06 September 2023

Basic Differences in Swimming Styles: The Importance of Style Selection

The Main Differences in Swimming Styles: The Importance of Style Selection

Swimming is an indispensable activity to cool off on hot summer days. Swimming offers many benefits for both mental and physical development. The most common swimming styles include backstroke, freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke. Each swimming style requires a different technique. You can find more information about swimming styles in the rest of our article.

What are Swimming Styles?

Backstroke Swimming
Free Swimming
Butterfly Swimming
Frog Swimming

Backstroke Swimming

Backstroke is a swimming technique that is performed by swimming on your back and is similar to the movements required for prone lunges. This style strengthens the back muscles and spine and sculpts the upper body. To swim on your back, first enter the water in a supine position. Keep your arm strokes above the water and inhale. Then dive into the water with your arms out to the sides of your body. Push yourself backwards so that you can throw your ears. Repeat these backstroke strokes and move along the surface of the water. Bring your legs together with your feet and move with your knees slightly bent. When swimming on your back, your face should be facing upwards. This swimming style is a good start for beginners. It is the most common swimming style.

You can get additional information on swimming styles here.

Free Swimming

Freestyle swimming is the fastest and most efficient swimming style compared to other swimming styles. It is the most commonly used swimming technique in competitions. In order to swim in the prone position, the swimmer's body must be parallel to the water and lying on his/her stomach. The swimmer makes arm movements reminiscent of a windmill to move himself forward. On the surface of the water, the feet should be pointed while the legs alternately move up and down. However, be careful not to bend the legs at the knee. When swimming strokes, the swimmer should move their breath according to the rhythm of swimming. Also, the head should not be raised too high, otherwise there is a risk of sinking into the water.

Butterfly Swimming

Butterfly swimming is a very challenging and advanced swimming style. This swimming style requires the swimmer to move both arms at the same time. It allows the swimmer to move quickly without fluctuating on the water surface. The head and shoulders should be kept above the water surface while moving the arms towards the water. The swimmer lies horizontally on his/her stomach in the water and moves through the water with a wave motion while his/her arms are raised above his/her head. In butterfly swimming, the swimmer waits for the arms to leave the water surface to breathe. This swimming style requires a lot of energy from the swimmer. As this movement is repeated, the butterfly swimming style is formed on the water surface. At the same time, Michael Phelps, who has the title of the most medal-winning swimmer of the Olympic Games with 28 medals, achieved his best results with butterfly swimming style.

Frog Swimming

Breaststroke swimming is the most common and slowest swimming style. Frogging is when the swimmer's hands and feet move in a semicircle in the water. In this swimming style, the swimmer lies in the water with the stomach facing down. While the arms move simultaneously underwater, the legs are bent at the knee, bringing them closer to the body. It should be swum just like the movement of a frog. During swimming, the swimmer keeps the arms bent at the side of the body and moves underwater with the palms facing the ground. Both legs are bent at the knee at the same time. The swimmer takes his/her head out of the water when he/she wants to breathe. The swimmer passes under the water with arms extended forward. Then, less energy is spent compared to other swimming styles. For this reason, it is often preferred by beginners. However, this technique can be a bit slow for those who want to swim fast.

Swimming is not only a sport but also a lifestyle. It has many benefits for human health. Swimming provides weight control, reduces stress, improves flexibility, protects heart health, protects against bad cholesterol and improves sleep patterns. There is a swimming style suitable for all ages and levels. Dive into the magical world of swimming for a healthier and happier life!

To learn more about the benefits of swimming to our body, you can take a look at our content called Health Benefits of Swimming.

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