**Common Breaststroke Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Mistake #2: Arms Extend Too Far Downward**

Another common breaststroke problem is letting the arms extend too far downward on the glide. This causes excessive frontal resistance.

The fix is to have the swimmer press the arms against the head  -- and not below the head -- when gliding.  Have the swimmer point their fingers straight ahead.

One good drill to help with this problem is Head-up Breaststroke. The swimmer keeps her head up and eyes out of the water while she watches her arms, paying special attention to the depth of the arms during the recovery and glide.

After a few strokes with the head up, the swimmer lowers the head but keeps the shoot straight and shallow.

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Mistake #2: Arms Extend Too Far Downward