How is your breaststroke timing and coordination? Teachers - do your pupils make a mess of it?

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Hi, Mark here. I hope all is well with you.

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This week we are talking breaststroke timing and I have a great printable timing drill for you to help put things right.

Breaststroke timing and coordination is a continuous alternating action, where one propulsive phase takes over as one ends.

Incorrect timing will make good leg kick and arm techniques cancel each other out and render them ineffective.

The timing and coordination for breaststroke can be summed up with the following sequence:

Pull - Breathe - Kick - Glide

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A good way of practising the timing sequence is to perform it in slow motion. Forget trying to cover any distance at first and practice each part, one at a time. In a short time, you will find the pieces all falling into place and you will be smoothly gliding along without really trying.

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If remembering the sequence and getting it together is tricky, try 'kicking your hands forwards'. In other words, as your legs kick back in their circular action, your arms should be stretching forwards.

A streamlined body position at the end of the timing sequence is essential to capitalise on the propulsive phases of the stroke.

The timing can be considered in another way: when the arms are pulling in their propulsive phase, the legs are streamlined and when the legs are kicking to provide propulsion, the arms are streamlined.

Full body extension, where the legs and arms are together and streamlined, is essential for the glide phase before the start of the next stroke cycle.

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The Most Common Breaststroke Timing Mistake

As breaststroke is a simultaneous stroke, it is very common to kick with the legs and pull with the arms at the same time.

The result will be a very inefficient swimming stroke as the arms and legs counteract each other.

To ensure the timing and coordination of the arms and legs are correct, the swimmer must focus on performing an arm pull followed by a leg kick or on 'kicking their hands forwards'. In other words, as their legs kick around and back, their arms must extend forwards. This ensures that the arms and legs are working efficiently and are extended out together during the glide phase.

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An Effective Breaststroke Timing Drill

A great drill to try out or to give your pupils to try is swimming breaststroke with a woggle under the arms and performing the timing sequence slowly. The woggle provides enough support for the pull-breathe-kick-glide sequence to be performed step-by-step. Download a free printable of the drill by clicking here or the link below.

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Teaching Breaststroke Just Got Easier

Knowing how to teach breaststroke to children and adults is essential for any swimming teacher, and the job is much easier when the lesson plans and basic drills are all detailed for you in advance. So, that's just what I've done for you! Click on the cover below for more details.

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Everything you need in a straightforward book. Detailed, comprehensive and very clear. It's a swimming teacher's dream tool kit for teaching adults and children to swim breaststroke. Click here for more details or to Download Your Copy. ​

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That's it for this week. Stay focused, stay in touch and stay safe.

Happy swimming!

Cheers

Mark

​Swim Teach​

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