Swimming techniques are about more than just staying afloat. If you’ve ever watched someone swim with ease, you know it takes more than instinct. Most beginners start with whatever feels natural — usually some version of freestyle or breaststroke. But once you begin to explore the different ways your body can move through the water, it opens up a lot more.
Every stroke has its own feel. Some are smooth and steady, others more technical or demanding. In this article, we’ll take a look at four swimming techniques worth knowing — freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, and breaststroke.
Freestyle: Fast and Smooth
Freestyle, or front crawl, is probably the most well-known and widely used stroke. It’s built around alternating arm movements and a steady flutter kick. The body rotates slightly as you swim, helping your arms pull more efficiently.
Breathing is done to the side, just as the arm finishes its pull. At first, it can feel tricky — but once it becomes natural, it’s one of the most efficient and satisfying strokes to swim. Freestyle is ideal for long distances and getting your whole body moving.
Butterfly: Challenging but Powerful
Butterfly (or dolphin style) often gets a reputation for being the most demanding stroke — and it’s true, it takes coordination, strength, and good timing. But when you break it down, it becomes manageable.
Both arms move together in a circular motion, while the legs do a powerful dolphin kick — two kicks per arm cycle. One happens as you begin the pull, and the second finishes the movement. Breathing happens during the arm recovery, as the chest lifts out of the water.
Butterfly helps build strong upper body control and is great for improving overall swimming technique under guidance.
Backstroke: Great for Posture and Balance
Backstroke is the only one of the four strokes performed on your back. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for something less intense on your neck and shoulders, or if you want to focus on posture and balance.
Your arms move one at a time in a circular motion, while your legs do a steady flutter kick. Breathing is simple — your face stays above water, and you breathe in between strokes. The kick starts from the hips and finishes through relaxed ankles, making it excellent for strengthening the back and legs.
Breaststroke: Slower, but Solid
A lot of people feel most comfortable starting with breaststroke — and it makes sense. The pace is slower, the movement is symmetrical, and your head comes out of the water often enough that breathing doesn’t feel like a struggle.
Because there’s no rush, it’s easier to focus on what your arms and legs are doing. That makes breaststroke great for building confidence and learning how to stay relaxed while swimming.
Swimming Techniques in Competition
These four techniques aren’t just for casual swimming — they’re also used in competitions. In individual medley races, swimmers rotate through all four styles in this order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle. Relays use a different sequence and start with backstroke.
Even if you don’t plan to race, trying out all the strokes helps you understand how your body moves. And it gives you more variety in the water, so swimming never feels repetitive.
Swimming Techniques: Final Thoughts
You don’t need to master every stroke to enjoy swimming. But learning a few different swimming techniques gives you options. Some days you want to move fast, other days you want to take it slow — and it’s nice to know you can do both.
At ROYAL SWIM, we work with swimmers who want to swim with more confidence and better technique. You don’t have to be perfect — just willing to start, one stroke at a time.
