Types of Swimming Strokes and Their Benefits

Swimming is not just about having fun at the pool – it’s a sport that offers something for everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. It’s a highly competitive sport with different types of swimming strokes, each with its own technique and benefits.

In this guide, we’ll break down the most popular swimming strokes, their advantages, and how to perform them efficiently. So, whether you want to learn swimming strokes for beginners or looking to perfect your skills, grab your goggles, jump in, and let’s get started!

Basic Skills Every Swimmer Should Know

Before we dive into the popular swimming strokes, you need to know some foundational skills essential for any swimmer. These basics will help you build confidence and mastery as you progress to more advanced swimming styles.

  • Proper breathing techniques,
  • Gliding with the face in the water,
  • Coordinating movements of different body parts,
  • Mastery of swimming techniques and stroke styles,
  • Diving basics.

Now that you know the basics, let’s explore four basic swimming stroke types and their distinctive fitness benefits. 

Freestyle/Front Crawl: A Full-Body Workout with Speed

Among the four basic strokes in swimming, the freestyle stroke, commonly called the front crawl, is one of the most widely used techniques. It’s also the fastest swimming stroke. It involves alternating arm strokes combined with a flutter kick.

Benefits of Freestyle

  • The freestyle swim technique is known for being the fastest stroke, making it highly effective for burning calories – around 300 calories in a 30-minute session.
  • It engages and tones muscles in the abdomen, glutes, and shoulders.
  • This stroke is particularly beneficial for strengthening and toning the back muscles.

Common Beginner Mistakes in Freestyle

Mistake: Lifting the head too much during breathing can disrupt body alignment.

Correction: Keep your head low in the water, and rotate your body for breathing rather than lifting your head entirely.

How to Perform Freestyle

Extend your arms before you, pulling one arm toward your hip while the other recovers above the water. Simultaneously, flutter kick with your legs. Turn your head to the side to breathe, inhaling through your mouth during recovery. Maintain a smooth and continuous rhythm for maximum efficiency.

Source: freepik.com/freepik

Backstroke Swimming: Enhance Your Posture and Core Stability

The backstroke is ideal for swimmers who prefer floating on their backs or have limitations with their necks or shoulders. Also, it’s the best swimming stroke for lower back pain. This stroke requires you to swim face-up, using alternating arm movements combined with a flutter kick.

Benefits of the Backstroke

  • Burns approximately 250 calories in 30 minutes of swimming.
  • It enhances posture by encouraging you to maintain a straight position in the water, which helps lengthen the spine and reduce slouching.
  • Tones muscles in the stomach, legs, arms, shoulders, and glutes.

Common Beginner Mistakes in Backstroke

Mistake: Sinking hips, which increases drag and slows you down.

Correction: Focus on engaging your core to keep your hips higher in the water. This reduces drag and improves stroke efficiency.

How to Perform the Backstroke

Start by lying on your back with your arms extended by your sides. Keep your body in a straight line, and initiate the stroke by pulling one arm toward your hip as the other arm recovers above the water. Pair this motion with a flutter kick, ensuring you breathe consistently, keep your head neutral, and look up.

Video source: YouTube/Fit Connector UAE

Breaststroke Swimming Style: Low-Impact Cardio and Leg Toning

For many swimmers, the breaststroke is a go-to swimming technique due to its steady pace and ease, though it is considered the most technical. This stroke requires synchronized arm movements combined with a frog-like kick.

Benefits of Breaststroke

  • While ideal for leisurely swimming, the breaststroke swimming style isn’t the most efficient for calorie burning, averaging around 200 calories per 30 minutes.
  • It’s an excellent cardiovascular exercise, promoting heart and lung health.
  • The stroke targets several muscles, including the upper back, thighs,  triceps, chest, lower legs, and hamstrings.

Common Beginner Mistakes in Breaststroke

Mistake: Relying too much on the arms instead of the legs, causing fatigue.

Correction: Ensure a balanced technique in which the legs perform most of the propulsion through the frog kick while the arms mainly help with gliding.

How to Perform Breaststroke

Begin by extending your arms forward in a streamlined position. Sweep your arms outwards and pull them towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in. At the same time, kick your legs in a circular motion resembling a frog’s kick. Maintain a steady rhythm, keeping your head above water and breathing through your mouth.

