{"id":214,"date":"2020-03-30T04:28:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T04:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/?p=214"},"modified":"2023-07-27T04:00:38","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T04:00:38","slug":"elementary-backstroke-technique-drills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/elementary-backstroke-technique-drills\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Swim Elementary Backstroke- Technique, Drills &#038; Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The elementary backstroke technique is a beginner swimming style in which you swim on your back then propel yourself with both arms and legs working in unison while you head is slightly above the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a basic yet the most relaxing swimming style which expends minimal energy as breathing is easy.  Owing to its nature of propulsion, it\u2019s one of the slowest strokes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following are details on how to swim this stroke; the technique which includes body position, arm and leg movement, breathing plus tips, drills, benefits, uses history and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technique<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The elementary backstroke is a good\nstarting point as it has gone through very few modifications since its\ninception. All you need is to be on your back while doing basic arm stroke in\ncombination with the breaststroke frog kick for propulsion<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;It highly mimics the\nmotions of a starfish as you open your body then close it again to gain\nmomentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to swim - elementary backstroke for beginners\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/s_qXaO8ubYc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Arm\nMovements <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The arms and legs move in three main\nstages followed by a gliding stage. The first three stages are active stages\nbut the last one is a phase in which you just glide backwards. These motions\nare often related to the movements of animals such as monkeys or chicken for\nease of remembrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first phase of the movement starts\nwith your arms resting by your side. In this position, your palms are facing\nyour body and your legs are extended but together. Start by bending your elbows\non the horizontal plane and move your hands towards your rib area. This\nmovement mimics the movement of a chicken. It should appear like you want to\ntickle yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the second active phase of the arms,\nyou should extend your arms sideways to form the shape of an airplane. In this\nposition, your arms ought to be facing towards your feet. The second phase of\nyour movement generates part of the propulsion to move you forwards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the third major phase of the\nmovement, the arms more towards the feet to generate propulsion towards your\nhead. Throughout this move, ensure that your palms are facing your feet and\nremain straight. The last position for the arms should be by your hips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After this, the hands move into the\nrecovery phase in which they stay by your hips while your body glides towards\nyour head. This recovery phase occurs for the feet as well. After this, you\nstart a new cycle from the first active phase to the recovery phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Leg\nMovements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just like the arms, your legs move in\nthree active phases followed by a recovery phase. The movements of the feet\nshould be synchronized with those of the arms to generate maximum propulsion\nfor the body. For this to occur, the start of the active phase of the arms\nshould occur at the same time as those of the feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first active phase entails bending your knees and bringing them towards your center line. The feet should move towards your groin area. There should be minimal perpendicular movements on the feet in this state. The movement created in the feet in this first phase is similar to that of a monkey getting ready to jump off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second phase of the active stage of\nthe feet entails moving them apart while still keeping them bent at the knees.\nThe minimal area created is to reduce the opposing propulsion force created by\nthe legs as it\u2019ll be against your actual direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third phase entails pulling the legs\ntogether such that they end up straight and together like in the initial stage\nof the move. To increase the propulsion force, let the soles of your feet face\neach other without bending your knees. This increases the surface area of your\nfeet hence more force. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The last phase entails holding the\nstraight position and gliding towards your head for a while before starting the\nnext stroke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Body\nMovements <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are few movements of the body\nthroughout the strokes of this style. The majority of the work is done by the\nhands and feet with the torso and head remaining straight at all times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The aim is to keep the body as flat as\npossible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main mistake made is that swimmers\ntend to dip their hips in the water. Doing so increases the amount of drag on\nyour body hence reducing your speed significantly. While the body will\nnaturally tend to slightly dip in the water at the hips, your task should be\nkeeping it straight by pressing your back into the water and raising your hips\nslightly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A flat profile also allows you to\ngenerate the maximum power possible from your strokes. This is because, when\nyou flap your arms when horizontal, the force will be translated to a push on\nthe water away from your body. If you\u2019re not flat, the force will push the\nwater downwards which isn\u2019t the right direction for your body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Breathing <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the easiest of all swimming\nstyles when it comes to breathing. The fact that you\u2019ll always be on your back\nand there is little turbulence in the water to risk it entering your nose means\nthat you\u2019re very safe as a beginner or just when drifting on the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the clever thing to do with any\nswimming stroke is to time the breathing with the strokes. This helps you\nconserve energy and reduce tension from the body. As a beginner, your aim is to\nget the basics right. These include floating which becomes easier without\ntension in the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019re thus best suited to breathing in\nthe first active phase. In this phase, your arms will be close to your ribs and\nthe feet close to your bottom. As for the exhaling, you should do it slowly and\nsteadily for the rest of the stroke which entails sweeping your feet and arms\ntogether then sliding for a while. With time, you\u2019ll get it right quite easily.