Breastroke Technique

Posted by LD on September 2, 2010 under Breastroke | 3 Comments to Read

You can swim the breastroke in the next Summer Olympic Games the same way you get to Carnegie Hall:

That’s right: As the old joke goes, “Practice. Practice. Practice.”

What separates Brendan Hansen (who at this writing has been called the fastest breastroke swimmer in history), Michael Phelps and other Olympic and world class swimmers apart from the rest of us is their dedication to doing the basics over and over again until they do them correctly.

Breastroke Race

Jeremy should know. He was a competitive swimmer for 16 years in his native Michigan. Starting from the age of 5, he continued to hone his skills until he achieved all-state honors four years in a row. He also competed at the college level until he decided it was time for other things. He has kept his hand in the sport and now coaches other swimmers at the Troy Swim Club.

While the breastroke was not his strongest stroke, Jeremy has plenty of advice for those who want to take their breastroke to the next level. Essentially it’s a matter of building strength in order to do the fundamentals even better.

“Basically you want to kick harder in order to get in front of the bow,” he explained.

In order to kick harder, Jeremy recommends doing exercises outside the pool to strengthen the legs. Jeremy said there are a variety of weight machines that use pulleys to strengthen the legs.

“The ones that push the groin are really good for that,” he said, because the groin is used so much during the “frog kick” portion of the stroke. Other machines he recommends are leg extensions, squats and “anything that works the hip flexors.”

Arm work is important too, so biceps curls and triceps kickbacks are not a bad idea. And performing bench presses will go a long way toward strengthening the chest, Jeremy said.

How often should an advanced breastroker work on weight machines? “At least three times a week,” Jeremy said.
However, there is a time and a place to do weight training. Master swimming coach and former breastroke champion Wayne A. McCauley said many coaches tell their athletes to taper down their weight training in the weeks leading up to a race. However, his own personal method differs a bit. He tailors his training depending on his vertical leap. According to his website “Getting Stronger for Faster Swimming,” McCauley notes that his vertical leap improves 6 to 10 inches when he quits weight training in the weeks before a race. He said this gives him an advantage in the start and during the breastroke turn over swimmers who keep up weight training.

In addition, diet is also important when preparing for a race. Competitive swimmers are well known for their ability to eat just about anything, and lots of it. After all, a half-hour of the breastroke burns more than 300 calories on average. “Swimming can fix anything you eat,” as Jeremy puts it.

However, even swimmers can overdo it. That’s why there’s that old rule about not swimming for an hour after you eat. So don’t eat a seven course meal right before your advanced breastroke race or you’ll sink like a stone and finish dead last. Nor should you guzzle down energy drinks or soda as they will interfere with your body’s chemical balance. Most coaches recommend elite swimmers stick to a 3,000 calorie diet that is heavy on protein.

In order to progress to the elite levels of breastroke competition, you should practice the fundamentals consistently until you perform them properly. The National Safety Council has set performance evaluation benchmarks in its “Learn to Swim Program.” Here are the benchmarks that separate the amateurs from the pros:

Body: Novices breastrokers may bend their bodies. Expert breastrokers may not.

Feet: Novices may or may not have their feet together. Expert breastrokers must have their feet and legs together and streamlined during the glide.

Arms: Novice swimmers must have paired arm movements and the elbows must be bent. Expert breastrokers must have their elbows bent and their arms must go no wider than their shoulders.

Breathing: Novice swimmers are not evaluated for their breathing pattern but expert breastroke swimmers must have their mouths at the water’s surface to inhale and they must exhale when their arms are extended during the breastroke glide.

Coordination: Novice swimmers should try to coordinate their kick and pull; more advanced swimmers may alternate their kick and pull but expert breastroke swimmers must have “strong coordinated propulsion,” the National Safety Council’s guidelines say.

The secret toward achieving these benchmarks is to give yourself pictures of what the moves look like. For example, Jeremy recalls the motion of a dolphin bobbing up and down through the water. This helps with upper body motion. Picturing this will help you to lift your chest and shoulders and dive forward on each stroke.

For the breastroke kick, the best advice is to concentrate on having a streamlined position during the glide. Hold it for a second to get the most out of the glide before starting the next stroke.

By far the strongest advice Jeremy gives those who want to be advanced level swimmers is to join a Master’s swim club. U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) currently has more than 500 clubs across the nation with more than 50,000 members. These clubs offer workouts, competitions, and clinics for any adult swimmers who want to improve their swimming skills. According to its website, about 30 percent of USMS members compete regularly. The recent Masters World Championship had more than 7,000 participants.

“You can’t beat a Masters Swim club,” Jeremy said, for getting everything you need to be an advanced level breastroke swimmer. Plus, you’ll get all the camaraderie and support from being with people who share your passion.

Getting to the elite group of any sport is a challenge. It takes constant practice and a willingness to do whatever it takes to make your body as strong as possible. In addition, genetics play a huge factor in swimming success: your body may or not be built for a breastroke champion. However, by following these tips, you can certainly swing the odds in your favor.\

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