Key Swimming Techniques for Beginners
Every stroke is built from the same five skills. Get these right and learning front crawl, backstroke or breaststroke becomes much easier.
Why techniques before strokes
It is tempting to jump straight into swimming a stroke. But each stroke combines breathing, body position, kicking and arm movements, and if one of these is missing, the whole stroke falls apart. Learning each technique on its own first, then combining them, is how swimming is usually taught, for children and adults alike.
1. Breath control
Breath control means being able to put your face in the water calmly, breathe out slowly and steadily, and breathe in quickly when your mouth is clear. It is the most important technique for beginners, because almost every feeling of panic in the water starts with a rushed breath.
- Blow bubbles through your mouth, then your nose, then both.
- Bob down under the water and come up, breathing out underwater and in at the top. Repeat in a steady rhythm.
- Practise turning your head to the side to breathe while holding the wall. This prepares you for front crawl.
2. Floating and standing up
Floating teaches you that the water will hold you up if you relax. Practise on your front and on your back. Just as important is the recovery: getting from a float back to standing. On your front, bring your knees in, press down with your hands and lift your head. On your back, tuck your chin, bring your knees towards your chest and sweep your arms forward.
Many people's legs drift down when they float, especially adults with more muscle. That is normal. Stretching your arms beyond your head, pressing your chest gently down on your front and keeping your hips up on your back all help.
3. Streamline and glide
The streamline is the long, tight shape you make when you push off the wall: arms stretched beyond your head, one hand on top of the other, arms squeezing your ears, legs together and toes pointed. A good streamline lets you travel further with less effort. It is also the position every stroke returns to.
Practise: push off and see how far you can glide before you stop. Try to beat your distance each time by staying longer and straighter.
4. Kicking
There are two main kicks for beginners. The flutter kick, used in front crawl and backstroke, is a small, fast kick from the hips with relaxed ankles. The breaststroke kick draws the heels up and pushes the feet back in a circle, with the feet turned out. Practise each with a kickboard on your front and without one on your back.
The most common kicking mistake is bending the knees too much, as if pedalling a bicycle. Keep the legs long and let the movement come from the hips.
5. The arm stroke
Arm strokes vary between strokes, but they share the same idea: reach forward, catch the water, push it back towards your feet, and bring the arm forward again with as little resistance as possible. Begin by practising arms standing in shallow water, then while walking, then while gliding with a gentle kick.
Putting the techniques together
Once each technique feels comfortable, combine them two at a time: glide and kick, kick and breathe, arms and kick. Then add breathing to make a full stroke. Our guides to freestyle and breaststroke show how this works step by step, and 8 types of swimming strokes explains the options.
Practising safely
Practise in water where you can stand, with a lifeguard or capable adult watching. Never practise holding your breath for long periods. Read our water safety tips.
Learning with a coach
A coach can show you which technique is holding you back and give you the right drill. Our beginner swimming course is built around these five skills, and you can read how long it takes to learn swimming to set expectations. For quick wins, see our six swimming tips for beginners.
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Further reading
- ActiveSG Circle (Sport Singapore), SwimSafer. Singapore's National Water Safety Programme, combining swimming skills and water survival.
- World Health Organization, Drowning fact sheet. Drowning risks and the measures that prevent them, including swimming and water safety skills.
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