Source: freepik.com/24K Production

Butterfly Stroke Swimming: Building Upper Body Strength and Endurance

The butterfly stroke is often regarded as the most complex and physically demanding of all swimming styles. It requires coordinated arm movements and a strong dolphin kick.

Benefits of Butterfly Stroke

  • The butterfly stroke burns more calories than any other swimming style, with an average of 450 calories burned per 30 minutes of swimming.
  • It engages several major muscle groups, particularly the core, back, abdomen, and arms (especially triceps), making it a full-body workout.
  • It enhances posture by increasing flexibility and stretching the body.

Common Beginner Mistakes in Butterfly

Mistake: Overusing the arms and neglecting the power of the dolphin kick.

Correction: Focus on generating power through the core and legs, using the dolphin kick to propel your body forward, and keeping arm movements fluid. 

How to Perform the Butterfly Stroke

Begin face down in the water with your arms extended forward. Simultaneously, bring both arms overhead and forward out of the water. As your arms recover, perform a dolphin kick by bending your knees and pushing your legs together in a downward motion. This kick provides the momentum for your arm movements. Keep a rhythmic motion between your arms and legs, and remember to exhale forcefully underwater during the stroke.

Source: freepik.com/drobotdean
Swimming StrokeCalories Burned (30 mins)Main BenefitsImportant Tips
Freestyle300Full-body workout, fast calorie burn, strengthens back muscles.Keep your head low for breathing, maintain smooth rhythm.
Backstroke250Improves posture, tones core, and arms, great for back pain.Engage core to keep hips high, focus on a straight posture.
Breaststroke200Low-impact cardio, strengthens upper back, legs, chest.Focus on leg propulsion (frog kick) for better efficiency.
Butterfly450Burns the most calories, strengthens core, arms, enhances endurance.Generate power from dolphin kick, synchronize arms and legs.

Advantages of Learning Multiple Swimming Strokes

Mastering various swimming strokes provides flexibility in movement, enabling swimmers to capitalize on their strengths while navigating challenges in the water. This adaptability enhances safety by allowing you to apply different techniques based on water conditions and your physical abilities.

Additionally, understanding different strokes adds an element of enjoyment to swimming. Each stroke offers a unique experience, making swimming more engaging and versatile. The creativity and independence of different styles are especially appealing to children learning to swim, who often enjoy finding new ways to move through the water.

For fitness enthusiasts, incorporating multiple strokes helps target different muscle groups, offering a more comprehensive workout that can be tailored to distinctive fitness goals.

However, while learning basic strokes like freestyle or backstroke can be relatively simple, more complex strokes such as the butterfly often require additional guidance. For example, the technical demands of butterfly stroke can make it difficult to master on your own. 

This is where working with a personal swimming trainer becomes invaluable. Even experienced swimmers often find that one-on-one training accelerates their progress and helps them master difficult techniques.

Source: freepik.com/fxquadro

Why Hire a Personal Trainer in Dubai for Swimming?

If you aim to refine your swimming skills and correct common mistakes, hiring a personal trainer in Dubai can be the next step in achieving your goals. Using platforms like the FitConnector app can significantly help you accelerate your progress. 

Here’s why:

  • Tailored training: FitConnector freelance personal trainers assess your skill level and plan a program around your swimming goals, whether you’re just starting or perfecting advanced strokes.
  • Technique correction: Trainers offer immediate feedback to correct posture, breathing, and form, preventing bad habits and improving performance, especially in more complex strokes like the butterfly.
  • Injury-free: Certified trainers focus on proper techniques to reduce strain and injury, ensuring safe and productive training sessions.
  • Flexible locations: You can choose where to train –  at home or a public pool; FitConnector’s trainers adapt to your preferred environment.
  • Budget-friendly: You can select a coach based on your budget and even switch trainers mid-package without losing credits, ensuring full flexibility.
  • Full privacy: Your profile is visible only to you and your coach, offering a confidential training experience.

Dedication and consistent practice are essential to excelling at any sport, including swimming. Taking private swimming lessons is a perfect way to begin, regardless of age or experience. Most importantly, immersing yourself in the water as often as possible will sharpen your skills and grow confidence.

By investing in a personal trainer, this is precisely what you’ll gain – you’ll power through swimming techniques faster and become more confident in your skills, all while enjoying personalized support. So, download the FitConnector app today and start mastering swimming strokes with ease!