Swimming is a fantastic way to get some exercise, whether you’re swimming laps at the local pool or taking a dip in the ocean on vacation. But did you know that there are different styles of swimming? That’s right – whether you’re doing a breaststroke or a butterfly, you’re technically swimming in a different style. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the five different styles of swimming and what sets them apart.
The Five Styles of Swimming
Swimming is often thought of as a single activity, but there are actually five different styles that swim competitively. They are:
- freestyle
- breaststroke
- backstroke
- butterfly
- individual medley
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Freestyle
Freestyle is the style that most people think of when they think of swimming. In freestyle events, swimmers can swim in any style they choose, as long as they touch the wall at the end of each lap with some part of their body other than their palms. Freestyle is often considered the fastest style of swimming because it allows swimmers to generate more speed by using their arms and legs independently.
Breaststroke
Breaststroke is often considered the slowest style of competitive swimming because it requires swimmers to move their arms and legs together in a synchronous motion. However, breaststrokers must also touch the wall at the end of each lap with both hands simultaneously. Because breaststrokers must touch the wall with both hands at the same time, they cannot generate as much speed as swimmers in other styles.
Backstroke
Backstroke is similar to freestyle in that swimmers are allowed to use any stroke they choose, as long as they touch the wall at the end of each lap with some part of their body other than their palms. However, backstrokers must remain on their backs throughout the entire race – they are not allowed to roll over onto their stomachs at any point during the race. Because backstrokers cannot see where they are going, they must rely on feel and instinct to gauge how fast they are going and how close they are to the wall.
Butterfly
Butterfly is unique among the different styles of swimming because it requires swimmers to move their arms and legs together in a synchronous motion, similar to breaststroke. However, unlike breaststrokers, butterfliers are not required to touch the wall with both hands simultaneously – they may touch with one hand first followed by the other, or vice versa. Butterfliers must also keep their heads above water at all times and may not dive into the pool headfirst like other swimmers. As a result, butterfliers consume more oxygen than swimmers in other styles and must have strong lungs to sustain them through an entire race.
Individual medley
Individual medley is a race in which swimmers swim all four strokes – freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly – in order. Because individual medley races require swimmers to transition between four different strokes, they tend to be longer than races in other styles – 400 meters is a common distance for individual medley races. Individual medley races are often considered one of the most challenging types of races because swimmers must maintain focus and energy throughout an extended period of time.
Conclusion
Swimming is a great way to get some exercise and there are five different styles that you can swim competitively! They are freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and individual medley! Try them all out today!
This article is posted on GetLocal MY.
