Swimming Breast Stroke: Arm and Hand Technique

This article to learn swimming breast stroke explains the different phases of the armstroke. Knowing how to do arm motions correctly is important for you to move efficiently in the water while swimming breaststroke.

Swimming Video

The following video nicely demonstrates good arm technique in the breastroke:

Arm Movements

While swimming breast stroke each arm executes kind of a circular motion.

  • Let's consider that the initial position is the glide position where both arms are extended to the front, hands close together, palms turned downwards.
  • The outsweep begins. The palms turn outwards, the arms separate until they are about two feet apart and form a Y-like shape with the body. During this phase the arms stay close to the water surface.
  • The wrists flex and the hands point downwards, with the palms facing the end of the pool. The elbows are kept high and close to the water surface.
  • The arms move back with the hands pushing against the water. At the same time the elbows bend while the forearms and hands align. The elbows stay close to the surface.
  • When the hands arrive at the level of the shoulders, the insweep starts. The hands rotate towards each other and are brought together at the level of the chest. At the same time the elbows quit their position close to the water surface and are brought close to the ribcage.
  • Once the hands are together and the elbows close to the ribcage, the arms extend forward again to their initial position. This phase of the armstroke is called the recovery.
  • The recovery occurs with the hands just below the water surface. There are even some competitive swimmers that thrust their arms forward above the water during the recovery, but this is rather difficult to do.
  • After the recovery a short glide phase is observed before the cycle starts anew.

Arm Speeds During The Cycle

The speed of the arms relative to the body varies continuously during the cycle:

  • Obviously the speed is null when the arms are extended forward during the glide phase.
  • The arms first accelerate during the outsweep.
  • They further accelerate during the insweep until the hands are brought together.
  • Finally the arms move fastest relative to the body during the recovery to the front.

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