Common Competitive Backstroke Faults

Last Updated on October 16, 2022 by admin

Swimmer performing backstroke pool training — **Since backstroke is performed on their back, the swimmer cannot engage as many of the body’s larger muscle groups as they can while performing either freestyle or butterfly.**

In this article, we’ll look at the most common competitive backstroke faults and provide advice, drills, hacks and tips on how to fix them.

Since backstroke is performed on their back, the swimmer cannot engage as many of the body’s larger muscle groups as they can while performing either freestyle or butterfly.

To help to engage as many of these muscles as possible, the swimmer should perform a smooth rotation of their body, especially their shoulders, trunk and hips.
Backstroke should also be performed with a high stroke rate, to compensate for relatively weak arm pull.
Coaches may wish to allow younger or inexperienced swimmers the use of fins while they master the drills detailed in this article.

Muscle memory

Repetitive training enables the swimmer to adapt their training to their ‘muscle memory’*, enabling them to automatically perform as taught during competition.

(*muscle memory – the ability to reproduce a movement without conscious thought, acquired as a result of frequent repetition of that movement)

If the training is performed with a perfect technique, then the swimmer’s muscle memory will store the perfect technique.

However, if training is repetitively undertaken with a poor technique, then the swimmer’s muscle memory will store this poor technique.
Once a poor technique has been stored, this can be difficult and can take a long time to correct.
For any coach or teacher, it is important that they ‘consistently and persistently’ incorporate perfectly performed drills into their training programmes to reinforce and develop a great stroke technique.

Teach/coach stroke technique from an early age and catch faults early

Stroke technique should be the main focus of all pre-puberty training programmes.

It’s far easier to teach/coach, develop, and if necessary correct stroke faults at an early age.
It’s far more difficult to teach/coach, develop, and if necessary correct stroke faults at an older age, once a fault has been ingrained in the muscle memory.

Common competitive backstroke faults

Body position

To perform an effective backstroke the swimmer should swim in a horizontal body position.

The most common body position backstroke faults are,

Head position

Many inexperienced swimmers swim with their heads raised looking towards their feet, which results in their hips and legs dropping lower in the water, therefore increasing drag.
To rectify this problem, swimmers should look straight up at the pool ceiling with the water covering their ears.

Low hips and legs

Another common body position fault is performing the stroke with both low hips and legs, which again increases drag.
As well as ensuring that their head is in the correct position (see head position above) the swimmer should straighten or even slightly arch their back which will help raise their hips and legs into the correct horizontal position.

Body rotation

Backstroke generates the majority of its propulsion from a combination of an effective rotation of the swimmer’s shoulders, trunk and hips, which enables the arm stroke to generate the optimum propulsive force.

However, two of the most common backstroke faults are under rotation and over-rotation of the swimmer’s body.
Ideally, swimmers should rotate their shoulders, trunk and hips at approximately thirty degrees.

Under rotation

A swimmer who under rotates their body fails to properly engage their back muscles which usually produces a shallow ineffective arm stroke.

This can cause the propulsive phase of the arm stroke to be very close to the surface of the water.
- In some cases, the hand may come out of the water altogether.
- Making it very difficult to catch the water effectively.
Ideally, the swimmer should ensure that during the catch phase of the stroke,
- That their shoulders are in line with their upper back
- Their elbow is bent to slightly greater than 90 degrees
- And their hand is approximately 15cms (6 inches) below the surface.
- Ensuring that their palm is facing towards the swimmer’s feet.

Over rotation

Swimmers should ensure that they do not over-rotate their body.

This could result in a too deeper arm pull.
Which could slow their stroke rate.

Slow stroke rate

Since backstroke is performed on their back, the swimmer cannot engage as many of the body’s larger muscle groups as they can while swimming freestyle or butterfly.

To compensate for this, backstroke should be performed at a high stroke rate,
Assisted by the rotation of the swimmer’s body, especially their shoulders, trunk and hips.
One of the most common backstroke faults is performing the stroke with a slow stroke rate.

Spin drill

Purpose: This drill helps to develop a faster stroke rate.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a supine (on the back) push and glide from the wall at the end of the pool.

In a tight streamlined position
They should then perform ten steady and controlled arm strokes.
Then they should perform the next ten arm strokes as quickly as possible (spin).
They should repeat this drill for one length/lap of the pool (25m).

Drill progression

Once mastered the swimmer can progress this drill by raising their knees and trunk into a semi-recumbent sitting position, with their body at approximately forty-five degrees.
Some swimmers may find it easier to sit in a more upright position.
They should continue this drill by performing a steady and controlled backstroke arm pull in a ‘tucked’ (semi-recumbent) position for ten strokes.
Then they should perform the next ten arm strokes as quickly as possible (spin).
They should repeat this drill for one length/lap of the pool (25m).

Bobbing up and down

If a swimmer’s body is bobbing up and down whilst performing backstroke.

Bobbing can be commonly caused by a non-alternating stroke.

Where for example the right arm pulls and the right leg kicks at the same time.

Another cause may be the result of the swimmers positioning the palm of their hand downwards toward the bottom of the pool

This occurs during the propulsive phase of their arm stroke (after the catch has been completed).
To correct this, the swimmer needs to ensure that during the stroke’s propulsive phase they are positioning their palm at ninety degrees with their hand pushing the water towards their feet.

