Breast Stroke in Swimming: How to Swim for Beginners

Breaststroke is often the first stroke beginners learn because it keeps the head above or near the water surface and uses a natural, symmetrical movement pattern. But swimming breaststroke with proper form is more difficult than it looks. Poor timing between the kick and the pull is the number one reason new swimmers feel like they are working hard and going nowhere. This guide breaks down every phase of the stroke so you can build confidence, move through the water efficiently, and enjoy your time in the pool.

Check out our adult swimming class

Why Breaststroke Is the Best Stroke for Beginners

Breaststroke lets you breathe forward instead of turning your head to the side, which reduces anxiety for new swimmers. The stroke also allows you to see where you are going at all times, making it ideal for open water and recreational swimming.

Beyond comfort, breaststroke builds core stability and lower body strength. The whip kick engages the glutes, inner thighs, and calves, while the pull works the chest and shoulders. For adults learning to swim later in life, breaststroke offers a manageable entry point that still delivers a full body workout. If you would like to build proper technique under a coach's guidance, consider enrolling in an adult swimming class.

Understanding the Breaststroke Body Position

Before focusing on arms or legs, you need the right body position. A streamlined posture reduces drag and makes every kick and pull more effective.

Head and Spine Alignment

Keep your body as flat as possible on the water surface. Your eyes should look down and slightly forward when your face is in the water. Avoid lifting your head too high during the breath because this forces your hips to drop and creates resistance.

Hip Position

Your hips should stay near the surface throughout the stroke cycle. Think of your body as a seesaw: when your upper body rises to breathe, your hips dip slightly, but they should never sink below your knees.

The Breaststroke Kick: Step by Step

The kick generates the majority of propulsion in breaststroke. Getting it right is the single biggest improvement a beginner can make.

1. Recovery Phase

Start with your legs extended and together in a streamlined position. Bend your knees and draw your heels up toward your glutes. Keep your knees roughly hip width apart. A common mistake is pulling the knees up toward the chest, which increases drag.

2. Catch Phase

Once your heels are near your glutes, flex your feet so your toes point outward and your soles face backward. This is the "catch" position where your feet are ready to push water.

3. Drive Phase

Sweep your feet outward and backward in a circular, whip like motion. Finish by snapping your legs together. The power comes from accelerating through the sweep, not from forcing the movement at the start.

Phase	Foot Position	Knee Width	Common Mistake
Recovery	Toes pointed, relaxed	Hip width	Knees too wide or pulled to chest
Catch	Toes turned out, feet flexed	Hip width	Feet not flexed, losing grip on water
Drive	Sweep outward then snap together	Narrows to closed	Kicking straight back like flutter kick

Drill: Wall Kicks

Hold the pool wall with both hands, arms extended. Practice the kick cycle slowly, focusing on the heel recovery and the outward sweep. Do 3 sets of 10 kicks before adding the pull.

The Breaststroke Pull: Arm Technique

The arm pull in breaststroke is smaller than most beginners expect. It is a compact, sculling motion, not a wide sweeping action.

Outsweep

Start with your arms fully extended in front of you, palms facing down and slightly outward. Sweep your hands outward until they are just wider than your shoulders. Keep your elbows high and in front of your shoulders throughout.

Insweep

Once your hands reach their widest point, rotate your palms inward and scull your hands together beneath your chin. This is where most of the propulsive force is generated. Your elbows tuck in close to your ribs.

Recovery

Shoot your hands forward together, palms facing down, returning to the starting streamlined position. The recovery should be fast and smooth because this is a moment of high drag if you pause.

Breathing and Timing: Putting It All Together

Timing is what separates a smooth breaststroke from a choppy, exhausting one. The golden rule is pull, breathe, kick, glide.

The Sequence

1. Begin in a streamlined position with arms extended and legs together.

2. Start the arm pull (outsweep and insweep).

3. As your hands come together under your chin, lift your head forward to breathe.

4. While your arms shoot forward in recovery, execute the kick.

5. Hold the glide position for a full second before starting the next stroke.

Why the Glide Matters

Many beginners skip the glide and rush into the next stroke. This wastes energy and actually slows you down. Breaststroke is the only competitive stroke where the glide phase adds significant distance per stroke. A one to two second glide lets you travel further on each cycle and keeps your heart rate lower.

Common Breaststroke Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even with good instruction, beginners tend to repeat a few errors. Here are the most frequent problems and their fixes:

• Wide knees on the kick. Your knees should stay within the width of your hips during recovery. Imagine you are kicking inside a narrow tube. Wide knees create drag and reduce power.

• Pulling too far back. The hands should never pass the shoulders. Think of the pull as a small heart shape in front of your face, not a large circle that reaches your waist.

• Lifting the head too high. You only need your mouth to clear the water. Lifting your chin toward the ceiling pushes your hips down and stalls your momentum.

• No glide. Rushing from one stroke to the next burns energy without adding speed. Count "one Mississippi" in the glide position after every kick.

• Breathing too late. The breath happens during the insweep, not after. If you try to breathe after the arms have already recovered, you will be fighting your own body position.

Beginner Practice Plan for Breaststroke

Consistency matters more than distance. Use this simple weekly plan to build your stroke over four weeks.

Week	Session Focus	Volume
1	Wall kicks only, body position drills	4 x 25m kick with a kickboard
2	Add pull with a pull buoy, practice timing on land	4 x 25m pull, 4 x 25m kick
3	Full stroke with a focus on glide	6 x 25m full stroke, counting strokes per length
4	Build distance, reduce stroke count	4 x 50m full stroke with 30 second rest

Aim for two to three pool sessions per week. Each session should last 30 to 45 minutes including warm up and cool down. If you prefer a coach to correct your technique in real time and speed up your progress, private swimming lessons offer the most targeted guidance. For parents who want their children to build solid fundamentals in a small group setting, children's swimming classes are a great option to consider.

FAQs About Breaststroke Swimming

Is breaststroke the easiest swimming stroke to learn?

Breaststroke is considered the most accessible stroke for beginners because the breathing pattern is natural and the body stays in a comfortable, face forward position. However, the kick technique requires more coordination than a simple flutter kick, so mastering the full stroke takes deliberate practice.

How do I stop my legs from sinking during breaststroke?

Sinking legs usually result from lifting the head too high or bending at the waist instead of staying streamlined. Focus on keeping your chin low when you breathe and pressing your chest slightly into the water to keep your hips elevated.

Can I swim breaststroke for fitness and weight loss?

Absolutely. Breaststroke burns roughly 300 to 500 calories per hour depending on intensity and body weight. It is also easier on the shoulders than freestyle or butterfly, making it a sustainable option for regular fitness swimming. If you need to rehabilitate from an injury in the water, an aquatic hydrotherapy course is also a worthwhile option to consider.

How many strokes should it take to swim 25 metres of breaststroke?

A beginner typically takes 12 to 18 strokes per 25 metre length. As your technique improves, you should aim to reduce that number by extending your glide and making each kick and pull more efficient.

Why does breaststroke feel so slow compared to freestyle?

Breaststroke generates more drag than any other stroke because the arms and legs move outward rather than along the body line. The recovery phases also happen underwater, creating resistance. This is normal. Improving your streamline and glide will gradually increase your speed.

Do I need goggles to swim breaststroke?

Goggles are not mandatory, but they are strongly recommended. Seeing clearly underwater helps you maintain proper head position and makes the experience far more comfortable, especially in chlorinated pools.