From Slow to Smooth: Improve Your Breaststroke Technique
/Want to swim breaststroke with more speed and less struggle? In this guide, you’ll learn how to refine your kick, streamline your body, and master your timing - plus get access to drills, videos, and a 14-day training plan to transform your stroke.
Breaststroke can feel awkward, slow, and exhausting - but it doesn’t have to. I’ve coached swimmers at every level who struggled with this stroke, and the fix is almost always the same: better technique. Done right, breaststroke is smooth, powerful, and deceptively fast.
So how do you get there?
Let’s break it down. This article will guide you step by step through improving your breaststroke technique, from understanding proper body position to refining your kick, pullout, and timing. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned swimmer chasing time drops, the goal is the same: better form, less drag, and more speed with less effort.
Struggling with breaststroke efficiency? The secret lies in mastering a solid line and powerful kick through streamline.
Why Breaststroke Feels Slow (And What to Do About It)
Breaststroke is the only stroke where propulsion pauses between the kick and the pull. That’s why good timing and proper technique are non-negotiable.
Some swimmers mistakenly rely on brute force, trying to muscle through the stroke. But unlike freestyle or butterfly, breaststroke rewards rhythm and precision over raw power. When done right, it feels like you’re skimming across the water rather than sinking into it.
Let’s start with the foundation: your bodyline.
1. Body Position: Your Streamline Matters
The most efficient breaststroke starts with staying as horizontal and streamlined as possible. Many swimmers lift their head too early, which creates drag and throws off their timing.
Key Cues:
Head stays in line with the spine
Eyes look slightly forward and down
Hips stay near the surface
Pull into a tight streamline during the glide phase
Video: How to Swim Breaststroke (in-pool demo)
2. Breaststroke Kick: Power Starts at the Hips
The breaststroke kick might look like a frog’s, but don’t be fooled—it’s not about flailing your knees out wide. One of the biggest mistakes I see is swimmers overusing their knees and neglecting their hips. That leads to a weak push, wasted energy, and extra drag.
Proper breaststroke kick technique starts with tight, powerful mechanics driven by the hips and inner thighs - not the knees.
Here’s the basic sequence I teach:
Draw your heels to your hips
Flex the feet outward into a wide but controlled position
Push, snap, and lift the legs back, togethe,r and up.
I often cue swimmers with: “Draw, flex, snap.” It’s short, repeatable, and effective.
Want more propulsion? Focus on tighter finishes and hip activation. That’s where your speed lives.
Drill: Breaststroke Kick on Your Back
Master your breaststroke kick with this simple yet effective drill. Practicing on your back helps isolate leg movement, improve timing, and build a stronger, more efficient kick.
This drill gives instant feedback on alignment and power. By removing the pull, swimmers can focus entirely on generating propulsion through clean, compact kicks. It’s also great for building awareness of how your kick affects body position in the water.
Drill: Breaststroke Kick with Kickboard
Kickboards can be a helpful tool—if used with intention. Many swimmers let their body drift too high or kick inefficiently behind them. Instead, keep your arms long, your body low to the water, and maintain tension throughout.
Tips for Kickboard Drills:
1. Use taut, straight arms—not resting elbows
2. Keep your face close to the water to maintain streamline
💡Coach’s Insight: A kickboard gives you time to focus and even observe buoyancy changes during breathing. Try exhaling fully and noticing how your hips and legs respond—it’ll teach you a lot about body position.
3. Narrow Your Breaststroke Kick: More Speed, Less Drag
Kicking wide in breaststroke is one of the most common mistakes I see—and one of the most limiting. A wide kick takes longer to execute, creates more drag, and puts unnecessary torque on your hips and knees. It’s not just inefficient—it’s slow.
The fix? Narrow your kick.
Think about deadlifting or jumping: more force comes from a strong, hip-width stance. The same goes for your kick. Keeping your knees and feet closer together allows for a quicker, more explosive snap that’s easier on your joints and more effective in the water. Ideally, your knees separate shoulder width apart with your feet just outside of that.
Video: Narrow Your Breaststroke Kick (Pool Drill)
Try kicking while squeezing a pull buoy between your thighs to build better alignment and kick awareness.
Video: Narrow Your Breaststroke Kick (Dryland)
Use dryland strength work to reinforce narrow stances—frog squats, mini-band walks, and glute bridges with your knees just outside hip width can help retrain your movement patterns.
💡 Coach’s Tip: Start tracking your kicks per length. A narrower kick usually means fewer kicks, more glide, and better efficiency.
4. The Pull: Small, Fast, and Precise
Many swimmers think a wide arm sweep = more power. Not true. A wide breaststroke pull slows you down by increasing drag.
Instead, aim for:
A narrow, quick sweep out
Strong catch
In-sweep close to the body
Hands shoot forward into streamline quickly
Imagine tracing a narrow heart shape under your chest. That’s your pull path—tight, fast, and efficient.
Video: Fast Hands and Feet for Breaststroke Swimming
5. Timing: The Secret to Speed
Timing is what transforms breaststroke from sluggish to silky.
The classic rhythm:
Pull
Breathe
Kick
Glide
In breaststroke, pull with straight legs, and kick with straight arms.It’s tempting to rush it. But if you skip the glide or mistime the kick, you lose efficiency. Your kick should finish just as your arms shoot forward.
