**Breaststroke Pullout**

The breaststroke underwater pullout is considered to be the most disruptive movement in all of swimming. There are ways to fix this – or at least to minimize the drag! This week we break down the movement and help you build a better pullout.

**Monday**

Brendan McHugh: Underwater Pull Details

National teamer Brendan McHugh shows where we’re headed when teaching or learning the breaststroke underwater pullout.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2183-underwater-pull-details> 

:05 - great line

:06 - dolphin setup

:07 - back to line briefly

:08 - powerphase pulldown

:09 - rigid bodyline - shoulder shrug

:10 - hand recovery initiation

:11 - hands at shoulders before feet start

:12 - hands nearly streamline before kick engages

**Tuesday**

Sarah Katsoulis: Turn and Underwater Pullout

Australian breaststroke great Sarah Katsoulis demos how to minimize drag and disruption during the breaststroke pullout.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1828-sarah-katsoulis-turn-and-underwater-pullout> 

:05 - feet tuck into turn

:11 - nearly flat pushoff

:17 - slightly downward push

:23 - dolphin set

:24 - time the hands with finish of feet

:29 - beautiful line

:36 - legs start a little early

:38 - look at the tiles

:44 - beautiful line

:58 - minimal rotation from push to flat

1:12 - connecting legs and hands

1:18 - disappear in a small hole

1:24 - very hidden recovery

1:25 - feet coming up behind the body

1:27 - knees slightly out

**Wednesday**

Step 1

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2143-step-1-underwater-pull>

:15 - the push

:22 - the trouble

:32 - why we float

:35 - lock up the feet and tighten the legs

:38 - overlap the feet - pointier

:46 - still not perfect but better

:55 - better

Step 2

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2144-step-2-underwater-pull>

:03 - push then kick

:07 - back to line

:09 - push then kick

:13 - back to line

:16 - puch then kick

:21 - back to line

:28 - never too early to start

Breaststroke Underwater Pull Progression Step #3

Here’s how to isolate and master *just* the pulldown.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2145-step-3-underwater-pull> 

:06 - push then kick then pull

:11 - glide in best position

:24 - angle downward

:27 - slight fix of angle - stand up

:45 - tighten the line

:46 - start to work on timing

:49 - much more parallel line

:56 - watch for the instinctual desire for power/connection

1:00 - great line

1:06 - slight downward angle - 

1:07 - to the fix

**Thursday**

Breaststroke Underwater Pull Progression Step #4

And here’s how to isolate and master *just* the recovery of the hands and arms.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2146-step-4-underwater-pullout> 

:05 - what to avoid

:16 - recover legs with hands at belly

:17 - watch the hips and laneline

:20 - the reacceleration (feels great / less filling)

:32 - recover hands

:35 - try to keep moving forward

:38 - tightest possible path forward

:39 - avoid instinct to kick

:44 - experiment with all angles

:55 - angled down too much

1:07 - hid the hands but exposed the head and torso

Step - 5

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2147-step-5-underwater-pull>

Put it all together

:09 - add the kick

:10 - great line

:15 - watch your depth

:19 - waiting

:26 - much more shallow

:29 - now too deep :)

:32 - early and late legs

:41 - much better line

1:04 - pretty clean recovery

1:30 - how long you wait here will make a difference

**Friday**

Breaststroke Drill: Underwater Pullout Hand Recovery

Here’s a closeup look at the various ways you can recover the hands/arms after the pulldown.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2693-breaststroke-underwater-pullout-hand-recovery> 

:06 - focus solely on the hands

:11 - what we do instinctually (hopefully)

:18 - hands tight

:21 - elbows tight

:27 - hands and elbows tight

:34 - hands and elbows tight - but what is he doing wrong?

:40 - good hand elbow recovery - head in good position

:48 - hands close to face

:53 - staying narrow

:58 - hands by ears

**Saturday**

Breaststroke Drill: Underwater Pull Fine Tuning

With attention to a few details, you can transform your pullouts from average to great. Check out this one swimmer’s progress during one lesson.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1925-underwater-pull-fine-tuning> 

:09 - the instinct of distance off the wall

:10 - old school timing

:11 - head position

:12 - body angle

:13 - early recovery of legs

:16 - full up head breakout

:22 - very downward

:25 - dolphin first back to line

:28 - pull still downward

:31 - recovery arms legs together

:39 - angled breakout

:45 - still down but not as much

:49 - slight correction of line

:52 - better position after pulldown

:53 - delay the legs

1:10 - better position for the breakout

1:12 - earlier kick

1:15 - earlier arms

1:17 - better line

1:18 - could delay legs a bit more

1:21 - good breakout line

1:26 - much shallower

1:28 - kick back to line

1:30 - pulldown much straighter

1:33 - very delayed legs

1:35 - shallower breakout angle

**Sunday**

Brendan McHugh: Strapless Underwater Pullout

We love strapless paddles for teaching the most effective path for the hands during the pulldown and recovery.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2184-strapless-underwater-pullout> 

:04 - pushoff with strapless paddles

:05 - losing them

:06 - pressure

:07 - pressure

:09 - finish and find some pressure

:11 - it’s feel

:12 - it’s feel

BONUS

Mini Drills: Breaststroke Underwater Pull – Using Stretchcords

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1052-breaststroke-underwater-pull-using-stretchcords>

Breaststroke Drill: No Underwater Pullout

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2608-breaststroke-no-underwater-pullout>

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jga1FT176Bw&t=180s>

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ItGJoYKgeo&t=150s>


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May 14, 2024 - Breaststroke Underwater Pullouts