Different strokes for different folks
THE four strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, which is the most difficult to learn, so it is easier to start with freestyle or breaststroke.
Breaststroke
One of the advantages of breaststroke is that at a basic level, the head can always stay above water. This gives excellent visibility while swimming and avoids breathing issues. The basics are that your arms pull, you breathe, you kick (arms alternate with the kick), and you glide. It is not an easy stroke to learn even though your arms and legs make the same movement and many people struggle with it. Apart from which it is the slowest stroke. If you are happy to put your face in the water rather learn to swim freestyle first.
Freestyle or crawl
As the name implies you use a windmill motion with your arms and “flutter kick” with your legs. This is the most popular stroke and the easiest for beginners to learn. The most difficult part is co-ordinating the breathing since your face is in the water most of the time.
Backstroke
This stroke is easier than butterfly or breaststroke and similar to the crawl in that you use an alternate windmill arm stroke and flutter kick. Two key issues to a proper backstroke are that your arms move with equal strength otherwise you will swim off to one side, and that your body rolls from side to side so that your arms catch enough water to propel you forward.
Even though the advantage for beginners is that you swim on your back and there are fewer issues with breathing as your head is mostly out of the water, it can be uncomfortable for beginners not seeing where they are going. If you are not in the right position water can go up your nose which is not pleasant. It is best to find the stroke that you prefer and then learn the other strokes later.
Butterfly
There is nothing quite like watching a good butterfly swimmer. It is the most beautiful and fluid stroke as the body moves in a similar way to a dolphin through the water. The dolphin kick involves both legs and hips moving in a wave-like motion starting from the arms and head and travelling down the body.
When you see a good butterfly swimmer it appears effortless, but it is one of the most difficult strokes and the most energetic. Some take to it easily while some swimmers never quite manage butterfly. Don’t worry if you find this stroke too difficult – rather focus on the ones you can do.
* Supplied by Ross Johnstone, Swim4Life