How To Swim Backstroke | Technique For Back Crawl Swimming

Backstroke can be challenging to learn, it's the only stroke where you can't see where you're going and it requires good coordination and timing. With a bit of practice, however, you'll be swimming backstroke confidently in no time, and this video is a great place to start when learning the stroke!
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The key to good backstroke starts with head positioning - maintaining a neutral head position looking upwards and not looking down. Following on from that, a good catch position and body rotation aid good propulsion in the water and a strong leg kick helps maintain good balance. It's hard to learn all of these things together so try picking one element and working on that till you have it mastered before moving on to the next skill.
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[@rjm4031]

wow, i literally had NO idea you are meant to rotate that much. Here's me trying to keep flat and still and wondering why im splashing my face and making a mess!

[@amayamartinezalvarez7659]

Same lol

[@andrewlu104]

ikr

[@placeholderhere2864]

yea, I wouldv'e thought rotating that much would flip you over XD

[@hammer-r]

Same here. Glad to see this video. Saved me some embarrassment at the pool. Lol

[@catherinemcdonald6692]

Same here...

[@nataliecunningham9485]

Me thinking this is my strongest technique and realising that I’m not even doing it 😂

[@MarcosSoni]

One of my favorite channels for swim workouts and tutorials. Backstroke is my stroke I want to perfect. Right now, I swim backstroke like a sinking ship.

[@fabiancruz4059]

Same

[@maisuthida2601]

Nice simile

[@gabrielsarpong5976]

Same

[@nihoor8471]

😂😂me too. My ship is there to sink only

[@megablademe4930]

I enjoy doing backstroke to relax. I find it the least exhausting way to swim, however I usually don’t do this to go fast, just slowly swimming in the pool.

[@nicholasmasi9699]

Wow backstroke is way more technical than I imagined! Those rotations! One stroke at a time suppose!

[@xialishi3074]

Backstroke is my most comfortable and confident swim style as I struggle with breathing. Thank you for this video, it'll certainly help me refine my techniques.

[@AshishRajput-fh4bh]

same here.

[@bambi3001]

started swimming again after being forced to quit 6 years ago, I felt as if I was dying. Today is my second day and I wanna make sure I do things properly this time.

[@youngdefiant8395]

Why

[@bambi3001]

@@youngdefiant8395 Why I had to quit? Because my sister quitted and my mom did the same for me

[@denzassilbay1507]

Good luck!

[@wheniwatchtheworldburn3184]

Have you improved after 4 months?

[@JebuzzCrust56]

@@bambi3001 how’s it going after a year? Hope it’s going nice and well!

[@ShadowGaming4life]

I was struggling so much in this stroke because I couldn’t swim straight without knowing where I was going and your tip about head position really helped thanks a ton! 🙏❤

[@user-gc4uh7dq4h]

subscribed and now i am done with the front with even freestyle, now learning backstroke from you. Thank you.

[@zammich3649]

Thanks for this! I am trying backstroke for the first time tomorrow and I feel like remembering a few of these tips (particularly the head one) will help me struggle less than I would otherwise. At this point, I'm also just glad to have anything that helps me to get a feel for the overall image and mechanism for the stroke.

[@victorlwd]

finally , wanted to learn this for couple of weeks now but had seriuosly no idea how or where to even start keep them comming gtn

[@hawomma.julina7502]

A very helpful video. Permission to use this video for my swimming activity. Thank you🙏🏻😊

[@charlenegray9526]

I love to backstroke, it’s pretty relaxing and mostly I don’t even use my arms, just mostly my legs to push me further, and sometimes my arms to lightly stay afloat❤

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

Excellent video, detailed instructions, not a bunch of loud nonsense or ads. Just on point and helpful, I appreciate it.

[@xiaotingluwazan4746]

Thanks for the detailed explanation and slow motion of the video to show how the arms and legs are like under water, really helpful for my little one to gain a better understanding about what to expect to learn for the next level. No wonder coach trains little one to do the side kick, never thought backstroke would involve side kick legs, now all makes sense.

