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*Butterfly*
The butterfly was invented in 1952. It is the most recent stroke. The butterfly kick is very similar to the breaststroke kick. The movement is up and down like a dolphin kick. The arms move over your head and pull through the water. When swimming butterfly your legs must stay together. |
| You also must your hips to kick. Your arms enter the water at the same time, shoulder width apart. Next, pull your hands just outside your shoulders with your elbows bent. Then bring your hands under your stomach so your fingers almost touch. |
| Now bring your hands to your thighs and bring your elbows out of the water first; then your hands come out. Swing your arms forward and back in the water; shoulder width apart. You breath when your elbows exit the water. |  |
| There is a two beat kick. Kick once when your arms enter the water, and once as they exit. Butterfly is probably the most challenging stroke, but with practice you can learn how to do it with perfect technique. |
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*Backstroke*
Backstroke is the fastest method of traveling on your back, but it is not the fastest stroke. When swimming backstroke, your body should be in a streamline position. The legs should stay under the water at all times, and your arms and legs should move continuously. |
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Your shoulders and your body should roll to your entering arm, but your head should keep still. The arms should alternate coming out of the water in a continuous motion. The hand should make an "S" motion in the water. Your body is horizontal with the back of your head, and your ears should be level with the surface of the water. |  |
| *Breaststroke*
When swimming breaststroke your arms and legs are under the water the whole time. This means you have more water resistance to swim through. That is the main reason this stroke is the slowest of all the strokes. |
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Your body should be positioned downward slightly. To swim the breaststroke, start in a streamline position. Sweep your hands outward to just wider than your shoulder width apart. This is called the catch point. Your legs and the rest of your body should not move. Now bend your elbows and swwp your hands below your chin. |  |
| While doing this, bend your knees. Next, bring your hands up to your chin, and turn your feet up and out. Now drive you feet back and extend your arms. | 
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*Freestyle*
Freestyle is the stroke most people chose to swim. It is the fastest of the four main strokes. Your body should be in a streamline, horizontal position and your legs and arms have to move continuously. Your arms propel you through the water while your legs kick up and down to keep your balance. To breathe, your face stays in the water, only one of your eyes, part of your nose, and your mouth come out of the water. Your turn your head toward the arm that is coming out of the water. When your arm comes out of the water, it should be bent. It enters the water in the front of your shoulder then you stretch it out. The other arm should be about to exit the water. Then with the arm in the water, skull out. Next bring your hand back down to your thigh and push it out of the water. Your body needs to roll naturally as you swim freestyle. |
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*Starts*
Starts are a crucial part of the race. You need to dive in the water as quickly and accurately as you can. The official will say, "Take your mark;" then he pushes a beeper. There are two kinds of starts. The track start is the start that most swimmers use. You grab the block with your hands. One foot is on the back of the block, and the other foot has the toes gripped over the edge of the block. |
| When the beep goes off, push with power, weight and distance. Streamline when you enter the water and kick hard for freestyle and the butterfly. For breaststroke you do a pull-out. For backstroke you start in the water and grab the bar on the block. |  |
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Place your feet on the wall of the pool; shoulder width apart. Pull in and push off hard. The other start is the basic start. Grip both feet at the front of the block; shoulder width apart. Grip your toes on the block and grab the block with your hands, between your feet. Push off hard and your on your way to winning a race. |
| *Flip
Turns*
Flip turns are also a very important part of a race. They can cut or add time. Use your speed into the wall and push hard off the wall. Freestyle and the backstroke turns include a summersault flip. For the backstroke you use the flags to count your strokes into the wall and flip over on your stomach to flip. |
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To flip, push your hands down, and tuck your chin to your chest. Then, tuck you legs and put your feet on the wall. You also have to remember to streamline when pushing off the wall. A butterfly and breaststroke flip turn requires you to touch the wall with both hands. Then bring your knees in and drop one elbow. |
| Now bring your head out of the water to breathe while the other hand goes past the ear. Put your head back in the water and push off the wall on your stomach. For the butterfly, backstroke, and freestyle, kick hard, but for breaststroke you need to glide and do a breaststroke pull-out. |
| *Relays*
Relays are an event w hen four people swim. There is a 200 yard IM, a 200 yard freestyle, and a 400 yard Freestyle relay. The four swimmers divide the event into equal yards and take turns swimming. When a swimmer touches the wall, the next swimmer dives in. |
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