Struggling with Breaststroke? Improve Your Technique with These 3 Drills 😃

Breaststroke requires a lot of technical knowledge to swim this stroke quickly. We learn how to fix 3 common breaststroke swimming technique mistakes from USMS coach Linda Irish Bostic.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Video Start
00:12:00 About Breaststroke
00:49:00 Mistake #1 - Bobbing Syndrome
01:13:00 Drill #1 - Chin-to-Fist
01:45:00 Mistake #2 - Improper Kicking
01:55:00 Drill #2 - Kicking on Your Back
02:26:00 Mistake #3 - Lack of Hip Engagement
02:41:00 - Drill #3 - Scull and Undulation Combo

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About U.S. Masters Swimming:

[JubeeBijou]

I spotted what I need to work on. My hips are always just "there for the ride", static. I'm not undulating at all. I will use the drills at next practice.

[michaelkjar]

Excellent points and drills I have not seen elsewhere. I find breaststroke easier than front crawl but this video has illuminated some weaknesses, esp. the hip action. I like the concept of exaggerating movements first, then refining.

[SP-jurk]

Wow! I'm a breaststroke swimmer since... more than 45 years(!), I've always been a swimming technique enthusiast and I often see false or useless advice (in my opinion) on the web. But here I discovered some very good new things and will transmit them to my daughter (16 y. old) and use them for me also. Many thanks! ;-)

[dallasdeppason]

thanl you so much, my swimming has improved because of the tips. thanks coach xx

[iraman]

Great advices! thank you for sharing this information!

[thibod]

Thank you coach Linda great advices! Funny that you say that breaststrokers are not formed but borned that way. I was surely not borned a breaststroker as for me it is the hardest stroke to do properly. I have no legs propulsion and surely have mobility issues with the hip movements. On the positive side I find that stroke so relaxing to do. I will eventually get it. Thank you for your tips.

[MelissaFortune]

Good stuff as always! This was particularly helpful for me because butterfly expands a ton of activity for me which I already knows because I’m not swimming it correctly

[drewa]

Thanks coach, excellent easy-to-understand tips! Do you mean engage/exaggerate glutes as in hips?

[Nabilazh]

Great, greeting from indonesia swimmer

[noran]

I’m so happy find guidance on what I’ve been trying to improve. I used to have the downward angle when swimming breaststroke. I knew the flaw but not the solution. It took me forever to finally figure out that exaggerating hip motion helped bring my body line up. However, when I try to swim faster, though I do keep my head low, somehow I just couldn’t stay as flat on the water as when I slowed down to intentionally raise/wait for my hips to come back up. What can I do to keep this body position and pick up a little bit of the pace at the same time? Thank you!

[michellec]

3:10. I see it exactly the other way round, when the arms are out the hips are up, when she sweeps in the hips go down?

[WildlikeDestination]

That last drill is to difficult to master, I suppose due to the lack of mobility in the pelvis/lower back area. I do spend quite a lot of time doing full body mobility and flexibility exercises, and I've always struggled with the mentioned area.

[cheetah]

Why are there videos where coaches say to slam the head against the water helps the movement forward? Is that correct? Instead of bobbing the head we should slam our forehead against the water by generating the movement from our chest, right?

[DancinFool]

This was timely.I am teaching BS to a new student right now.