How to Swim the Overarm Stroke

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:

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

1. 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.
2. Raise your legs up toward your chest, feet next to your seat.
3. 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.
4. Spread your legs apart, one forward and one backward, and then squeeze them suddenly together in the scissor-kick style.
5. Finish your pull with your lower arm as your top arm enters the water just above your head.
6. Pull with your top arm as you extend your lower arm.
7. Glide and repeat.
8. 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.