The correct technique for freestyle swimming involves coordinating your arm and leg movements with your breathing rhythm, while continuously executing the freestyle techniques: kicking with both legs, pulling water with both arms, and gliding forward swiftly.
Just like other swimming styles, when learning freestyle, you should practice in two sequential phases:
- Practice leg movements first, then arm movements. After that, practice the coordination of legs and arms with breathing.
- Master the movements on land before entering the water.
Learning how to swim freestyle.
Here are the proper freestyle swimming techniques that learners should follow
1. Practice belly-down leg kicks on land
Sit on the edge of the swimming pool with your body slightly leaning back and legs stretched out. Then, continuously kick your legs up and down until you master the movement. Note that you should keep your knees straight throughout this exercise.
2. Practice belly-down leg kicks in the water
Lie face down on the water surface, extending both arms and legs straight. Make sure to keep your knees straight as well. Next, kick your legs continuously as practiced on land until you become comfortable and familiar with the water environment. Movements should be smooth and rhythmic.
Freestyle technique: Practicing belly-down leg kicks in the water.
Next, practice belly-down kicking with a kickboard while swimming across the width of the pool. Try to keep the water level at your waist or chest height, while maintaining straight knees.
Kicking legs, try to keep your knees straight.
Extend both arms forward, glide through the water for about 1 meter, then kick your legs belly-down across the width of the pool. Repeat this exercise until you are proficient and can swim quickly forward.
3. Practice arm strokes on land
When self-learning freestyle, practice belly-down strokes one arm at a time.
For the right arm: Stand with your left foot forward and your right foot back. Next, place your left hand on your left knee, bending slightly forward. Then, extend your right arm forward and start pulling the water with your right arm.
Learning how to swim freestyle.
For the left arm: Stand with your right foot forward, placing your right hand on your right knee, bending slightly forward, and pulling water with your left arm.
While pulling water, keep your hand closed and slightly cupped like a spoon. Master the techniques of: entering the water, catching water, pulling water, pushing water, and relaxing. Alternate arms after completing one cycle.
Master all techniques: Entering the water – Catching water – Pulling water – Pushing water – Relaxing.
How to learn freestyle swimming.
Proper freestyle swimming.
4. Practice leg and arm movements with breathing coordination on land
Stand slightly bent forward, continuously pulling water with both arms, while alternating leaning your body side to side, lifting your legs back as if performing belly-down kicks. When leaning to one side, lift the corresponding leg back and comfortably raise your elbow to prepare for the water entry movement. Identify your dominant side when leaning your head so that each time you lean your head that way, you open your mouth and inhale, and when your face is down, you blow bubbles as if blowing bubbles.
Practice leg and arm movements with breathing coordination.
5. Practice arm strokes in the water with breathing coordination
In this exercise, perform the following two phases:
Stand in the pool with the water level at your chest. Lean slightly forward, alternating your arms to pull water as if swimming belly-down. The more you feel the weight and want to propel yourself forward, the better.
In this phase, also perform the movements as above while coordinating your breathing rhythmically. While pulling water, when your face is down, blow out air bubbles, and when you lean your head towards your dominant side, open your mouth to inhale through both your nose and mouth.
Stand in the pool with the water level at your chest.
6. Practice leg and arm movements with breathing coordination underwater
Glide through the water for about 1 meter, then swim using your legs and arms while coordinating your breathing rhythmically. Note that when you first start swimming, you should only swim back and forth across the pool to avoid exhaustion.
Practice swimming many times until you can swim quickly, decisively, and with graceful and masterful movements.
Swimming with leg and arm movements coordinated with breathing underwater.
Keep your ankles fully extended when kicking.
Practice swimming many times until you swim quickly and decisively.
