How to Turn While Swimming the Breaststroke

The breaststroke turn is one of the easiest turns to learn for swimming laps or for swimming competitively. The basics:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Swimming Trunks
• Swimsuits
• Swimming Caps
• Swimming Ear Plugs
• Swimming Goggles
• Swimming Nose Clip
• Swimsuits

1. 

   Stretch our your last stroke as you near the wall, so you're at a glide by the time your hands reach the side of the pool.

2. 

   Touch the wall with both hands, draw your legs up into a crouching position, and pull your whole body up to the wall. This is a good time to take a quick breath.

3. Twist around so that you're facing the water instead of the wall, while simultaneously placing both feet up against the wall so that you're ready to push off.

4. 

   Bring both arms above your head into the gliding position, and duck down under the water.

5. Push off the wall and streamline your body. Point your toes and push your shoulders against your ears.

6. Glide.

7. Pull your arms through the water down to your sides and glide.

8. Kick one hard breaststroke kick and - you guessed it - glide again.

9. Break the surface and begin swimming breaststroke.

Tips & Warnings

• In competitive racing, you're allowed only one arm stroke and one kick under water before you break the surface and start swimming.
• The same turn works for the butterfly stroke, but as you glide out of it off the wall, do the butterfly kick underwater instead of the breaststroke kick until you break the surface.
• If you have any condition which would impair or limit your ability to engage in physical activity, please consult a physician before attempting this activity. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[lifeengineer]

on 7/16/2009 Great article. Thanks.

on 11/22/2005 1. Make sure you "hit the wall", that is, touch with both hands, then immediatly get off the wall. Think of the wall as a really hot plate you dont want to touch.

2. For speed, make sure that only one arm comes out of the water, while the other stays close to the body until the pushoff

3. Remember to keyhole! A keyhole is after the pushoff, and is a three step process. First, after the glide, pull you hands back in an hourglass fashion. Second, do a single kick while bringing the arms back to glide position, remembering to keep the arms very close to the body to reduce drag. Third, glide until your head breaks the water before starting the stroke over, otherwise you will be disqualified.