11 Tips to a smoother and more efficient breaststroke

Jon Rudd, swim coach to Olympic 100m Breaststroke Champion, Ruta Meilutyte brings us his top breaststroke tips, to help  you achieve a smoother and for efficient technique. 

KICK

Tip 1: Draw your heels up towards your bottom, but don’t let your heels pop out of the water

Tip 2: Focus on your thigh not dropping under you as it creates a lot of resistance

Tip 3: Use the inside of your calf muscle as the propulsive surface

Tip 4: Kick back and down – and squeeze up!

HEAD

Tip 5: Keep your head angled so that you are looking forwards and downwards – not just forwards!

Tip 6: Imagine that you are holding a tennis ball between your chin and chest all the way through this process – and it’s not allowed to pop out!

THE UNDERWATER PHASE

Tip 7 – Don’t rush through this! Hold your streamlining and only go from one movement to the next when you feel a deceleration. Stay in a tight long shape and don’t look for the surface when you’re ready to swim!

HANDS & ARMS

Tip 8: Keep your elbows in tension at the front of your recovery

Tip 9: On your outscull, keep your hands shallow and don’t bend your elbows!

Tip 10: On your inscull, your elbows lead and should slam into the side of your ribs!

TIMING

Tip 11 – The most important thing of all is for everything to work in harmony. And when your inscull has hit your ribs, your feet should be up as well, as in Tip 1!