Cleaning up the underwater recovery in breaststroke can help you maintain momentum.

**Why do it:**
The recovery of the arms and legs in the underwater pullout is the most disruptive move in competitive swimming.  Some swimmers focus on keeping the hands close, but the elbows are wide.  Other swimmers try to keep the elbows close, but the hands are too far away.  Keeping both elbows and hands close is the real answer.

**How to do it:**
**1** - Keep the elbows against your side and slide your hands underneath your torso.
**2** - You can stack the hands on top of each other, slicing them forward.
**3** - You can stagger the hands, one following the other, slicing forward.

**How to do it really well (the fine points):**
Have a finish target, don’t just throw the hands forward without a path.  One option is to keep the hands close enough to pass by the side of the face or feel them close to the ears as you reach toward the extension.

[**Click here to learn more about the breaststroke underwater pullout**](https://gosw.im/2IOOB62)

Sign In to watch video

Breaststroke - Underwater Pullout Hand Recovery