Frontcrawl (Freestyle)

Swimmers of any age may wish to start by learning the dog paddle or frontcrawl leg action.

Frontcrawl, or freestyle as it is competitively known, is the fastest form of unassisted human propulsion through the water today. It takes the form of a range of alternating movements made with the limbs in a series of right angles at the joints, making the frontcrawl stroke continuously propulsive, making it some four seconds faster than the next fastest stroke, the butterfly.

This freestyle swimming technique video shows you how to learn to swim faster. The drills and instructions shown can be used whether you are coaching, preparing for triathlon swimming, improving your swim stroke or just learning to swim. The quickest way to increase your swimming stroke speed and freestyle technique is by learning how to decrease drag and inefficiency and not by increasing power. An efficient swim technique for crawl swimming begins and ends with proper body position, streamlining and balance.

Learning swim efficiency techniques requires incorporating swimming awareness in swimming drills and workouts. The examples of bad swimmers juxtaposed with examples of good swimmers will help you see how to improve your own crawl technique.