Head moving

Amongst the most common backstroke faults is the movement of a swimmer’s head, usually turning to the side where the swimmer is performing an arm stroke.

This can make it difficult for the swimmer to gauge the depth of the body’s rotation (see body rotation above)
Sometimes the movement of a swimmer’s head during backstroke can lead to the snaking of the hips. (The movement of the hips from side to side.)

Cup balancing drill

Purpose: This is a great exercise to help keep the swimmer’s head still and to develop the correct backstroke head position.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill by half-filling a paper cup (with a flat bottom) with pool water.

They should then perform this drill with a push & glide in a horizontal streamlined supine (on their back) position, whilst still holding the cup.
The swimmer then proceeds to perform a full backstroke stroke while balancing the cup on their forehead, trying to ensure that it doesn’t fall into the water.
Their head should be tilted slightly forward, like resting on a pillow.
This should help to ensure that the swimmer’s back will not be arched, and their hips will not sink too much.
The swimmer should ensure that their head is not too high out of the water, which will create added resistance.
The level of the water should cover the swimmer’s ears.
If the cup does fall, then the swimmer should place the cup back onto their head and proceed with the drill.
Once mastered, the swimmer should attempt to swim full-stroke backstroke for a length/lap of the pool, without the cup falling.

Coaching points: This drill requires the swimmer to intensely focus on their head position.

Ineffective leg kick

An effective backstroke leg kick should be generated from the swimmer’s hips, with a straight leg and flexible, floppy ankles.

One of the most common backstroke leg kick faults is kicking with bent knees.
This results in the swimmer engaging the smaller leg muscles in their calves, rather than the larger leg muscles in their upper leg.

Kickboard over the knees

Purpose: This drill helps to develop the swimmer’s leg kick action, by helping them to reduce any excessive knee bend, during the leg kick.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a push & glide in a horizontal supine (on their back) position, while holding a kickboard in both hands over their knees.

The swimmer should initiate the kick from their thighs (quads), hamstrings and buttocks (glutes).
They should focus on eliminating any knee bend.
- Kicking with a bent knee increases drag and uses the relatively smaller calf muscles.
They should complete this drill for one length/lap of the pool (25m).

Ankle flexibility

Increased ankle flexibility can also help to improve the effectiveness of a swimmer’s backstroke kick.

Ineffective Arm stroke

The backstroke arm stroke is a continuous alternating arm stroke, used to provide the primary propulsion.

Common backstroke faults include
- The swimmer’s hand enters the water with the back of their hand rather than a little finger first entry.
Their hand recovers and enters the water with a bend at the elbow, rather than fully extended to ensure that they achieve a full arm stroke.

Double arm pull

Purpose: This is an excellent introductory drill for developing the swimmer’s backstroke arm stroke, by focusing on their arm and hand positions.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a push & glide in a horizontal streamlined supine (on their back) position, while performing a steady flutter kick.

They should then proceed to perform a double-arm pull.
The swimmer’s arms should be fully extended and enter the water in line with their shoulders.
The swimmer’s hands should enter with their little fingers first.
They should ensure that they do not start to pull as soon as their hand enters the water, as this can cause additional drag.
As soon as their hand enters the water, the swimmer should turn the back of their hand to face the bottom of the pool.
Then as part of a continuous action, the swimmer should scull with a bent elbow and their hand outwards and downwards until it reaches a position in a line between their upper chest and shoulders.
The swimmer should then rotate their hand at ninety degrees, so their thumb is facing up towards the pool surface and their little finger is facing down towards the bottom of the pool.
They should then push their hand through the water until their arm is fully extended by their thigh.
Their hand should exit the water thumb first.
The swimmer should ensure that the arms finish the recovery with both arms fully extended.
They should complete this drill for one length/lap of the pool (25m).

Start/stop (pause) drill

Purpose: This is an excellent drill for developing the swimmer’s ‘little finger’ first, hand entry.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a push & glide in a horizontal streamlined supine (on their back) position.

They should proceed to perform a full backstroke stroke.
They should ensure that their hand exits the stroke thumb first.
As the swimmer recovers their arm, they should fully extend it vertically.
The swimmer should then pause their stroke with their arm in a vertical position.
The pause should be just long enough for the swimmer to turn their hand to a little finger first entry position.
They then proceed to enter this hand into the water to continue their stroke.
The swimmer should continue this drill using alternating arms for one length/lap of the pool.

Takeaways

In this article, we’ll look at the most common competitive backstroke faults and provide advice, drills, hacks and tips on how to fix them.

The main propulsion for an effective backstroke comes from the swimmer’s arm stroke.

Since backstroke is performed on their back, the swimmer cannot engage as many of the body’s larger muscle groups as they can while performing either freestyle or butterfly.
To help to engage as many of these muscles as possible, the swimmer should perform a smooth rotation of their body, especially their shoulders, trunk and hips.
Backstroke should also be performed with a high stroke rate.
Coaches may wish to allow younger or inexperienced swimmers the use of fins while they master these drills.
The swimmer should ensure they perform a controlled and smooth rotation of their shoulders, trunk and hips.

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