Facts on Swimming Strokes

There are many types of swimming strokes for those who love to swim, whether in competition or for leisure. The creation of swimming strokes dates back to 1926 and was improved for Olympic competitions and relays. These are some of the most popular strokes used today and basic methods for executing them properly.

Types

The breastroke, butterfly, backstroke, freestyle and sidestroke are some of the most used and popular strokes.

Benefits

Certain swimming strokes are used for major competitions, as well as for exercise and leisure activities.

Geography

Swimming strokes have been invented everywhere including North America, Australia and Germany.

Features

Some features of swimming strokes are the sidestroke where the body is on the side and legs are doing the scissor kick, the backstroke where arms are used alternatively over the head while the swimmer is on her back, and the butterfly stroke where the arms are used together in a windmill type fashion and the legs are in a dolphin kick.

Fun Fact

The dog paddle, modeled after the way dogs swim, is considered to be the easiest stroke of all; and the freestyle stroke allows the swimmer to use any stroke in competition allowing only 15 meters of actual underwater time at the start of the race or from each turn that the swimmer does in the race.

Significance

Swimming strokes have been a very important part in the Olympics with swimming being notated as an Olympic event since 1896.

Resources

• More information on swimming strokes