What are the techniques for backstroke swimming?

Backstroke is an important posture in swimming, and it must be of great interest to some swimming enthusiasts. Because backstroke is more difficult and challenging than normal swimming. Therefore, it is definitely more difficult for beginners. If not handled properly, it can easily lead to drowning. So before learning backstroke, we need to learn some techniques.

1. Body posture:

When doing backstroke, the body lies almost horizontally in the water, with the chest naturally stretched in a straight line with the abdomen, the head submerged in the water, and the face above the water. When swimming, the head always remains upright and the torso rotates naturally around the longitudinal axis due to the alternating paddling movements of the arms.

2. Leg technique:

The legs have three functions when doing backstroke: one is to push the body forward, two is to maintain body balance, and three is to keep the body in a high horizontal posture. The leg kick is slightly larger than in freestyle. When kicking water, use the hip joint as a fulcrum, exert force from the thigh, and drive the calf and foot to kick upward with force. When kicking upwards, bend your knees slightly to about 140°, extend your ankles, turn your feet inward, and make the movements forceful. When kicking downward, the knee joints are naturally straightened and the maximum upper and lower distance between the two heels is about 40 to 50 centimeters. When kicking, turn your toes slightly inward to increase the kicking area.

3. Arm technology:

The arm technique is divided into several parts: entering the water, holding the water, paddling, exiting the water and moving the arms in the air, and these movements are performed continuously. When entering the water, stretch your arms naturally, with your little fingers pointing downward in front of the extended line of your shoulders, and your arms entering the water close to your body. Hold the water, and when your hands enter the water, slide down to the outside, then hook your hands with your palms facing up and backwards. At the same time, rotate your shoulders inward, lead your elbows forward and downward, continue to lift your hands, stretch the shoulder girdle muscles, and align your hands and forearms with the direction of paddling. The stroke is the main part of the movement. Start paddling with your arms bent and your arms forming an angle of 40 to 50 degrees with the longitudinal axis of your body. The speed of your hand should be faster than that of your elbow. When the stroke reaches the shoulder side, the hand is about 15 cm away from the water surface. At this time, the hands, forearms, and upper arms push the water backwards at the same time. When the elbow joint is close to the side of the body, the hand presses the water backward and downward, the shoulder joint rotates upward and inward, and the stroke is ended when the palm rotates inward and presses down to the side of the thigh. After the stroke is finished, use the reaction force of the downward pressure of the palm to lift the shoulder to drive the upper arm and forearm out of the water. Relax your hand, and after the arm is out of the water, move it forward above the shoulder line with the arm straightened. The coordination of the two arms is that when one arm enters the water, the other arm comes out of the water.

4. Coordination of breathing and movement:

Since the face is above the water, breathing is more natural. Generally, you inhale when the right arm is out of the water, and stop inhaling when the arm is almost vertical on the water surface. Then hold your breath, exhale evenly after the hand enters the water, and stop exhaling when the hand is almost out of the water. The coordinated movements of the arms and legs are generally one row for each arm and six kicks for the legs.