Front Crawl

The front crawl, also known as freestyle, is a fundamental stroke in swimming. It's the fastest stroke and serves as the foundation for other strokes, offering swimmers a versatile and effective technique. To maximize efficiency and minimize the risk of injury, it's crucial to learn the proper technique for front crawl.

Front Crawl Arms

Understanding front crawl arm technique is essential for having an efficient stroke. The technique consists of three main stages: The Entry, The Pull, and The Recovery.

The Entry

• Begin by extending your arm forward above the water surface.
• Make sure your fingers are the first to enter the water, with your palms facing downwards while keeping your elbow elevated a little higher than your wrist
• As you enter the water, do so smoothly, as if you were slicing through it.
• Glide your arm forward a couple more inches under the water, achieving a full extension of the arm.

The Pull

• As your hand is fully submerged, begin the pull by moving your hand underneath your head.
• Point your fingers directly down towards the bottom of the pool and your palm towards the end of the pool you are swimming away from.
• Maintain a strong arm position by pressing your hand down, keeping your elbow high, and holding an arm angle of around 90 to 120 degrees.
• Visualize pulling your body past your hand and arm, with your hand tracking directly underneath your body, rather than veering to the side.
• As your hand pulls through towards your hip, finish the stroke by pushing backwards and extending your arm, preparing for it to exit the water.

The Recovery

• Once your arm completes the push and exits the water, begin the recovery phase by bending your elbow, as if trying to point to the sky.
• Lead with your shoulder to allow your arm to stay relaxed during the recovery.
• Let your hands and forearms dangle as they come through before extending the forearm out to re-enter the water for the next stroke.

Video credit: Global Triathlon Network (opens in a new tab)

Practising Front Crawl

Practice on Dry-Land: Before getting into the water, practice the movement of your arms by lying flat on your stomach on a bed or sofa, with your arms extended in front of you. Slowly go through the catch, pull, and recovery phases, paying attention to the movement of your elbows and shoulders.

Begin with One Arm: Once you're in the water, start with one arm at a time. Kick off from the wall of the pool, then use only one arm to practice the strokes. Visualize the movements you practiced on dry land. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable with the stroke.

Switch Arms: After mastering the stroke with one arm, switch to the other. Repeat the same process, ensuring your strokes are smooth and consistent.

Put it Together: Once you've mastered the movements with each arm individually, it's time to combine them. The movement should be alternated, with one arm starting the catch phase as the other begins recovery. Imagine your arms operating like the arms of a clock, with one always opposite the other.

Body Position: Maintain a flat and horizontal position in the water. Your body should be as streamlined as possible to reduce resistance when swimming.

Breathing: In front crawl, you breathe to the side during the recovery of one arm. It's important to turn your head to the side and exhale underwater before turning to inhale. A good tip for the breathing is to start your breath as your hand exits at the back of the stroke and as the arm comes over during the recovery phase. Imagine that that arm then forces the head back into the water as it passes the head to end that breath.

Maintain a Steady Pace: With both arms working together, focus on maintaining a steady, rhythmic pace. Each arm should be moving continuously, in a smooth, cyclical motion. Think of it like an ongoing relay race, where one arm always picks up where the other leaves off.

Get Feedback: As you're learning, it can be incredibly helpful to have someone watch you and provide feedback. If possible, consider getting a coach or an experienced swimmer to observe your technique. They can help you identify any mistakes and correct them before they become bad habits.

Common Mistakes With Front Crawl

Difficulty Breathing

Swimmers often have difficulty timing their breaths and coordinating them with their strokes. They may lift their head too high or turn it too far, causing their body to sink or become unbalanced.

Practice bilateral breathing, which involves breathing on both sides during the front crawl. This helps maintain balance in the water. They should also focus on turning their head to the side just enough to allow one goggle to remain submerged, keeping their mouth close to the water's surface.

Side Glide - Breathing Drill

Push off the wall in a horizontal position on one side, with the lower arm extended and the upper arm resting on the body. Keep the face in the water and practice turning the head to breathe while maintaining a streamlined position.

