How to Start a Backstroke Race

Video Transcript

"PHILLIP TORIELLO: Hello and welcome to Expert Village, I'm Phillip Toriello from the Avila Bay Athletic Club. A backstroke start is the most unique of the four strokes. It's completely different in the sense that you're not starting on top of the starting blocks, you're starting from within the water. Basically, you're going to be coming up to the starting block, utilizing the handles at the base of the starting block, pulling yourself up on like towards the block so you're elevating yourself just out of the water. Your toes will be approximately 6 to 12 inches below the water surface. But again, you're wanting to pull yourself up, tuck yourself up in here with your head down and just as the buzzer goes off, you're catapulting yourself off that wall almost like a rainbow. From the start to the finish, you're going to be performing a rainbow arch-like motion. We all be diving into the water backwards. It's a very technical start that requires a lot of practice but with time, you'll become more efficient with it. Just give it a chance. Again, you're pulling yourself up underneath the starting block with your feet below the water surface and from start to finish, performing an arch-like motion going about 12 to 24 inches underneath the water, dolphin kicking up to 15 meters, surfacing and starting your stroke. Again, if you go beyond 15 meters off your start, you will be disqualified."