Breast Stroke

Breast Stroke

• Must be swim on the breast (shoulders at or past vertical toward the breast).
• Forward start is used.
• Cyclical stroke consisting of one arm pull followed by one leg kick, in that order.
• At start and after each turn, swimmer may take one stroke while fully submerged and may bring arms back beyond hips.
• The head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke.
• At the start and after each turn, the swimmer may take a downward dolphin or butterfly kick after the start of the stroke, and it must be followed by a breaststroke kick.
• All movements of the arms and legs must be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane.
• Hands must be brought forward from the breast on, above or below the surface of the water.
• Hands cannot be brought beyond hip line except for first stroke at start and after each turn.
• The elbows must be kept under the water surface except for the last stroke at the turns and finish.
• Head must break the surface of water during each complete or incomplete stroke cycle except for first stroke at start and after each turn.
• Legs must move simultaneously and in same horizontal plane; feet must be pointed outward during propulsive phase of kick.
• Alternating, butterfly or scissors kick is not permitted.
• At the turns and finish, both hands must touch the wall simultaneously at, above or below the water surface; hands need not be in same horizontal plane at touch.