How To Swim Freestyle: Arm Movements

When you learn how to swim freestyle, it is important to move the arms and hands correctly to swim efficiently and avoid strain on the shoulders. 

Basically, the arms move alternately, one arm stroking back in the water while the other recovers to the front above the water.

Swimming Video

Initial position

We imagine that the swimmer has just pushed off the wall. At this moment, both arms are extended to the front, palms one on top of the other and facing the bottom of the pool.

Underwater catch and pull 

At a certain moment after the push-off, the swimmer will initiate the stroking action of one arm:

1. The wrist flexes, the hand now faces the back of the pool.
2. The other arm stays extended.
3. The stroking arm's hand starts a backward motion on a line that follows the middle of the body.
4. Simultaneously, the elbow flexes and stays close to the surface in a high elbow position. The forearm starts it's backward motion along with the stroking hand.
5. When the elbow is flexed about 90 degrees, the shoulder, upper arm, forearm and hand move back as a unit until the hand is at the level of the belly button.
6. At that time, the elbow extends again, the hand brushes past the hips and exits the water.

Above water recovery and reentry

1. When the hand has quit the water, the shoulder and arm rotates so that the palm's hand is parallel to the surface again, the elbow flexes again and the hand starts to recover to the front.
2. When the hand arrives past the head's level, it enters the water again and extends to the front.
3. When the hand arrives at the level of the other arm's elbow, the other arm starts it's catch and pull phase.
4. The recovering arm continues it's extension to the front until it's completely extended.

How To Swim Freestyle - Some tips

• In the freestyle stroke, the hand entry in the water should be flat and not thumb first. Entering the water thumb first can cause swimmer's shoulder.
• Avoid crossing the midline of the body when the recovering hand extends to the front in the water. This puts the shoulder in an awkward position which can also cause swimmer's shoulder.
• Make sure to stroke back until your arm is extended and brushes past the hip. This ensures a long and efficient stroke.

Related Pages

• Freestyle Stroke Overview
• Swimming Front Crawl - Head and Body Positions
• The Flutter Kick
• The Front Crawl Stroke - Breathing
• Learn How to Swim Freestyle