**Backstroke Body Position**
To teach the correct body position for backstroke, I start by having the swimmer float with a relaxed body, with ears in the water.  The head should rest in the water with the water line near the edge of the goggles. 

There should be no tension in the neck, and it’s important that her body is not stiff.  

The legs should be soft with the toes under water.  

**Backstroke Kick**
To teach the backstroke kick,I use a 4-step process.  For the first step, I have the swimmer sit on the edge and I stand directly in front of her and hold her legs here – with one hand under each ankle.  

Even though my hands are at her ankles we want the kick to come from the top of the legs, from the thighs.   I hold her ankles to make the feet loose and floppy. 

We want long legs, loose ankles, and an emphasis on pressing down with the kick. 

Watch her touch the bottom of her feet to my hand that is under water

For step two in teaching the backstroke kick, I use a board.  The swimmer’s hands should be close together, which makes the shoulders roll in and puts them in the “canoe” position. 

It’s important to keep the arms straight and you can make this happen by having the swimmer hold the board over her legs.  The legs should be near the board but you don’t want her to kick the board up with her knees. 

In step three, the swimmer progresses to kicking without a board.   I’ll have her in the “canoe” position (hands near the top of the legs) and with sculling (hands near the sides).  

I stand close to her head and hold the head to help her establish a correct body position.  I move with her as she kicks, making sure she maintains the correct body position.  In step four, I teach backstroke kick with rotation.   I stand directly behind the swimmer’s head and hold it gently from underneath.  

My hand is flat and I simply roll the right side up from the backside of the shoulder, pause, and then roll the right side down from the top of the shoulder. 

By standing here and guiding the swimmer’s rotation, I make sure that she never pauses while flat on the water.

**Backstroke Pull** 
When I teach backstroke pull, I start with single-arm backstroke so that I can guide the pull and set the timing.   

I have her start with the recovery by bringing the thumb side of the hand out of the water first.   I lock out her elbows and let gravity shape her hand.  

I bring her arm directly up over the side of her body and over her shoulder. She should be able to see her hand as it passes directly above her eye.  

I position myself at the swimmer’s side so I can control her recovery and entry. I’ve found it’s effective to have the swimmer brush her arm along the side of the head as the hand drops back into the entry. I’m slightly flexing her wrist on entry.    

I drop the arm down, direct the arm out a bit and then set the hand and forearm up for a pull. 

Now I will put my hand on hers so she can feel what it’s like to catch the water.  

I hold the swimmer’s head so that her eyes are straight up and her shoulders and arms are like this -- rotated on one side with one arm extended and the other arm at her side with the hand on the side of the leg. 

I keep the head and the extended arm straight.  Once she’s in the correct position, I have her kick for 6 kicks with the arm extended.  Then she pulls, pauses, and kicks for 6 kicks with the arm at her side -- and I make sure that her shoulder is up and her body is rotated and ready for the arm to recover. 

My job is to make sure she keeps the extended arm straight and that she rotates rather than goes flat.  By standing here and guiding her body, I can also help her establish a rhythm. 

When the swimmer can do single-arm backstroke with the left arm and the right arm, with good rotation...

... they’re ready to try backstroke with both arms, and they usually go right into a true backstroke with good rhythm and timing.

**Putting It All Together (and Preventing Crossover)**
When the swimmer is ready to put all the parts together, I stand above the swimmer and hold the head like this to give only as much help as she needs to do the stroke correctly... and to prevent crossover. If her arms touch mine, she knows to enter wider. 

I can also direct or correct the entry like this, by holding her head with one hand and helping the entry with the other.   I change hands with every stroke.  You’ve got to be quick, but this is a highly effective teaching trick. 
 


Sign In to watch video

Backstroke Positioning Techniques