What are the rules for swimming the Breaststroke?
The Breaststroke is the most technically difficult stroke to perform; therefore, it has the most rules related to it. The primary rules that define the Breaststroke are: • Arm movements: • All movements of the arms are to be done simultaneously and in the same horizontal plane. • The hands may not go past the hips except for the first arm stroke of each length. • The hands must be pushed forward from the chest (between the points of the shoulders) simultaneously below, at or above the surface of the water. • Except for the last pull prior to touching the wall, the swimmer’s elbows must remain in contact with the water (as opposed to the Butterfly where the elbows must break the surface of the water to establish an “over the water” recovery) • Leg movements: • All movements of the legs are to be done simultaneously. • Propulsion from the legs must come from the sole or instep of the foot; pushing water with the top of the foot is prohibited. • Body position: • The swimmer must leave the