3/5/7 Strokes Breathing - Breathing Drill

Alternate taking breaths every 3, 5, and 7 strokes to practice bilateral breathing and improve breath control. Push off the wall in a horizontal position on one side, with the lower arm extended and the upper arm resting on the body. Keep the face in the water and practice turning the head to breathe while maintaining a streamlined position.

Low Body Position

If you have a low or sinking body position, it can cause increased drag and making it more difficult to maintain a steady pace.

Keep your body position horizontal by pressing their chest slightly downward, engaging their core, and keeping their head in a neutral position. This reduces drag and conserves energy.

Body Position Drills

Superman Glide

Push off the wall in a streamlined position with arms extended in front, focusing on maintaining a horizontal body position. Glide as far as possible while engaging the core and keeping the head in a neutral position.

Kick on Side

With fins on, kick on one side while keeping the lower arm extended and the upper arm resting on the body. Focus on maintaining a horizontal body position and engaging the core. Switch sides after each lap.

Inconsistant Kicking

Make sure you practice a steady, controlled flutter kick. You should use your hips and maintain a slight knee bend while keeping your ankles flexible. This will help you generate power to move forward and maintain a balanced stroke.

Kicking Drills

Vertical Kicking

In the deep end, perform a flutter kick while keeping the body vertical and arms crossed on the chest. Maintain a consistent rhythm and kick from the hips.

Flutter Kick with Board

Hold a kickboard in front of the body with arms extended, focusing on a steady, controlled flutter kick. Keep the legs close together and kick from the hips.

Uncoordinated Arm Pull

Swimmers often have trouble coordinating their arm movements, leading to inefficient propulsion and wasted energy. You can learn the "S-curve" pull, where the swimmer's hand enters the water, extending forward with fingertips pointing downward. As the hand catches the water, the arm bends at the elbow, pulling the water down and back. Finally, the hand exits the water by the hip, preparing for the recovery phase. Swimmers should also focus on keeping their elbows high during the pull.

Arm Pull Drills

Single-Arm Drill

Swim the front crawl using only one arm while keeping the other arm extended in front. Focus on the S-curve pull and high-elbow catch. Use a pull buoy or kickboard to help with balance. Switch arms after each lap.

Catch-Up Drill

Start with both arms extended in front. Begin the pull with one arm and only start the pull with the other arm once the first arm has returned to the front. This drill emphasizes the catch and pull phases of the stroke.

Inefficient Recovery

Many swimmers struggle with an efficient recovery phase, either due to a wide arm swing or dropping their elbow too low.

Focus on a relaxed, high-elbow recovery. The swimmer should keep their fingertips close to the water's surface and lead the recovery with their elbow. This minimizes drag and sets them up for an effective entry and catch.

Recovery Drills

Zipper Drill

During the recovery phase, imagine zipping up a jacket by dragging the thumb along the side of the body and keeping the elbow high. This promotes a high-elbow recovery and reduces drag.

Fingertip Drag

During the recovery phase, keep the fingertips close to the water's surface and lead the recovery with the elbow. This drill ensures a relaxed, high-elbow recovery.

Difficulty with Timing and Coordination

Swimmers may have difficulty coordinating their arm and leg movements, leading to an inefficient stroke and wasted energy.

Focus on having a smooth, continuous stroke cycle. The catch phase of one arm should begin as the other arm starts its recovery phase. Kicking should be steady and maintain a consistent rhythm throughout the entire stroke cycle.

Coordination Drills

6-Kick Switch

Perform six kicks on one side with the lower arm extended and the upper arm resting on the body. After six kicks, complete a front crawl arm movement and switch sides, focusing on maintaining a continuous stroke cycle and rhythm.

Sculling

Using a pull buoy or kickboard between the legs, perform small sculling motions with the hands to maintain a steady forward movement. This drill helps develop a sense of timing and feel for the water.