construction
- Support
- Swimsuits for both training and competition support through compression
- Lining
- Suits for top-level competition are not lined, since reducing drag is a priority. However, many men's suits for training are front-lined.
- A suit with lining will generally last longer, and hold its shape and color better than an unlined suit
Styling
- Men's competition and training suits have moderately cut leg openings, drawcords in the interior of the waistband, and side seams of about 3-inches
- For men wanting more coverage, training suits with lower leg openings and side seams up to seven-inches are available, but they are not the norm for training or competition
Fabrication
- Although there are many hybrid fabrics for racing/competitive swimming available, most swimsuits for this sport are done in blends of nylon/spandex. (Lycra is a specific brand of spandex made by DuPont and is found in many swimsuits.)
- Improvements in fiber engineering have resulted in swimsuit materials that are more resistant to chlorine than ever. Suits for racing/competitive swimming typically use these more durable versions of nylon and spandex.
Aquatic Fitness
- For lap swimming and water aerobics, you will need a suit that provides comfort and freedom of movement, plus coverage and support
- Men will find training suits designed for the competitive swimmer to be most appropriate for lap swimming for fitness
- Fit should be snug but not tight. A good fitting suit will stay in place during vigorous movement, but not pinch, bind or ride up in the seat.
- Despite the advances in fiber technology, chlorine will eventually deteriorate swimsuit fabrics. When your suit begins to bag or feels looser than when it was new, it is time to replace your suit.
How to Select a Little Girl's Swimsuit
By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor
It may seem like it wouldn't take much thought to select a swimsuit for a little girl. However, there are several factors that come into play for little girls and their swimsuits. They need to be comfortable, maintenance-free and provide adequate coverage. Read on to learn more.
Difficulty: Easy
Step1
Check for comfort and fit. When selecting a swimsuit for your little girl, it's important to try the suit on her. Let her move in it in the dressing room. If it's restrictive in the dressing room, it's not going to be comfortable on the beach. In the same sense, if the straps are continually dropping off of her shoulders, the suit is not going to be comfortable, either.
Step2
Determine the fabric-type and read the care instructions. If a suit is going to require hand washing or special treatment, then it's not going to be a very practical suit for the summer. White or light-colored suits get dirty easier when going to the beach. Darker colored suits endure stains better. However, darker suits tend to fade out more in the sun. A suit devoid of lots of accessories or trim will wash better, too.
Step3
Ensure proper coverage of the suit. If the suit is continually slipping or falling in the chest or bottom areas, it's not going to provide adequate coverage. Additionally, if your child is extra sensitive to the sun, a one-piece suit will be better than a two-piece suit. Some suits come with "extras" such as a cover-up or a sarong. These suits are always good because they provide extra coverage.
Step4
Check the lining. Every little girl's swimsuit should include a lining in the crotch area. Little girls are just as susceptible to yeast infections as adults and need a good lining in the bottoms of their swimsuits, too.
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