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5.\nStarting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The start for this stroke is similar to\nthat of the conventional backstroke. You start by holding unto the bars of the\nswimming pool while facing away from the pool. Your feet should be anchored on\nthe wall of the pool with only the heels touching the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your feet should be touching the wall at\nthe front foot such that your ankles can get a spring effect. The knees should\nbe bent at a 90-degree angle for the best spring backwards. The back is arched\nwith the elbows at less than 90 degrees to allow for the same backwards spring.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you jump backwards into the water,\nyou land with your feet and hands first. The back should thus arch outwards and\nthe hands stretched over your head. As you land on the water, you keep your\nbody straight with overhead arms then do a flutter kick for a while before\nstarting the strokes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For beginners who can\u2019t master this\nstroke, simply lying on the water on their backs then starting to stroke the\nwater is another great option. The fact that it\u2019s currently not used in\ncompetitions means that you\u2019ll often not need the elaborate start-off routine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Turning\nand Finishing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For the turn, you\u2019re allowed to turn on\nyour belly then touch the wall of the pool with both hands at the same time or\none at a time. Initially, you were needed to touch the wall with both hands\nwhile still on your back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After touching the wall, you then bring\nup your legs to the wall then push yourself backwards. The first few meters of\nthe move will entail moving backwards with the hands and feet straight and\nclose to your body for a gliding period before you start stroking again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The finish requires touching the wall\nwith both hands at the same time and on a horizontal plane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These techniques are easy to master\ngiven the relaxed nature of the swimming stroke. In fact, the hands can have\nfloaters to make it easy to float for swimmers who\u2019re yet to master the basics\nof swimming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Elementary\nBackstroke Tips &amp; Drills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Already a simple swimming style, the\nelementary backstroke can be made better with a few improvements on how to do\nthe basics. Given that it\u2019s taught to beginners, there are many mistakes they\nmake which either slows them down or affects their overall routine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tips include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Learn\nto float first<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before starting the strokes, you must\nknow how to float in different ways. That includes floating on your back, on\nyour stomach, and with your bottom upwards like a jellyfish. Floating is an\nimportant role in how you perform the elementary backstroke and should be\nmastered first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One way to learn how to float is to do\nso in the shallow end of a pool without currents. This way, whenever you lose\nyour balance, you can easily reach out and touch the floor to regain your\nbalance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Start\nwith a floater<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The floater can be fastened to your arms\nto keep your upper body above the water. You don\u2019t need to have a large floater\nfor this one as the small ones are enough to keep you afloat. If you have the\nlarge one, fasten it on your upper chest area to keep it up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.\nPractice the strokes out of the water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The starfish-like motions of this style\nare doable even outside the water. You can do it in the sand, on your bed or\njust about any place that won\u2019t damage you. Once you master them, you can head\nout to the water to perform them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beside these tips, the general tips of\nswimming such as keeping as slim a profile as possible in water apply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Elementary Backstroke Benefits &amp; Uses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides teaching people how to swim well, the elementary\nbackstroke helps you recover from injury and other issues affecting the back as\nit doesn\u2019t require much input from the back but helps work out the rest of the\nbody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other benefits of this stroke include;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>It is generally a good exercise. You can use to tone your back, shoulder, arm and leg muscles<\/li><li>It is used for leisure. It is in fact, one of the best stroke for relaxing in water<\/li><li>It builds up your water confidence<\/li><li> It is a lifesaving and survival stroke owing to the fact that you can move in water for a long time without tiring quickly<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Elementary Backstroke vs Backstroke<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The starting position for the elementary backstroke is very much similar to that of the conventional backstroke. As with the conventional backstroke, you start on your back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main difference between the two styles is the direction of the movement of the legs and hands. In the conventional style, your hands move up and down in circles. In the elementary style, your hands and legs will be moving sideways instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"305\" src=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/elementary-backstroke-vs-backstroke.jpg\" alt=\"Elementary Backstroke vs Backstroke: differences and similarities\" class=\"wp-image-217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/elementary-backstroke-vs-backstroke.jpg 700w, https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/elementary-backstroke-vs-backstroke-640x279.jpg 640w, https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/elementary-backstroke-vs-backstroke-681x297.jpg 681w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the same swimming principles\napplicable to the conventional style apply to this one. These include keeping\nyour body on the horizontal plane as much as possible and reducing drag by\nminimizing perpendicular movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While it may be as old as the\nconventional backstroke, the elementary backstroke was the first used in a\ncompetitive context in the 1900 and 1908 Olympics. After 1908, the elementary\nbackstroke would be superseded in popularity by the conventional backstroke. As\nof today, the elementary backstroke is not used in competitive sporting events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason the elementary backstroke\ngained popularity during the early 1900s was because moving both arms in the\nconventional backstroke was found to be faster than moving one arm at a time.