Why The Breaststroke Is Easiest For Beginners To Learn?

We may earn commissions for purchases made through links on our site. Learn more on our about us page.

Some may argue that the doggy paddle will be easier, but all kidding aside, it can be said that the breaststroke will be the best swimming technique to start out with.

Freestyle is a raw and powerful stroke but can be rather tiresome for most, while the butterfly requires intricate movements perfectly executed together each time for the technique to work similarly with the backstroke.

The Breaststroke, however, is a laidback form, where regular kicking techniques will be sufficient with enough easy arm strokes to pull the self out of the water and forward, allowing constant access to oxygen throughout.

How Long Does it Take to Learn How to Perform the Breaststroke?

Swimming is one of those sports that will have kids learning as early as in their infancy. Some pick it up in grade school or high school, and then non-competitive swimmers might do it on a dare in college. It all depends on when an individual decides to learn.

Some will not have a choice and will learn the basics of swimming in their younger years, as when parents provide swimming lessons from a swim coach at the local recreation center pool.

There is no one set amount of time to learn this technique, and each individual will take a personal amount of time for the swimming knowledge to become applicable and then executed correctly.

 

How Long Does it Take to Learn it?

Learning to swim is an intuitive thing, mainly because of how certain individuals take longer than others to learn physical methods or to overcome water fears, but in general, it takes twenty to twenty-five solid hours of swimming to master the basic techniques.

Breaststroke can take some toddlers literally a few attempts before they naturally become confident in their abilities, even if exaggerated in their youthful imaginations.

The exact answer for you can only be answered when you get into the pool, put in the time and effort, and begin learning to swim.

 

Do you need Less Energy to Swim it?

The best part about breaststroke is the ability to swim casually and still cover plenty of water distance while expending less energy than the other strokes.

On the other hand, the freestyle is a fast-moving, intense technique designed to get moving and out of the water, most likely away from danger.

The butterfly is tough on the body and can be seen as more of a full-body workout technique, while the breaststroke allows for longer periods of ‘gliding,’ which can reduce the energy used to perform it.

The fact will be that you will need equal amounts of energy, it is just possible to conserve energy while covering long distances with the breaststroke.

 

Can you Learn the Breaststroke on Your Own?

Yes, later in life, after puberty has already happened, people will be able to learn how to swim on their own. In some circles and cultures, the best way to learn was to toss a person into the water and let instinct teach them how.

Many might consider that archaic or even barbaric in today’s culture, learning the breaststroke would be best learned with an instructor in order to get advice and instruction to help bolster any efforts of learning.

Another thing to keep in mind will be the patience needed to learn independently, be sure to be strict but kind to yourself.

 

Tips and Tricks for learning the Breaststroke

Here are a few tips from the professionals:

 

• Maintain a slight tilt – This will keep the leg kicks underwater for maximum effectiveness and keep an open line to air throughout the stroke. Keep your hips above water to prevent drastic increases in fatiguing motion.
• Simplified sweeps – As your hand goes out from the body, return them at the same point of the chest each time, do not push too far out. Propulsion comes from the legs.
• Point and flex your feet – leaving them loose will hinder propulsion and lead to an inefficient swimming technique. Keeping them flexed provides more power per kick.

 

Final Thoughts on Why Breaststroke is the Easiest for Beginners to Learn

The breaststroke is a unique and useful technique. Using this to swim can be an excellent low-impact form of exercise, but it can also be an easy way to get back to the land from open water when faced with a survival situation.

The level of mastery goes all the way to the top. Olympians will be able to swim a two-hundred-meter race in two minutes and twenty-seven seconds.

In other words, this is a very useful way to swim and is worth the time it takes to train and master. It could save your life one day.