How to Swim the Overarm Stroke

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

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Swimming sidestroke combined with a freestyle pull gives added strength to your stroke. The overarm stroke is great for swimming long distances with low strain.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Step1
Lie on your side in the water. Extend your lower arm and put one ear in the water. Your upper arm is out of the water, resting on your side.
Step2
Raise your legs up toward your chest, feet next to your seat.
Step3
Pull down through the water with your lower arm as you raise your upper arm out of the water and reach forward with it as you would in the crawl stroke.
Step4
Spread your legs apart, one forward and one backward, and then squeeze them suddenly together in the scissor-kick style.
Step5
Finish your pull with your lower arm as your top arm enters the water just above your head.
Step6
Pull with your top arm as you extend your lower arm.
Step7
Glide and repeat.
Step8
Synchronize your arm stroke, leg kick and breathing the same way you do in the sidestroke. (See "How to Swim the Sidestroke".) Extend the lower arm as you scissor kick, pull down your top arm, then glide with your body streamlined.

Tips & Warnings

  • Swimming is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.

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eHow Article:  How to Swim the Overarm Stroke

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