The fastest way to swim on your back is using a stroke called back crawl. Back crawl is different to most strokes because you cannot see where you are going. Check out Pricey's masterclass! This is why it is important to be careful to check who is behind you before you start. Practice counting how many strokes it takes you to swim a length. This should help to avoid any accidents. Try and swim with all of your body close to the surface of the water and keep your hips and legs behind your shoulders. The way to do this is to make sure that your head is resting in the water, almost like lying on your back in bed and putting your head on a pillow.
Legs are a very important part of backcrawl. It is difficult to keep your body in a straight line if you don't kick your legs. Try to use long fast kicks making sure your legs are moving up and down. Your knees should bend a little bit and your toes should make a small splash all of the time. Try counting to six quickly and kicking your legs in time. A good way to check your leg action is to look for your toes splashing. Try keeping your knees under the water too.
Legs are a very important part of backcrawl. It is difficult to keep your body in a straight line if you don't kick your legs. Try to use long fast kicks making sure your legs are moving up and down. Your knees should bend a little bit and your toes should make a small splash all of the time. Try counting to six quickly and kicking your legs in time. A good way to check your leg action is to look for your toes splashing. Try keeping your knees under the water too.
Your arms are the power in backcrawl, like the engine of a car. They make a circling action with one following the other over and under the water. One arm should never be allowed to catch the other one up. The best way to start the arms is by putting your arm in the water in a straight line above your shoulder. Good strong pull This is also easier if you put your little finger in first. Once your hand is in the water it should push towards your feet. The best way to do this is bend your elbow slightly and pull your arm by the side to your thigh. This will give you a good strong pull, and remember, your hand must do the pushing not your elbow. Keep pushing your hand towards your feet until your elbow is straight. Then lift it out of the water and over the top of your body ready to start again. Keep it straight all of the time it is out of the water.
Keep everything moving all of the time. You will swim good quality backcrawl if you keep your arms and legs moving. Make sure you maintain fast continuous kicks and keep circling your arms. Remember, try to improve one bit of the stroke at a time.
If you can keep your head in the correct position it will help you to swim a faster back crawl.
Now you have got used to resting it in the water try looking slightly up and slightly towards your feet. This will mean that your chin is tucked in close to your chest.
Keep your head steady There is no reason to move your head when you swim back crawl.
All this does is force the rest of your body to move and reduce your speed.
A good tip is to keep it still. Some coaches will put a pound coin on your forehead to see if you can keep it there for a whole length.
Try getting the most out of every stroke. You can do this by making each stroke longer and also by making each stroke more powerful. We will start by developing your arms. Each time your hand enters the water, your arm should be a straight as possible. As you enter let your hand move slightly down into the water, don't rush to start your pull until all of your hand, arm and shoulder are in the water. To make the most of your arm pull there are a number of things you can do.
Keep everything moving all of the time. You will swim good quality backcrawl if you keep your arms and legs moving. Make sure you maintain fast continuous kicks and keep circling your arms. Remember, try to improve one bit of the stroke at a time.
If you can keep your head in the correct position it will help you to swim a faster back crawl.
Now you have got used to resting it in the water try looking slightly up and slightly towards your feet. This will mean that your chin is tucked in close to your chest.
Keep your head steady There is no reason to move your head when you swim back crawl.
All this does is force the rest of your body to move and reduce your speed.
A good tip is to keep it still. Some coaches will put a pound coin on your forehead to see if you can keep it there for a whole length.
Try getting the most out of every stroke. You can do this by making each stroke longer and also by making each stroke more powerful. We will start by developing your arms. Each time your hand enters the water, your arm should be a straight as possible. As you enter let your hand move slightly down into the water, don't rush to start your pull until all of your hand, arm and shoulder are in the water. To make the most of your arm pull there are a number of things you can do.
