Breaststroke - Sneaky Extension Practice

One of the most important aspects of a great breaststroke will be the extended position underwater.  Here’s a little bit of a sneaky way to get your swimmers to practice this.

Why do it:
Swimmers should begin and end every stroke of breaststroke in the fully extended position.  The means they’ll complete a full stroke cycle prior to starting the next one.

How to do it:
1)  This is the tricky part.  Have your swimmers swim a few lengths of breaststroke with two kicks.  While they’re doing this, have them count their pulls.
2) Now give them some 25s of regular breaststroke swimming, only, they’re not allowed to take any more strokes than they took on the double kick breaststroke lengths.
3)  Allow them to do an underwater pull, as even if that’s where they put their focus, they’re still learning something.

How to do it really well (the fine points):
HOW they direct the line forward will be key.  Reaching full extension and the glide in breaststroke isn’t supposed to be a place to rest, but rather, a very intense, stretched and rigid position.  If, as our swimmer is doing, the hands go down during extension, or the legs are loose… they’ll have a tough time making it all the way to the other end in the allotted strokes.

Continue practicing and learning until you can get to the other end with a better line from fingertips to toes… and with the head in line.