Elementary Backstroke: Swimming Technique and Tips

The elementary backstroke is a basic swimming technique that is easy to learn and, therefore, useful for improving your water confidence as a beginner.

As its name indicates, it is swum on the back and uses a simple arm stroke in conjunction with a breaststroke kick for propulsion.

Swimming Video

The following video demonstrates elementary backstroke:

Swimming Technique

We will now explain the swimming technique of the elementary backstroke.

Initial Position and Glide Phase

Let’s start with the initial position and glide phase:

1) Turn towards the wall and push yourself off the wall with your feet. Move into a horizontal position on your back.

2) Your head is in a neutral position, in line with your body.

3) Your face is above the water and turned upwards.

4) Your arms rest along your body.

5) Your palms face your body.

6) Your legs are extended and held together.

7) Glide a little before you start with the arm and leg movements.

First Active Phase – Chicken

1) Bend your elbows and draw your hands toward your armpits as if you wanted to tickle yourself.

2) At the same time, bend your knees and bring your feet toward your buttocks. Keep your legs together while you bend your knees.

3) To illustrate this position to children and make it more fun, you can call it chicken or monkey.

Second Active Phase – Eagle

4) Extend your arms sideways so that your body forms an X in the water. Your palms should face backward.

5) Spread your legs while simultaneously extending them.

6) For children, you can call this position eagle or plane.

Third Active Phase – Soldier

Finally, you perform the propulsive movements of this swimming stroke:

7) Move your outstretched arms backward and inward so that they push against the water and return to their starting position at your sides.

8) Simultaneously move your legs together again. This also provides propulsion and brings your legs back to their original position.

9) You can call this position soldier or rocket for children.

Glide for a few moments then start a new stroke cycle.

Breathing

You inhale during the first phase of the swimming stroke, as you draw your arms up to your armpits and your legs up to your buttocks.

You exhale during the next stages of the stroke cycle, as your arms and legs move outward, backward, and inward back to the starting position.

Advantages of Elementary Backstroke

1) It is a swimming stroke that can be swum in a very relaxed way.

2) The elementary backstroke is swum on the back. This makes breathing straightforward as the face is turned upwards and held above the water surface.

Moreover, compared to regular backstroke, projections of water into the face are prevented, as the arms remain underwater.

3) The arm movements are simple, symmetrical, and synchronous and, therefore, easy to learn. Nevertheless, they are very effective.

4) The leg movements are also symmetrical and synchronous and relatively easy to learn. The leg movements are similar to the ones used in the breaststroke kick.

5) Finally, the arm and leg movements are also synchronous and are performed in the same direction.

The arms and legs move forward during the first phase of the stroke, then outward during the second phase, then backward and inward during the third phase of the stroke.

Disadvantages of Elementary Backstroke

1) The elementary backstroke is slower than the regular backstroke.

2) You must have a certain degree of balance in the supine position (on the back) before you can learn this swimming stroke.

3) Since you cannot look forward, it is difficult to swim in a straight line, and you must be careful not to hit the wall or another swimmer.

Additional Tips

1) Practice this stroke in shallow water, where you can quickly regain your feet if you are a novice swimmer.

2) If you are teaching children who cannot reach the bottom of the pool with their feet, you should stay close to them and support their head and back with your hands until they have mastered this swimming technique.

3) As described above, it can make sense for children to call the different swimming phases chicken, eagle, and rocket because they capture well the shape of the desired posture.

4) It can be useful to practice the head-lead supine balance drill before learning elementary backstroke.

5) It can be useful to practice the arm and leg movements on solid ground first.

6) It can be useful to practice the arm and leg movements separately in the water using a pull buoy and a kickboard, respectively.

7) You will be more relaxed if you wear swimming goggles and a nose clip because they keep the water out of your eyes and nose.

8) You can use a swimming noodle to support your back while swimming the elementary backstroke.

Related Pages

You may also be interested in the following articles that cover basic swimming techniques:

• Learn Basic Swimming Techniques
• Overcoming Fear of Water and Swimming
• Getting Over My Fear of Swimming
• Front Crawl / Freestyle Swimming Technique: The Flutter Kick
• How To Do Starfish Float – Basic Swimming Technique
• Breaststroke Kick – Swimming Technique and Tips
• Learn Sculling Water, a Basic Swimming Technique
• How to Tread Water – Techniques and Drills
• How to Dog Paddle – Swimming Technique and Exercises
• Elementary Backstroke: Swimming Technique and Tips
• Enjoy Swimming Home