Why are some of us breaststrokers terrible at backstroke. Most of my swimming career except at around 12 to 14 years old. I'm been a terrible backstroker. Is it because breaststroke uses very different muscles. Fly has never been as bad as back but fly of course came from ***. Freestyle as a youth was the 3rd best stroke and and as an adult the 2nd best stroke. I know some breastsrokers mastered the stroke and some can't do free too good or fly.
Parents
Former Member
My first thought would be that your coach back when you were an age grouper did a poor job of teaching you backstroke.
On my latest coaching course, the tutor told us that "you can judge how good a teacher/coach is by how well the kids swim backstroke".
What he meant is that backstroke is a very 'subtle' stroke. It is vital to have correct head and body position, correct kicking action and perfect timing of the arms to move well through the water.
The mistake I most often see is people trying to swim 'on their backs'. The stroke is really swum from one side balanced position to another, with hips and shoulders moving as a unit ( no twist at the waist ).
I focus a lot on teaching backstroke to my kids. I think that backstroke teaches core body rotation and the timing of the catch to the hips better than any other stroke.
It is no accident that most of the best freestylers are also very good backstrokers.
My first thought would be that your coach back when you were an age grouper did a poor job of teaching you backstroke.
On my latest coaching course, the tutor told us that "you can judge how good a teacher/coach is by how well the kids swim backstroke".
What he meant is that backstroke is a very 'subtle' stroke. It is vital to have correct head and body position, correct kicking action and perfect timing of the arms to move well through the water.
The mistake I most often see is people trying to swim 'on their backs'. The stroke is really swum from one side balanced position to another, with hips and shoulders moving as a unit ( no twist at the waist ).
I focus a lot on teaching backstroke to my kids. I think that backstroke teaches core body rotation and the timing of the catch to the hips better than any other stroke.
It is no accident that most of the best freestylers are also very good backstrokers.
