I am by no means a natural backstroker (my backstroke is my slowest stroke by a good 2-3 seconds per 50m). I have now twice swum a 5K open water swim breaststroke and have decided to do the same swim next year backstroke. (Why? because I can't yet swim a 5K fly and freestyle bores me. :)
So...
1. When I swim back, I find I want to breathe in time with my arms. I generally breathe out every time an arm hits the water. This obviously leads to a nearly panting breathing rhythm. I am a musician in my spare time and find that breathing at a natural rhythm in my backstroke makes my arms want to line up with that rhythm (thereby getting slower). How do backstrokers breathe, anyhow?
2. What should the pull be like underwater?
3. What one thing is likely to improve my speed? (I know you haven't seen me swim backstroke, but picture a graduate of a typical 'learn to swim' program and you're pretty much accurate. :)
Thanks,
Heather, wannabe backstroker (up to 800m continuous backstroke)
Parents
Former Member
A key to speed and distance-per-stroke is the shoulder and torso rotation. You should have your shoulders/arm at a 90 degree angle to the water, so that if someone looking underwater (from certain angles) could not tell if you are swimming crawl or backstroke.
Once you have the shoulder rotation down , a good way of improving speed is simply speeding up your turn-over ratio.
A key to speed and distance-per-stroke is the shoulder and torso rotation. You should have your shoulders/arm at a 90 degree angle to the water, so that if someone looking underwater (from certain angles) could not tell if you are swimming crawl or backstroke.
Once you have the shoulder rotation down , a good way of improving speed is simply speeding up your turn-over ratio.