[@michaelgrove1015]

I'm a swim instructor for little kids and I watch alot of your videos to help

[@DanielMooreDJ]

I nearly drown swimming backstroke today for the first time in our triathlon club Swim 😂

[@grendelsmama2302]

while you were drowning I almost cracked my skull cause I couldn't see where i was going lol lol

[@PublicSpeaking202]

🤣🤣🤣

[@hanisathirah8492]

You guys make me scared right now. I need to learn this tomorrow.. wish me luck 😢

[@hanisathirah8492]

I'm coming back, and thankfully i survived. The worst thing can happen was just swallowed a lot of water and i can feel it in my head. For all of you guys (beginners), just trust yourself, you definitely can do it. Sometimes a lot better than the others. We never know our real capabilities untill we try it! I'm just an ordinary student and i can do it. So do you!! P/s: i learn at the pool - chest level

[@williamrithaler4051]

@@grendelsmama2302 lol do u know what a stroke count is

[@mayurmurudkar9771]

Thank you GTN

[@sovankhadka5826]

Never knew 'rotation'. Very well explained

[@peterbalogh7707]

Fab video and easy to understand it.

[@tblwlivi]

OMG U HELPED ME SO MUCH

[@haidernaqvi87]

I tried this but the water didn't cooperate

[@davina1324]

😂😂

[@elsonramphele9721]

The water never cooperate 😂😂😂

[@southamcaballero]

Awesomely detailed instruction!

[@gtn]

Glad it was helpful! 🙌

[@millieberwick4625]

Me laughing at the tanline on his legs. Sorry. I learnt a lot thanks x

[@AshishRajput-fh4bh]

I just did it for the first time today. I knew freestyle pretty well alongwith lying still or moving legs with looking upwards. Just added hands movement and boom. Crawled the poll length. Next up is butterfly after 2 days of backstroke for getting better at it.

[@deblinamandal7852]

Thanks man. Love from India

[@ovechkin102]

Helpful video guys, as a triathlete I've only ever learned freestyle 😂 ready to try this out today at the pool

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

Nosey

[@proxycatapult]

This is so much fun to relax with backstroke. You can swim in this position even without moving your hand. But, This is the only method i know for swimming :( .. I found the free style method on your channel to be helpful. Somehow i don't know how to losen my body. I keep myself stiff as a log most of the time.

[@gaiksuanlee1910]

Great video. Tq

[@abdelkorchi]

Thank you Nice video

[@barlinyusuf8803]

Backstroke is. My favorite stroke

[@gayatribajpai28]

Just want a pool to try this thanks for explaining ❤️

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

Thanks so much

[@maearianboter6052]

Thank you and God Bless

[@moncefelmansouri1853]

Very interessant thank you🙏🙏✔

[@AquarTech]

Rotate the body looks make sense, I started to sink with the messing of my hands’ movement. I will try and practice with this technique👍

[@muttaheriffat9537]

and that helped me thank you

[@icon551]

Thanks for this! I have a swimming test tomorrow, technically today XDDD, and I’m gonna try backstroke! Thank you 😁!

[@icon551]

I passed!! ;D

[@averydepressingchannel1647]

Congrats :)

[@nappyintellectual7054]

It's like dancing, very mesmerising

[@clearbrain]

Very interesting ❤❤❤

[@Unwavering137]

You make it sound sooo easy. The backstroke is a technical stroke that is difficult to do well. Practice and coaching are crucial here. I find myself always zigzagging from one side of the lane to the other. I need more practice and coaching.

[@smg7281]

Oh yeah thanks❤❤❤

[@emmanuelufot4947]

This is some workout.

[@aremedyproject9569]

I love swimming the back stroke.

[@averydepressingchannel1647]

Not me watching this 30 minutes before my 100 back heat 😂

[@user-ro1zc7vk3e]

Thank you so much and i was wondering why i always change my position right or left i do backstrock

[@kcoolkittie]

When I was first learning how to swim, floating on my back took me longer to learn than floating on my front, I couldn't concentrate on keeping my entire body on the water line while not knowing where I was going, that scared me..but backstroke only took me a few days to learn, and now it's my favourite stroke. This video will help me further from next time as I currently don't rotate my body as much as shown, but I would like to do backstroke properly and swim faster.

