Chapter 8. The Backstroke

THE BACKSTROKE is perhaps the most peculiar of the four major swimming strokes. It is, after all, the only stroke that is swum upside-down. In addition, unlike the other strokes, in backstroke you cannot see where you are going—only where you’ve been. It is no wonder that many a beginning swimmer, fearful of bumping his head on the pool wall, finds the stroke a bit disconcerting at first. But the backstroke can also be reassuring. Since your face is always out of the water when you swim it, no special breathing technique is needed—you can breathe anytime you want to.