4 'Wrong' Ways to Swim that Might Be Right for You

Swimming has a lot of traditional thinking and conventional wisdom. Coaches adhere to many of these ideas because they're effective, but not all coaches agree on what works best.

Some ideas make sense but just don't lead to the fastest possible swimming. Some ideas are generally true, but there are certain circumstances in which you can and should ignore them.

Here are four "wrong" ways to swim that might actually help you swim faster. For each one, consider whether the logic makes sense for you, and if it does, give it a try. You might see instant change, or you might need to work more on something. If you're swimming faster and easier, stick with it—even if you're doing something "wrong."

Break Out with Your Top Arm in Backstroke and Freestyle

Many coaches agree that you should initiate your breakout with your bottom arm in backstroke and freestyle. It’s the deeper arm, so you can hold more water, create more speed, and get your body rotation started. 

However, some coaches suggest that you should break out with your top arm because it allows you to maintain your speed through your breakout more effectively.

Most swimmers kick underwater faster than they swim at the surface. Rather than trying to create as much propulsion as possible, a top-arm breakout is about maintaining alignment and timing as much as possible. Instead of trying to create speed, focus on trying to minimize the loss of speed. (Remember: During backstroke races, you’re not allowed to rotate past 90 degrees, which is considered being on your stomach.)

When trying this new breakout, worry less about creating power. Instead, focus less on creating power during your breakout and more on transitioning to your surface swimming as quickly and seamlessly as possible. You’ll want to do your underwater kick slightly on your side and then quickly transition into the top-arm breakout and surface swimming. Think smooth rather than powerful.

There’s another benefit with the top-arm breakout: It’s often easier to learn a new skill than it is to change an old skill. If you struggle with regular breakouts, rather than working to fix the bottom-arm breakout, start over and give this top-arm breakout a try.

Point Your Finger Sideways to Start Your Butterfly Pull

In freestyle, you’ll often hear the suggestion to get your fingertips facing down as soon as possible. It’s a useful way to think about the stroke.