Why Breaststroke Should Never Be Swum Slow
Breaststroke looks different for every swimmer, but here are some important takeaways every swimmer can use:
Fast Breaststroke is About:
Accelerating the front of the stroke
Whip the kick closed
Tight bodyline
Head and Spine Alignment
High Elbows
What We’re Chasing in the Pull Out
Hold speed off the wall. The push off should feel like a rocket, not a polite glide.
Ride that speed until you just start to decelerate. Glide too long, and you’re giving away free momentum.
What We are Thinking about Stroke per Stroke
Phase: What I’m Looking For: Streamline
Cue: “Lock it in.”
What I’m Looking For : Hands stacked, biceps squeezing the ears, glutes on, toes pointed. Zero wiggle room.
Phase: Catch & Sweep
Cue: “High elbows, shallow sweep.”
What I’m Looking For: Grab the water just under the shoulders, no deep pulls.
Phase: Recovery & Shoot
Cue: “Elbows tight, punch forward.”
What I’m Looking For: Hands skim the ribs, then strike into streamline, bring your belly button to your spine, exactly as the breast kick explodes.
Phase: Head and Spine Alignment
Cue: Keep eyes looking slightly forward and down, not up. Shrug shoulders to the ears and use weight of the head to drive down into your line.
What I’m Looking For: The head should stay in line with the spine throughout the stroke. Lifting the chin or leading with the forehead causes the hips to drop and increases frontal drag.
Phase: Breast Kick
Cue: “Whip and snap shut, finish your kick.”
What I’m Looking For: Heels up quick, turn the ankles out, then slam the legs together like elevator doors. Not finishing your kick=less snap.
Phase: Breakout
Cue: “Accelerate, don’t float into first stroke. Attack.”
What I’m Looking For: Your first stroke should feel like an attack, not a gasp for air. Eyes stay down, arms strike forward. Take a mini first stroke, don’t expect air.
Sets That Build Speed and Precision
Single Pull-Out Repeats
10 × (1 wall push-off → full pull-out → 1 stroke and stop) on :40 s.
Record distance and time every rep..chase consistency.
Resistance Work
6 × (1 pull-out with parachute + breastroke to the 25
Drop the chute, repeat without resistance. You should feel a pop in speed. Teach your body what fast feels like. reinforcing neuromuscular engagement
Fins & Tempo
8 × 25 dolphin kick + breast arms (focus on accelerating hands to the front)
Teaches you the rhythm of “snap, shoot, accelerate.”
Video Check
Side view camera, slow mo. You should be at full extension the millisecond your goggles break the surface..no dead spots.
Quick Fix Checklist
Stalling at 8–10m? Shorten the glide, don’t go as deep, and rise sooner.
Bubbles around your hands? Elbows are dropping. Sweep shallower.
Dolphin kick not helping? It's either too wide or too late. Sharpen it up.
The Best Advice I Ever Got: Don’t Swim Breaststroke Slow
Gliding is not resting.
Breaststroke is not a cruise stroke or a warm down stroke. A long glide stalls momentum and creates drag.
Fix: Shorten the glide, accelerate into the catch.
Slow equals sinking.
A slow stroke leads to poor body position and more resistance.
Fix: Stay high in the water with snappy timing and constant movement.
Nail the timing, fix the form, and your breaststroke will get faster, no longer being a survival stroke.
Click here to find back end speed workouts