The backstroke, or back crawl, uses alternating and opposite arm movements. … The legs perform a flutter kick, similar to the one used in the front crawl. The backstroke is, as the name suggests, the only one of the four competitive swimming strokes swum on the back.
What is the backstroke used for?
For example, backstroke can help improve your posture since your muscles need to work to keep your back straight in the water. It can also help improve your hip flexibility. Just like other swimming strokes, it will also work your arm, leg and core muscles.
What is the body position of backstroke?
In backstroke, you float on your back in the water. Your body is almost horizontal, with a slight tilt toward the feet. A good position of the body is essential to swim backstroke.
What muscles are used in backstroke?
Backstroke uses a lot more of your latissimus dorsi, which is the muscle that stretches across your back, in addition to your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. When swimming, you’re actually using almost all of your muscles, but certain ones are used more for certain strokes.
How do backstroke swimmers go straight?
To effectively swim straight in backstroke, always be aware of your body rolls and maintain consistent arm strength. Some swimmers neglect the importance of rolling their bodies to the side when their arms sweep through the water. … Always try to match both your arms’ speed and motion.
What are the disadvantages of backstroke?
Backstroke requires you to know floating on your back. It has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going.
What did you learn about backstroke?
Backstroke is a great stroke to learn and throw into the mix if you want to be a better freestyler. Backstroke is designed to be the same stroke as freestyle, just flipped over. … So working on your balance in backstroke will make you more sensitive to what balance and side-streamlining should feel like on your belly.
Is backstroke faster than freestyle?
However, the priority of those fundamentals differ for backstroke and there are certain nuances of backstroke that differ from freestyle. Of all four strokes, backstroke is not the fastest stroke, but it is the most efficient stroke. That means that there is less change of speed in backstroke than in any other stroke.