[@maureenokango3184]

That was good 👍

[@dovidgoldstein2725]

Please do a video on backstroke starts

[@youandmecold]

I need to learn how to float on my back first. I can do freestyle and breath style without problem, but I don't know how to float on my back. I don't feel secure with my face up 🤣🤣

[@dizzyday5259]

Just take a deep breath, place chin and eyes towards ceiling - head all the way back, open arms straight out as wide as possible and legs together

[@Evelyn.Schwarz]

thank you for your description i have finally masterd the backstroke, now i have just to practise swimming on distance and time. I just can not swim butterfly.

[@mirarokathapa122]

Wow! Great👍️👏🙌❤️☯️

[@sushobhitsingh2977]

i didn't know that after rotating we also have to rotate our flutter kicks. lol i was struggling to kick vertically the whole time but now i see the legs will also rotate and hance the kicks

[@majarrah]

I innovate the backstroke stroke pull by not bending the arms but keeping very straight under water while pulling which provides 2 advantages 1. Generate power to the stroke 2. Helps in controlling body imbalance.

[@filiopeful]

I was doing that and injured my shoulder. I 100% do NOT recommend. 😂

[@PublicSpeaking202]

When swimming backstroke and flip at the wall how do I stay on my back to keep from looking like I'm getting ready to do a freestyle?

[@user-xj6iw5wq8c]

Thanks kuy

[@KevinChao-zw6gm]

Nice video! There was me, swimming backstroke pretty bad, bumping my head on the walls of the swimming pool. After this video, I swam gracefully through the water.

[@Ana-cv6kn]

😂😂😂 this made me chuckle, I banged into the stairs at the deep end just yesterday

[@Whit23ney]

I’m a beginner triathlete and I suffer from SVT, so my heart rate goes sky high during my competitions. My front crawl isn’t great, so my breathing suffers, which exacerbates the heart rate. I’m looking to alternate between front crawl and back stroke for my next triathlon to counter act this, because once my HR reaches over 200bpm, it doesn’t want to come back down much for the rest of the race. Sucks that swimming is first! This helps a lot, so thanks!

[@skiney]

When my heart rate is high i hold my breath for 4 seconds and then release it during 8 seconds 5x. Works every time

[@icon551]

Good luck!!

[@icon551]

I hope you do well and can do it!! ;D

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

Breathing is fine now

[@jatinmaharao6888]

Could you please do one on breast stroke too. There are quite a few amateurs who use it for competitions

[@gtn]

We have done! Watch it here gtn.io/Breastroke

[@jatinmaharao6888]

@@gtn ooops. Dont know how I missed it. Thanks

[@elsonramphele9721]

Only my left arm works when I try this , but will try this rotation

[@michaelmichael1367]

Backstroke is so easy.

[@georgekamau8373]

I like it will send it back to you have received this communication

[@LaboussoleNano]

How can I prevent water from getting into my nose while doing the backstroke in swimming? It's really painful when water gets in my nose, I feel it in my head. 😢 Thanks for the video

[@JulianDMZ]

Wow it was so funny when that guy with the hat was dying

[@michaelmichael1367]

Ha! So easy!

[@lepearl5391]

My sisters old school 💕

[@dwarika7]

How to set oneself in starting position to swim backstroke?

[@carek5294]

I enjoyed watching the video and the body rotation is interesting. However, water often gets into my nostrils as soon as I start backward crawling. What do you think may be the cause. Thanks in advance for your reply.

[@SaurabhSharma-iy7ci]

Have you find a way out?

[@bigcatlove5192]

You should be breathing out as your arm enters the water. It’s all about correct timing.

[@markketello5757]

So how do you keep from smashing your head against the wall, count your strokes, or do you look to the bottom of the pool?

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

Doesn't the hand reach the wall before the head?

[@NickMaovich]

bruh that rotation tho gotta try

[@muttaheriffat9537]

thank you for this vid because in 6 days im going swimming at my school and i want to go in the big pool

[@gtn]

Glad this video helped! In 5 days time let us know if you succeeded, good luck! 🙌

[@sciencesplashkidsjunior3744]

Why am I watching this because I have a school swimming competition soon

[@Goos_99]

how do you not get water in your nose ????

