7 steps to enhance Freestyle Stroke

Our gallery of freestyle images provides an easy at-a-glance guide to improving your freestyle stroke technique, and includes advice to help you master basics such as hand and arm positioning. 

1- At the front of the stroke, gently place your hand into the water, entering with your fingertips first.
Your palm should face the bottom of the pool, with your wrist slightly higher than your fingertips and your elbow higher than your wrist.

2- Continue to keep your elbow high as your arm enters the water and you start to pull down through the stroke.
Press down with your forearm and try to hold as much water as possible. This is known as the catch position.
As you hold the water with one hand, your other hand recovers out of the water.

3- When pulling, point your fingers directly towards the bottom of the pool and keep your elbow positioned high. You should pull your body past your arm.

4- Try to bring your pull – the phase where your hand is ‘pulling’ down against the water – underneath your body.
Keep your arm and hand beneath your body, rather than out to the side, as you pull through the stroke.

5- Extend the arm at the back of the stroke, pushing backwards as your hand exits the water.
Continue to bend your arm through the stroke, straightening it slightly as it exits the water.

6- As your arm exits the water, bend your elbow, keeping it high towards the ceiling.
Lead the recovery with your shoulder to help keep your arm relaxed, then extend your forearm to enter the water at the front of the stroke.

7- Power paddles or finger paddles can be used to help you focus on improving the positioning of your hands as they enter the water.

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