Backstroke, Breastroke, Stroke of a Genius!
Posted by LD on June 25, 2010 under Fitness | 
10 Comments to Read
I know, I know its a Ludacris title. As a kid I loved swimming, I live on a lake, and always had access to pools. My parents had a pool since I was ten. I would spend the entire summer in it. Sometimes just lounging, sometimes going nuts with my friends and many times swimming laps. Looking back I never had any trouble staying lean until I moved out of my parents house. Some may attribute that to getting older and having a slower metabolism, but I think it had a lot to do with no longer swimming every day.
Well the weather is nice, and the pools are open. I think its time to look more closely at using swimming as a great get in shape workout plan. Swimming strokes are very low impact excercises. It works the entire body. It is great for summer because the water keeps you naturally cool. Also it can be fun and relaxing. There are several types of swimming strokes to choose from.
“backstroke breastroke stroke of a genius!”
Swimming can burn a ton of calories, 10 minutes of moderate swimming can burn about 90 calories. Something like the breastroke, butterfly or vigorous freestyle can burn 125-150 calories in 10 minutes. Lets look at a few styles.
Sidestroke.
The sidestroke is a very easy, relaxing stroke.
You could easily do laps of sidestrokes while carrying on a conversation. Your arms and legs never leave the water, and your head never goes under. You stay on one side for the entire lap so it is good to switch sides each lap. This is a nice slow cardio exercise.
Sidestroke pull
The arm motion is easy, as mentioned in the video just imagine you’re picking an apple and putting it in a basket. Its funny that analogy is the only way I’ve heard anyone describe how to do the sidestroke.
Sidestroke Kick
This is a scissor kick. you spread your legs laterally and then bring them back together.
Backstroke
The backstroke is also a relaxing stroke. You may carry a conversation, but your ears do tend to go underwater so that could complicate things. Your face is always out of the water. Your back is always under water. Your arms come in and out, and your feet stay just on the surface. This is also a great slow cardio exercise, it also works your shoulders and hip flexors.
Backstroke Pull
The arm motion is similar to the freestyle but more pronounced. Your arms turn in a windmill motion over your head and pull the water.
Backstroke Kick
Like I said the feet stay right at the surface of the water, and your flutter kicks are very fast and shallow.
Freestyle
Freestyle is what everyone thinks when they think swimming. It can be done slow or fast. It is more vigorous cardio workout than the last 2 strokes.Freestyle is good for your shoulders, arms and legs.
Freestyle Pull
Angle your hands into the water and move your arms well beneath your body. pull the water and your arm past your body hard, then bring the arm out of the water.
Freestyle Kick
The kick is a quick flutter kick.
Breastroke
The breastroke is easy to learn, but difficult to master. It can be very vigorous (exhausting) when done properly. It is an intense cardio workout and works nearly every muscle in the body. You breathe when your arms are close to your body, and your legs are close to each other.
Breastroke Pull
Your ams stay underwater the entire time. You start with your arms straight in front of you then you sweep them straight out pulling the water past your body. Then bring your arm back in close to your body and push them forward staying as streamlined as possible.
Breastroke Kick
This is sometimes called the frog kick, because it resembles thw way frogs kick their legs underwater.
Butterfly
The butterfly is definitely the most difficult and intense type of stroke. It is a very vigorous cardio exercise, and works your arms, shoulders, chest, core, and legs very hard.
Butterfly Pull
For the arm motion both arms move in sync. Start with your arms pointing straight ahead. pull them down under you and then bring them out of the water perpendicular to your body. Move your arms forward back to the start position out of the water.
Butterfly Kick
The kick is referred to as the dolphin kick. Your legs move as one and you start a wave from your core and carry it down to your feet. This is definately the most difficult kick.
Raymond said,
All my family love to swim, living in Australia most kids grow up learning to swim since water is close by and the weather is warm enough for most of the year. And yeah is a great exercise to reduce stress in joints.
Also it adds another dimension to your training.
I can do every stroke well except butterfly I look like a dolphin rap dancing.
Trouble is I take too long in between strokes so I sink too far under water and end up drowning!
Darrin said,
One thing I want to do is learn how to swim better. I can swim to save my life, but it ain’t pretty when I get in the water. I’ll have to work on it though, since my goal for next summer is to start learning how to surf!
LD said,
@Raymond
I have real trouble doing the butterfly too. I cant keep my speed up as well. Even if I can I dont have the stamina to do it for very long
2Darin
I honestly think swimming is one of those things everyone should learn how to do.
Dave - Fitness Training Tips said,
LD,
Swimming is definitely a great form of cardio and much more enjoyable than a treadmill or elliptical. I still remember hearing that Michael Phelps could eat 10,000 calories a day because he spent 8 hours in the pool. It’s probably exaggerated but it gets at the calorie burning power of swimming.
Dave
Darren said,
LD,
Great post – I’m a big believer in swimming.
Lately I have been swimming first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I do about a half hour of breast stroke with no legs. I use different variations of the stroke that have a similar motion to doing chest work on the cables. At the end of a half hour I have put myself into a calorie deficit and my chest has had a nice definition workout.
Darren@moreprimetime.com
Charles said,
Nice post! I`m actually about to leave for the pool with my girlfriend, and I think the plan for today is going to be swim sprints and hypoxia drills followed by a nap in the sun and then lunch. Gotta love summertime:) I`m a big fan of alternating butterfly with breaststroke every other lap to build up conditioing and speed while still getting alot of rest in between laps. Another great calorie burner is to try to do 10 25 meter laps back to back taking no breaths. The only rest in between laps is a set of 10 dips on the side of the pool. Don`t blame me if you puke the first time LOL
Clint @ Crude Fitness said,
I consider myself a good swimmer, but for the life of me, i CANNOT perform the butterfly.
I guess i can’t perform ‘the worm’ on dry land either
Hazman said,
I wish I could swim! lol…to be honest this is a very good informative post on anyone looking for many differet ways to swim. Swimming is soo good for the muscles and lungs, you get a hell of a workout, without the pains afterwards!
Darren said,
I linked to your post with an example of how I modify the breast stroke to help exhaust and grow my chest muscles. Swiming is a great way to burn calories and work the muscles. Thanks for the great post.
Check it out:
http://www.moreprimetime.com/uncategorized/somatopause-solution#more-258
Steve - More than just Muscle said,
@LD nice post on swimming. When I was a kid my mum sent me to swimming lessons every week until I got pretty good. She couldn’t swim and was always petrified of water, she didn’t want either my brother or I to go through that. Though I hated it at the time I’m so thankful for it now. Swimming is one of my favourite activities. Have you seen the total immersion style of swimming? I took it up a few years ago and swimming lost so much of the effort for me.
@Raymond…. Butterfly… What a hellish stroke. I swear I can’t even do 1, I can’t get the rythm right. One of my friends is an ex competition swimming. I get so jealous to literally see him fly down the swim lane.
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