Combat Side Stroke: A Beginner's Guide to the Technique
The combat side stroke is a long, gliding hybrid stroke designed for swimming efficiently over distance. It is a great option for confident swimmers who want an energy-saving stroke.
What is the combat side stroke?
The combat side stroke was developed by the United States Navy SEALs. It blends elements of front crawl, breaststroke and sidestroke into a stroke that is efficient over long distances and keeps a low profile in the water. Swimmers spend much of each cycle gliding, rotating briefly onto their side to breathe. It can be swum with or without fins; with fins, swimmers usually use a flutter kick throughout.
It is not a competitive stroke, but many adult swimmers and triathletes enjoy it as a relaxed, efficient way to swim distance. See 8 types of swimming strokes.
Before you start
You should already swim front crawl or breaststroke comfortably, breathe out steadily underwater and hold a good streamline. Learn in water where you can stand, then move to deeper water once the stroke feels natural.
The stroke, step by step
- Glide. Start face down in a long, flat streamline, arms extended, legs together.
- Lead-arm pull. Pull one arm down and back under your body, similar to half a breaststroke pull, finishing near your chest.
- Second-arm pull and rotation. As the first arm recovers forward, pull the other arm back towards your hip, rotating your body onto that side.
- Breathe. As you rotate, turn your head with your body to breathe, keeping one goggle in the water as in front crawl.
- Scissor kick. As the arms recover forward, open your legs, one forward and one back, then snap them together.
- Glide again. Return face down, arms extended, and hold the glide before the next cycle.
Coaches and guides teach small variations in the arm sequence and kick; the key ideas are a long glide, a powerful pull, a brief rotation to breathe and a scissor kick timed with the arm recovery.
Drills
- Kick on your side with a board or one arm extended, practising a smooth scissor kick.
- Glide and pull: push off, do one pull and rotation, then glide; repeat without the kick.
- Count your strokes: as your glide improves, you should need fewer cycles per length.
- Short repeats: 25 m at a time, resting between, before trying longer distances.
Common mistakes
- Rushing: the stroke depends on the glide; slow down.
- Lifting the head to breathe: rotate instead, so your hips stay up.
- Kicking at the wrong time: time the scissor kick with the arm recovery, not the pull.
- Staying on your side too long: return to a flat glide after each breath.
Learn with a coach
A coach can help you time the pull, rotation and kick. See our adult swimming course or private swimming course, and our guides to breathing and swim workouts for triathletes.
More in swimming technique
- Butterfly swimming techniqueThe basics, step by step
- What is the trudgen stroke?History and how to swim it
- 11 common swimming mistakesAnd how to fix each one
- What is breaststroke in swimming?How the stroke works, the pull-breathe-kick-glide timing and common mistakes
Sources
- Wikipedia, Combat sidestroke. Developed by and taught to US Navy SEALs; can be swum with or without fins.
Want to learn a new stroke?
Tell us how you swim now and what you want to learn. We will suggest a suitable course, format and pool. Lessons run at public swimming complexes, private venues and condominium pools across Singapore.