Drill to Try: 1 Pull, 2 Kicks
This drill improves rhythm, streamline, and body awareness.
Video: Breaststroke 1 Pull 2 Kicks
Refine your breaststroke technique with the "1 Pull, 2 Kicks" drill. This focused movement pattern helps improve your stroke rhythm, reinforce a tight streamline, and build better body awareness in the water. A great addition to any breaststroke workout.
6. Underwater Phase: Mastering the Breaststroke Pullout
The pullout is one of the most overlooked opportunities in breaststroke—but when done right, it’s a game-changer. In competitive races, swimmers gain serious advantage during this underwater phase. It’s your chance to travel the farthest with the least resistance.
A strong pullout combines streamline, timing, and force—and yes, the dolphin kick is legal during this phase in competition (one per pullout).
🔄 Breaststroke Pullout Sequence:
Here’s the ideal flow, broken down step-by-step:
➡ 1. Streamline off the wall
➡ 2. One dolphin kick while maintaining streamline
➡ 3. Arm pull down to your sides with a strong catch
➡ 4. Arm recovery back to the front under the body and back in to streamline
➡ 5. Breaststroke kick in a tight streamline
Think of this as a mini-routine that sets the tone for each lap. If it’s rushed or sloppy, the rest of the length suffers. If it’s crisp, you’ll launch into the swim with maximum efficiency.
Practice your pullout on its own during warm-ups and drills. Don’t wait until race day to get it right—mastering it now gives you free speed later.
7. Dryland for Breaststroke: Strength Starts on Land
If you want to swim breaststroke with more power and control, you need more than just laps in the pool. The missing piece for many swimmers? Dryland that connects hips, shoulders, and streamline.
A powerful breaststroke starts with mobility—especially at the hips—and transfers through the core to the fingertips. If you’re tight, misaligned, or weak in these links, your stroke will always fall short of its potential.
Here’s what I emphasize in my dryland programming:
Hip mobility for a tighter, faster kick
Core stability to hold streamline and transfer power
Shoulder-hip connection to maintain a strong line through the glide
Triceps and scapular strength to support a fast and narrow pull
Key Movements
Loaded Child’s Pose: Begin in a push up position, rack back hips to heels with your knees off the ground. Push the floor away with straight arms to reinforce getting into streamline before the leg kicks
Overhead March: Hold a weight or medicine ball overhead as you march. Builds coordination between core, hips, and shoulders.
Overhead Skip with Weight: Adds an element of speed and posture control—keep the arms long and the core stacked as you move
Ab Wheel Rollouts: Focus on maintaining a flat, extended bodyline. This is streamline training without touching the water.
Dryland Cord Breaststroke: Great for patterning a vertical forearm
Goblet Squats: Kick is king in breaststroke. The stronger your squat, the more power in your kick
Kettlebell Swings: Develop, powerful explosive hips and arm drive
Video: Dryland Cord Breaststroke
Video: Vasa SwimErg Breaststroke Pull
These complement your in-pool work and help reinforce proper breaststroke form - especially for the pull, and lower back extension.
8. Comparing Strokes: Breaststroke vs. Butterfly
Both strokes are technical and timing-dependent, but the comparison reveals where breaststroke shines:
| Stroke | Key Feature | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Breaststroke | Power-glide rhythm | Efficiency & pacing |
| Butterfly | Continuous undulation | Power output & sprinting |
If you’re a swimmer with strong hips, rhythm, and patience - breaststroke may be your best race stroke. If you’re still unsure, try both in training and track your splits.
9. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pulling too wide
Lifting head too high on the breath
Kicking too wide
Rushing the stroke timing
Skipping dryland altogether
Clean up just one of these, and you’ll often notice immediate gains in speed and efficiency.
Implementation: Your Weekly Breaststroke Fix
Here’s a sample integration plan to smooth out your stroke:
In the Pool (3x/week)
Warm-up with easy breaststroke, kicking, and drills
Mid-set: Build tempo from distance per stroke to race temp
Main set: 6x50s breaststroke descending effort
Cool down with breaststroke kick on your back
On Land (2x/week)
2 circuits of: Pull Ups, Squats, and Overhead Marches
Core finisher: 3 rounds of Loaded Child’s Pose and Ab Wheel Rollout
Consistency > intensity when you're building better form. Work with us at Train Daly to break through plateaus and build a stroke that feels smooth, strong, and race-ready.
Final Thoughts: From Struggle to Smooth
I’ll leave you with this: breaststroke doesn’t have to feel like a fight. In fact, it’s one of the most rewarding strokes once you unlock its rhythm. If you’re willing to revisit the basics - your kick, pull, timing, and streamline - you’ll find new speed hiding in plain sight.
Remember: Excellence lives in the fundamentals.
Whether you're training for your first meet or chasing a state cut, start with form—and let the speed follow.
Ready to Transform Your Breaststroke?
Join the 14-Day Breaststroke Boost Program—your step-by-step guide to smoother technique, stronger kicks, and faster swims.
✔ Targeted pool drills
✔ Swim-specific dryland workouts
✔ Daily structure with video guidance
Dan Daly is a CSCS-certified swim coach with over 20 years of experience coaching age-group, collegiate, and masters swimmers. Founder of the Train Daly method and the Advanced Swimming Performance System, Dan is known for blending evidence-based training with real-world coaching to help swimmers break through performance plateaus.