Freestyle is the most common stroke. It is also the easiest stroke to swim. At practice, this will be the stroke that you swim a majority of the time. Everybody has to be decent at freestyle in order to be a good swimmer.

     First, you inhale. Then, you turn the palm up on your training arm. Third, you lift your elbow allowing your hand to trail. Your elbow should be bent 90 degrees as your hand passes your face. After that, you reach forward. Your fingers should touch the water before your elbow. Then, you roll your face down, stretch, and glide with both arms in front. Next, you pull through to a side glide on the other side, keep your face down and exhale. Finally, recover the other arm in the same manner.

     Backstroke is probably the second most common stroke in swimming. It may also be the easiest stroke because you don't have to hold your breath as much because you are on your back.

    First, the arms recover with thumbs along the side, while your heels drop along with your ankles. Then, your hands should be at your shoulder and your fingers will be pointing out. While this is happening, your ankles will be hooked and your toes will be pointing outward. Third, your arms extend for the catch while your feet are moving out with your toes first. Next, your arms begin to pull and your feet move out and around. After that, arms are in mid-pull while your ankles are hooked and then push with the inside of your ankle. Then, your arms finish the pulling while your toes point and your legs squeeze. Lastly, your streamline your body, and glide.

     Breaststroke was the third stroke added to the Olympic Games. In breaststroke, your  arms and legs stay under the water the whole swim. This gives you lots of water resistance. Breaststroke is slower then freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly. It's easy to swim because you can take a breath every stroke.

     First, you prone glide. Then, you pull, raise your head, and heels go up. Third, your feet should be hooked and turned out. Next, your hands should be under your chin while your feet move out. Then, your head drops, legs thrust, and your arms extend. Lastly, long glide, then, exhale.

    First, your wrists fly and your fingertips drop. Then, you lift your elbow as your palms turn out. Your elbows should bend 90 degrees and your fingertips should turn down. You lift your chin during the semicircular pull and then inhale. Next,  your hands should be at your chin with palms up. Your elbows will be in and your face will be down. Then, your extend your arms while your palms are down. Lastly, long glide and exhale.

    This particular stroke was founded in the early 1930's, but wasn't an official stroke until the 1950's. The kick used to be very much like the breaststroke kick, but now it's more of an up and down kick. There's much less resistance than in breaststroke. There is more propulsion.

    Starts are very important to how you do in a competition. It gives you your lift off. You have to get off the block quickly and smoothly. In the freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly start, you dive from  the block. In backstroke, you start from in the water. 

    Turns are very important during a race. Good turns will save you valuable time during a race. In freestyle and backstroke, you do a somersault at the wall and push off. In breaststroke and in butterfly, you simply touch the wall with both hands and then take one hand back and turn your head. Then, push off in a streamline position and continue swimming. Good turns only come through hard work and a lot of practice. 

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