THE ENIGMATIC STROKE

Fitness experts claim that swimming the breaststroke burns fewer calories than the other strokes, but studies of competitive swimmers show that when done correctly it burns more calories than the rest—with the possible exception of butterfly. Why? Because unlike in the other strokes, in the breast there is no easy over-the-water arm recovery to allow the swimmer a brief rest. Thus, he is constantly overcoming resistance.

In the United States, Canada, and Australia, youngsters are introduced first to the crawl stroke, or freestyle. In Europe, however, the breaststroke is the first stroke taught. Consequently, Europeans—primarily Russians, Hungarians, and Germans—have traditionally reigned supreme in breaststroke competition.

Natural Breaststrokers

Many swimmers and coaches believe that breaststroke is unlike the other strokes in that there are “born” breaststrokers. If you are not a natural breaststroker, you will have difficulty with the stroke. You may learn to swim it competently, but you will never achieve the grace and speed of a born breaststroker. Strangely, people who are natural breaststrokers often have difficulty with the other strokes. Likewise, many swimmers who are outstanding in the three other competitive strokes struggle with the breaststroke. For this reason, more often than not the breaststroke is the key to the individual medley race, in which a swimmer swims each of the four strokes.

How I Became a Breaststroke Swimmer

I am one of the lucky ones, a natural breaststroker. In 1957, as a thirteen-year-old freshman, I went out for my high school team, the Livermore (California) Cowboys. Swimming was the major spring sport at Livermore High, and the Cowboys were the perennial league champions. The stands were always packed for our home meets. All the best-looking girls were there. Ever since I could remember, I had been the best swimmer among my peers. This, I decided, was where I would make my mark: high school stud swimmer. It came as a shock when I was cut from the junior varsity squad after only a few days’ practice.

Two years later I was bigger, stronger, and a cocky upperclass-man. I decided to give it another go. This time I would not fail. On the first day of tryouts I slipped on my green Cowboy swimsuit and dove into the pool. “All right, you scrubs,” barked Don Couch, the coach and my history teacher, “let’s warm up with thirty-two laps freestyle.” No problem, I thought to myself. I took off. After five laps, my arms were growing numb and my legs were begging for oxygen. I was exhausted, but I still had twenty-seven laps to go! And that was just the warm-up! I was doomed. In desperation, I switched to the only stroke I knew that would keep me afloat and moving, a sort of proto-breaststroke.

Having adopted this face-saving strategy, I tried to remain inconspicuous, but to no avail. I looked up, and there was Coach Couch hovering menacingly above me. “Whitten,” he commanded, “get out of the pool.” This is it, I told myself. I was busted, humiliated, cut before the end of the warm-up on the first day of tryouts.

I hauled myself out of the water and waited for the inevitable. “Whitten,” he intoned from afar, “you’re never going to be a freestyler, but you have a pretty good natural breaststroke kick. With some work, I think you have a chance to make the varsity in the breaststroke.” I couldn’t believe my ears. Expecting the coup de grace, I had been granted a reprieve.

So just like that I became a breaststroker. It wasn’t easy that year. Mike Stocks was our top breaststroker. A senior, he was the league champion and record holder and had placed fifth at the state sectional meet the year before. Our number-two guy, Peter Becker, was no slouch either. A junior like me, he had finished third at the league championships as a sophomore. But I didn’t care. I was on the team.

Coach Couch was right; I was a natural breaststroker. I worked hard and kept improving. Midway through our undefeated season, I had passed Peter and become the team’s number-two breaststroker. At the league championships, I finished second behind Mike.

After the championships we had one dual meet left, against a team from another league. It was a sentimental occasion, Mike’s last high school meet. He had decided he would work in his family’s garage and not go on to college.

The final race of Mike’s high school career was the 100-meter breaststroke. The gun went off, and we dove in. As we turned at the halfway mark I noticed, to my astonishment, that Mike and I were even. How could this be? We battled stroke for stroke until the final ten meters. Then I began to pull away. I reached for the wall. I won! My first breaststroke win ever! Not only that, but I had broken Mike’s school and pool record. I couldn’t believe it, the crowd couldn’t believe it, the coach couldn’t believe it, and Mike couldn’t believe it. But he was gracious and congratulated me on my win and new record.

I kept on practicing. Spring turned to summer, then fall, then winter. Every day would find me in the pool. I continued to improve. By the next spring I was one of the top high school breaststroke swimmers in the nation. I went on to earn All-America honors, then set two national Junior Olympic records and several other national age-group records. I was sought after by several colleges and the next year was named to the U.S. national team. Although the breaststroke came naturally for me, I also learned to swim the other strokes fairly well—all, that is, except the backstroke. That achievement would be delayed until I was well into my Masters career.

For natural breaststrokers, the stroke is injury free. I have been swimming the stroke for thirty-five years, on average about five days a week, and I have never experienced problems. But because the stroke requires quite a bit of ankle and knee flexibility, some people may suffer knee strain. For this reason it is a good idea to begin swimming breaststroke gradually.

In breaststroke, timing is everything. Once you have mastered the rhythm of the arms, legs, and breathing, the stroke will flow almost effortlessly and you will feel as if you and the water are one. But first you need to learn the separate skills that compose the stroke. The following sections will discuss each phase of the breaststroke: body position, breathing technique, arm pull, and leg kick. Practice each phase separately until you have mastered it, always keeping in mind that it is part of a larger whole. Finally we will put it all together. With practice and some coaching, you will feel the rhythm of the stroke as you glide gracefully through the water.