Swimming Technique Guides
Master all four competitive strokes with comprehensive technique guides based on 15+ years competitive swimming experience.
Freestyle Technique
Master the fastest stroke with proper body position, high elbow catch, powerful kick, and efficient breathing technique.
- ✓ Body position and rotation
- ✓ Catch, pull, and recovery
- ✓ Breathing mechanics
- ✓ Common mistakes and drills
Backstroke Technique
Perfect backstroke with proper body rotation, straight-arm recovery, powerful kick, and navigation strategies.
- ✓ Body position and rotation
- ✓ Pinky-first entry technique
- ✓ Swimming straight
- ✓ Starts and flip turns
Breaststroke & Butterfly
Master both simultaneous strokes with proper timing, powerful kicks, and coordinated body movement.
- ✓ Pull, breathe, kick, glide (breaststroke)
- ✓ Dolphin wave motion (butterfly)
- ✓ Timing and coordination
- ✓ Power generation
Training Zones
Calculate your personalized training zones and learn how to apply technique at different intensities.
- ✓ 5 training zones explained
- ✓ Zone calculator
- ✓ Technique at race pace
- ✓ Periodization strategies
Why Technique Matters
Technique is the foundation of swimming performance. Small improvements in efficiency can dramatically reduce your pace per 100m without increasing effort.
The efficiency equation: Speed = Stroke Length × Stroke Rate
Most swimmers focus on stroke rate (turnover) but neglect stroke length. Proper technique maximizes distance per stroke, requiring fewer strokes and less energy for the same speed.
Technique Training Principles
The 80/20 Rule for Technique
Spend 80% of technique training on fundamentals (body position, catch, timing) and 20% on refinement (small adjustments, race-specific technique).
Progressive Overload
Improve technique gradually:
- Slow speed, perfect technique: Master mechanics at easy pace
- Moderate speed, good technique: Maintain form at aerobic pace
- Race pace, solid technique: Keep fundamentals at high intensity
Video Analysis
The single best tool for technique improvement is video analysis. Record yourself from side and underwater views to identify errors you can't feel.
Measuring Technique Progress
Track these metrics to quantify technique improvements:
- Stroke Count per 25m: Lower is generally more efficient. Target: Under 20 (freestyle), Under 22 (backstroke), 6-8 (breaststroke), 8-12 (butterfly)
- SWOLF Score: Time + strokes for 25m. Lower is better. Use our SWOLF Calculator
- Critical Swim Speed (CSS): Your threshold pace reflects overall efficiency. Track with CSS Calculator
- Pace per 100m: Monitor improvements across all strokes with Pace Calculator
Take Your Technique to the Next Level
SwimAnalytics provides AI-powered technique analysis that identifies specific areas for improvement from your swim data.
- ✓ Automatic stroke count and SWOLF tracking
- ✓ Stroke-specific efficiency trends
- ✓ Personalized drill recommendations
- ✓ Progress visualization over time
- ✓ Left/right balance analysis
Related Tools & Training
- Pace Calculator - Calculate pace for any distance and stroke
- SWOLF Calculator - Measure swimming efficiency
- CSS Calculator - Find your threshold pace
- Split Calculator - Plan race pacing strategy
- Training Zones Calculator - Calculate training intensities
- Training Plans - Beginner to advanced training plans