\nSwimmers would thus generate more power with the double stroke hence move\nfaster within the power phase of the stroke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the reason this type of\nbackstroke fell in popularity again was due to the slow nature of the recovery\nphase. The fact that there\u2019s a stage within which the arms aren\u2019t generating\npropulsion meant that the swimmer would slow down. The overall speed would thus\nbe slower than the conventional backstroke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, the elementary backstroke style\nis reserved for recreational purposes and teaching children how to swim and\ngenerally beginners. The fact that it\u2019s easy and fun to do makes it a favorite\nfor children and other swimming beginners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the elementary backstroke style is a good place to start your swimming journey. Once you can float around with ease, turn on your belly and learn the freestyle stroke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From here, you\u2019ll be ready for the more difficult swimming styles. The elementary stroke helps you master the basics which are breathing rhythms and floating on water. These two are among the most inhibitive aspects to master for beginners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further Reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Following is a list of articles with more swimming information\nand other water sports<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Swimming Strokes\/Styles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/types-swimming-strokes-styles-names\/\" target=\"_blank\">Different Types of Swimming Strokes, Styles &amp; Names<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/swimming-sculling\/\" target=\"_blank\">What is Sculling in Swimming? How to do it <\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/water-treading\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to Tread Water- Techniques, Benefits &amp; Exercises<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/freestyle-front-crawl-technique\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to Swim Freestyle: Technique, Tips &amp; Drills<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/breaststroke-technique\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to Swim Breaststroke: Kick, Pull, Form, Drills &amp; Tips<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/butterfly-vs-breaststroke\/\" target=\"_blank\">Butterfly vs Breaststroke Swimming<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/swim-sidestroke\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to Swim Sidestroke-Technique,Trudgen &amp;Combat Drills &amp; Tips<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/swimming-backstroke\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to Swim Backstroke-Technique, Drills &amp; Tips<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/butterfly-stroke\/\" target=\"_blank\">How to Swim Butterfly: Technique, Drills &amp; Tips<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Swimming FAQs &amp; Ideas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/calories-burned-treading-water\/\" target=\"_blank\">How Many Calories Does Treading Water Burn?<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/can-you-swim-with-contacts\/\" target=\"_blank\">Can you Swim with Contacts in the Ocean\/Pool?<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/open-eyes-ocean-pool-irritation-fixes\/\" target=\"_blank\">Can you Open your Eyes in the Salty Ocean or Chlorinated Pool Waters?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Swimming Accessories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wireless-earbuds-swimmers\/\" target=\"_blank\">Best Wireless Waterproof Earbuds for Swimming<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/swim-hand-paddles\/\" target=\"_blank\">Best Swim Hand Paddles<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pool Exercises<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/pool-bikes\/\" target=\"_blank\">Best Pool Bikes for Aqua Cycling + Buy Guide<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/underwater-treadmills\/\" target=\"_blank\">Best Underwater Treadmills<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"> Other Water Sports <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Kneeboarding (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/kneeboarding\/\" target=\"_blank\">Kneeboarding<\/a><\/li><li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Paddleboarding (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/paddleboarding\/\" target=\"_blank\">Paddleboarding<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/kiteboarding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Kiteboarding (opens in a new tab)\">Kiteboarding<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/windsurfing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Windsurfing (opens in a new tab)\">Windsurfing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/diving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Diving (opens in a new tab)\">Diving<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The elementary backstroke technique is a beginner swimming style in which you swim on your&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":216,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":7,"label":"Swimming"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/elementary-backstroke-technique-drills-tips.jpg",700,449,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Kib Amos","author_link":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/author\/kib-a\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":7,"name":"Swimming","slug":"swimming","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":7,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":46,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":7,"category_count":46,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Swimming","category_nicename":"swimming","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=214"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquaticglee.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}