Freestyle
Also called front crawl, freestyle is the fastest and most efficient stroke. Swimmers alternate arm strokes over the water while performing a continuous flutter kick, breathing to the side between strokes.
Competitive swimming is built around four strokes, each with its own technique, rhythm, and muscle demands. Here's a quick look at each one.
Backstroke
Swum face-up, backstroke mirrors freestyle's alternating arm motion and flutter kick. Since the face stays above water, breathing is unrestricted, but swimmers must sight the ceiling or flags to stay in their lane.
Breaststroke
The oldest and slowest stroke, breaststroke uses a simultaneous frog-like kick and a sweeping arm pull, with the head rising above water for a breath after each cycle.
Butterfly
Butterfly demands powerful, symmetric arm pulls combined with a dolphin kick where both legs move together in a wave-like motion. It is the most physically demanding of the four strokes.