Improve your swim with proven swimming techniques

Swimming is an activity that becomes far more enjoyable once you’re good at it. Fortunately, this only involves learning a few simple techniques, such as freestyle and backstroke.

Why are swimming techniques so important? For starters, they help decrease drag, allowing you to swim longer and more efficiently. Proper form also provides a foundation for more advanced swimming skills and techniques.

What Are the Benefits of Swimming?

It’s no secret that swimming makes for an effective full-body workout that’s accessible to just about everyone. Key health benefits of swimming include:

• Boosts cardiovascular health
• Supports weight management
• Provides a mental health boost
• Strengthens your joints

What Are the Best Swimming Techniques?

Swimming efficiency is mostly about maintaining a correct head and body position. Here are five simple techniques that will help you make that happen.

1. Breathing

As far as beginner swimming techniques go, it all starts with breathing. Proper breathing helps you maintain rhythm and stops you from panicking.

A good way to practice breathing is to put your head underwater and slowly exhale through your nose and mouth. Lift your head to the side to inhale, then submerge it again. Repeat these simple steps until they start feeling natural.

2. Freestyle

Freestyling is one of the easiest strokes you can learn. It consists of reaching forward with one arm and pulling back with the other. You’ll also need to perform a steady flutter kick to keep the legs close to the surface.

Most freestyle techniques involve keeping your elbows high to create a stronger pull. Make sure not to over-rotate your body while breathing.

3. Backstroke

As the name implies, backstroke is the only stroke that has you on your back. If you haven’t fully mastered your breathing, this is a great stroke to learn.

To do a backstroke, lie on your back and rotate your arms in a windmill motion. Keep the arms straight and rotate your body a bit with each stroke. Meanwhile, use a continuous flutter kick from the hips for added swimming efficiency.

4. Breaststroke

Breaststroke involves pulling your arms outward in a circular motion, then bringing them together under your chest. At the start of your strokes, lift the head enough to breathe. Use a frog kick to engage your glutes and hamstrings.

To master a breaststroke faster, consider hiring a swimming coach for stroke improvement lessons. After all, the best way to learn to swim is with expert help.

5. Treading Water

Treading water is a skill that many beginner swimmers tend to neglect. It involves moving your hands circularly just under the surface to create lift. At the same time, use a kick technique you’re comfortable with, such as:

• Frog kick
• Bicycle kick
• Eggbeater kick

Make the Most of Your Swimming Sessions!

Most swimming techniques are simple to learn but hard to master. The more you focus on the basics, however, the easier it is to develop confidence in the water. The above swimming tips can serve as a solid starting point!

Looking for other ways to reduce stress and keep a healthy weight? Keep checking out our exercise-related content!