13 common breaststroke mistakes and how to avoid them

Are you learning how to swim breaststroke? Are you unsure of how to swim the stroke better? Do you find yourself becoming tired easily within a few laps of breaststroke? 

Breaststroke can be relaxing. However, that does not mean that it is easy. Most people peg breaststroke as a stroke to do for an easy swim, but mastering breaststroke is one of the most difficult thing. If you are a breaststroker, you know how difficult it is to improve your timings and become faster.

Breastroke is not an easy stroke. It requires a lot of strength, power, technique, and mindset. Just because you get to breathe every stroke does not make the swim any easier. 

I had fallen in love with breaststroke because of its focus on technique. However, as I went into competitive swimming, I found it difficult to better my timings, keep up with other swimmers and even stop myself from getting tired. As a long-distance freestyler, I was surprised that breaststroke had bested me.

So here in this article, we will discuss some ways to improve your breaststroke and stop yourself from becoming tired. 

Breaststroke mistakes to avoid

When it comes to breaststroke, there are several common mistakes that swimmers should try to avoid whether you are a beginner or an advanced swimmer. Here are some of the mistakes and tips to help you improve your breaststroke technique:

Incorrect Head Position

You might have heard your coach telling you to get your head high above the water. This is true, however, you don’t want to be too high above the water. In this case, your lower body will drop and you will create strain on your neck. This becomes very painful after a while and creates drag, which will slow you down and make you tired. When you swim, remember to hold your head parallel to the surface of the water, and to make sure your chin does not tilt beyond the plane of your shoulders. 

Dropping the Knees

The kick is very essential to breaststroke. You might find your legs dropping very low to get a better water feel and cover more area, but this is unnecessary. The kick should be fast and close to the surface of the water. This will reduce drag and improve your overall speed in the stroke. Your knees should be parallel to the floor and in line with the rest of your body. 

Improper Arm Pull

The pull is the part of breaststroke that is most difficult to master. To reduce drag and make sure you do not get tired, consider keeping your arms in a slightly bent position rather than curved. You should also keep your arms side by side during the glide and never cross over as this will waste time and increase friction. The sweeping motion should be close to the surface of the water, as well as the rest of your stroke. This will reduce the time it takes you to get out of the water. 

Weak Leg Kick

If you do not have good leg strength, this may be why you find it so difficult to do breaststroke. Breaststroke requires a lot of thigh and calf muscles. Your kick must be strong as it propels you through the water. Make sure to snap your legs shut in every kick and kick with strength rather than speed. This will ensure you do not get too tired but also move quickly through the water.

Over-Gliding

I used to rely heavily on my glide to push me through the water since I lacked a lot of upper body strength. However, this is not how you should be swimming, while gliding does push you through the water, over-gliding will waste time and also reduce your oxygen capacity. While gliding is an excellent way to move, it should not be your only way to move, because you will eventually lose momentum. You should not be holding your glide for more than one second. 

Incorrect Breathing Timing

Breaststroke is all about timing. If you do not time your breaststroke correctly you will lose the rhythm that will allow you to swim without tiring. Breathing is very important in breaststroke as you get to do it every stroke. However, you should not breathe too early or too late into your swim cycle as this will create drag unnecessarily. Instead, make sure you breathe as your arms are performing the out sweep so that you can tuck your head into your arms as you complete the forward thrust.  

Lack of Body Position Awareness

You must keep in a streamline position as often as possible during breaststroke. Minimize the amount of depth you cover with your body, instead try to sweep more area. When you are in the gliding position, keep a tight streamline. Your body must move to reduce drag, and being sloppy with your movements will make you feel very tired. Breaststroke is sharp, and you must cut through the water. 

Incorrect Timing

Breaststroke requires a specific timing sequence involving the arm pull, kick, and breathing. One common mistake is rushing through the stroke and not allowing enough time for each phase. Focus on maintaining a steady rhythm and ensure that your arms, legs, and breathing are coordinated.

Stiffness and Tension

Relax! Just because you have to go fast does not mean you have to be stiff. When you swim breaststroke, your body should be loose so that you can move it easily. Your arms and your legs should move fluidly, while still maintaining form. Feel the water, but do not become the water. Keeping your body stiff will increase tension which will make you feel very tired very quickly. 

Neglecting the Glide Phase

While avoiding over-gliding is important, this does not mean that you should not glide at all. Do not rush through the gliding phase just because you are sprinting. It will allow you to conserve energy. This is also the step that has the least drag because your body is in a streamline position, so you will be able to move fast. Remember to glide after every stroke. 

Lack of Core Engagement

Remember to engage your core. Breaststroke has a similar hip movement to butterfly, where it requires you to dive forward. This requires core strength. Make sure you keep your core tight as you pull yourself out of the water and keep your core tight. This will allow you to keep a better body position. Keeping your core tight is also important during streamline so you stay parallel to the pool floor.

Ineffective Recovery

Do not take your hands out of the water except to dive forward, many swimmers make the mistake of pulling their hands out of the water or too wide during the out sweep motion. Always keep your hands close to the surface of the water, because keeping them too low will increase the time needed to bring them to the surface. Do not make a big movement of the out sweep, it should be quick and efficient.

Ignoring Technique Drills

A common mistake many swimmers make with strokes ignoring breaststroke drills. Drills are very important to help you isolate individual parts of your stroke. Do not ignore drills as they will help you improve on individual aspects of your stroke well. Make sure to implement whatever feedback your coach gives you regarding your drills as you are probably making the same mistakes in your actual stroke.

The two strokes among all swimming strokes that are often considered relatively easier for beginners to learn are the breaststroke and the backstroke. The breaststroke is often taught early on due to its simplicity and the buoyancy it offers. The arm and leg movements are coordinated and relatively straightforward, making it easier for beginners to grasp. So master your breaststroke and stop yourself from becoming tired by improving your technique.