SOUTHERNSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Camella Homes IV, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City

Third Quarter Date:

Grade 12- Physical Education and Health
SY 2023-2024

NOTES #3 Basic Swimming Strokes

The four basic swimming strokes will be discussed in this lesson and in the succeeding ones. These strokes are
freestyle, backstrokes, breaststroke, butterfly strokes.
They are used in competitive swimming.

Competing is a very unique experience. Receiving medals is the best feeling in the world. But sometimes, it is
painful and disappointing when you get beaten by your competitors. When you learned the four basic strokes,
you will also discover the particular stroke/s you are good at.

Trivia!
1. You burn about 500-700 calories per hour you swim.
2. Freestyle stroke is also known as front crawl because it looks like crawling through the water.

FREESTYLE
Of all the competitive swimming stroke, freestyle is the most popular, fastest and efficient. Beginners find it the
easiest to learn this stroke. Freestyle is essential for lap swimmers, triathletes or anyone who wants swimming
as a workout.

DRY LAND DRILL WITH KICKBOARD

1. Stand and lean on the wall.
2. Hold the kickboard and extend your arms out in front of you.
3. Pull your right arm towards the side of your right leg
4. While pulling down, the tip of your fingers should point to the floor and elbows slightly bent in order to
pull much water.
5. While your right arm is pulling towards your right leg, reach and stretch your left arm by pushing the
kickboard to practice gliding.
6. Slide your palm up to the wall.
7. Raise your arm above the surface of the water with your elbows pointing at the sky creating an arc shape
arm and fingers pointing at the sky creating an arc shape arm and fingers pointing in the water.
8. When your arm is already above the surface of the water, bring your right arm back to the water and
hold the kickboard.
9. Once your arm is on the recovery phase, pull your left arm and repeat the arming steps.

BACKSTROKE
Backstroke is just the opposite of freestyle. In freestyle, your head is in the water. In backstroke, the swimmer
floats on his back in the water, head on the surface, facing upward. In this stroke, when one arm is pulling the
other should recover. The shoulders of the pulled arm should rotate. One arm up, one arm down (both arms are
switching or taking turns)
DRY LAND DRILL (imagine you are in the water)
1. Backstroke float position
2. Pull down one hand towards your leg while the other hand remains on the surface (remember to rotate your
shoulder when you pull)
3. Keep your arm close to your body when you pull.
4. Bend your elbow when you pull.
5. As you pull your hand down, pull the water past your hips.
6. When your arm is past your hip. Raise it above the water with your pinkie first then place it back to the water ---
recovery phase
7. As soon as the pulled hand is raised above the water, pull down your other hand before the former
moves to its recovery phase. The other hand starts pulling before the shoulder of their pulled arm stops
rotating to its recovery phase.
8. As soon as your pinkie enters the water, you need to start the pull of the other hand.

BACKSTROKE ARM WITH KICKBOARD

1. Hold the kickboard and lay back to the water.
2. As soon as your legs are in the surface, start kicking.
3. After the first 10 kicks, perform the arming.
4. When the pulled arm is moving back to the water or to its recovery phase, hold the kickboard then pull
your other hand.

BREASTSTROKE
Breaststroke is the only racing stroke that has a more powerful kick than the pull. Speed in breaststroke depends
greatly on the power of the kick and the ability to go back into a streamline position for the kick propulsion.
This what makes breaststroke unique from the other kinds of strokes. The movement of the arms and feet are
not done in the same time.

BREASTSTROKE ARMING
1. Extend your arms out in front of you and place on palm above the other with your head bowed down.
2. Pull by moving your hands away from each other while pointing your fingers toward the bottom of the
pool and bending your elbows (sweep outwards)
3. As soon as you start pulling your hands, lift your head and shoulder up to breathe.
4. Keep your wrists and hands firm with your palms facing towards the direction of your pull.
5. Pull with your forearms and hands.
6. Pull towards your body.
7. Bring your hands together towards your chest.
8. As your fingertips touch each other, put your palms together and push forward with it. (Sweep inward).
9. As soon your hand moves back to the starting position or the recovery phase, place you head back to the
water and drive your hands back to the gliding position.

BREASTSTROKE KICK
1. Lean on the wall.
2. Extend your arms out in front of you, get some air, keep your head in the water with your arms clipped
to your ears, and then kick the wall.
3. When your feet get on the surface of the water, start kicking.
4. Raise your head up and get some air. If you ran out of breath, place your head back on the water.
5. Continue until you reach the end of the pool.

BUTTERFLY STROKE
Butterfly is the most difficult stroke to learn for beginners. It requires full strength in every swim. The kick is
derived from the shoulders, you need to gently press your chest and allow your hips and feet to follow the
movement, send the top of your head forward, and you have to start your pull in a wide position using more of
the back muscles.

BUTTERFLY STROKE ARMING

1. Extend both arms straight with your arms facing towards the bottom of the pool.
2. Pull your hands away from the center of your body.
3. Drive both hands down towards the bottom of the pool while keeping your wrists and hands firm and
your upper body raised in the water.
4. Slightly bend your elbows in order to prepare your arms for a powerful pull.
5. Pull your hands towards your hip with both hands and fingers pointing firmly towards the bottom of the
pool.
6. Drive both hands back towards your thigh to full extension. Straighten your elbow this time.
7. Arms should be fully extended and palms facing up.