[@Dinho675]

How do I use my hips? Everytime that I try to swim, I move to the opposite side. I don't know how to activate my hips. haha

[@melancholicallybeautiful]

I learn swimmimg when youtube era still not exist 😅

[@VS-ep6dc]

Hey, I'd love to master backstroke, but water goes into my nose when I try. What's the role of the nose when we do backstroke? How can we prevent the water from entering the nose rather than using nose clips?

[@gtn]

This sounds like a great question for #gtncoachescorner 🙌

[@aprilsherryable]

⁠​⁠@@gtnhi. Do you already have a video on this? This is also my struggle

[@unknown_pleb9220]

How does he float so efficiently

[@michaelmichael1367]

I like breathing in Backstroke.

[@gitanjalipuri3824]

Asmaani ditcher ....listening ...

[@deehines5750]

My shoulders are too tight for the backstroke I guesa. I checked out this video to see if I was doing something wrong. I get a painful pinch in my shoulder every time I rotating my arm backwards.

[@NoOne-uz4vs]

Same here. After a few yards doing the backstroke, my shoulder started hurting. I guess I was doing it wrong. I'll try this new technique and see if the pain stops

[@oladapo5875]

I do drown when ever I do backstroke

[@diwitdharpatitripathi6782]

Backstroke swimming

[@Captinarrow_freepalstine]

👍

[@bigbuggie5]

My neck tends to hurt when I’m doing back stroke. Any tips on how to fix that?

[@gtn]

Hey, this could be a good one for #gtncoachescorner 🙌

[@bridgettbaldwin2811]

I was straining to keep my head up to see where I had been, kind of looking towards my feet. When I stopped doing this and just relaxed my neck and looked at the ceiling, it stopped hurting my neck.

[@kimjohnson8402]

Having POMS teach you how to swim... 😂

[@sammytote7078]

Wow he’s litrally like a fish

[@GoogleUser-ee8ro]

my biggest challenge is to swim in a straight line as my strokes are nit balanced

[@AriseBeHealed]

Iam desperate to learn back stroke!

[@AriseBeHealed]

Since watching this video and getting tips from other swimmers am elated and proud to say, lve cracked Backstroke swim and getting better. Sheer determination pays!

[@modest91]

@@AriseBeHealed amazing! Your comment gives me hope, im only learning to swim and will be practicing backstroke next week. I can float on my back, as my instructor thinks im stronger on my back and more relaxed.

[@AriseBeHealed]

@@modest91 You will get there. Sounds like being relaxed and floating are things you've mastered. I was so determined and realised the belief l could do it is what helped. I also feel less effort and feel more relaxed on my back. Let us know how you fair. All the best.

[@modest91]

@@AriseBeHealed yes absolutely, at 30 I decided to learn as I had been putting it off. I'm only 3 lessons in, but I look foward to them each week. I realise a major aspect of swimming is mental, and you have to try and relax and it makes it a lot easier to process. I will update. Thankyou for the words of encouragement!

[@AriseBeHealed]

@@modest91 Iam 50!. You can do this. Blessings again.

[@mndyD9]

My backstroke means I’m bound to bruise the shit out of the top of my hands

[@NxtLvlDub]

Enter with your pinky exit with your thumb 🙂

[@gitanjalipuri3824]

NQ2A

[@MattSteph]

what about breathing?

[@imlovingit473]

I'm literally amazing at breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle but I suck at backstroke 💀

[@gtn]

Practice, practice, practice. You'll get there! 🙌

[@user1name1here]

I do this all wrong. I use both arms at once.

[@user1name1here]

Robin Clark I can float that my favourite part. Just floating looking up at the sky an trying to see how many different ways I can arrange my body and still float. I one time I spent about an hour doing that. It’s fun

[@marywillis8372]

Where can we see that video of both hands at once?

[@relevant_nebula]

Who are the presenters of this video? What are their names?

[@afreenshaikh6032]

My head sinks when I do backstroke What is the problem?

[@littlesirenboy]

I’d have to see it but if any part of you is sinking below where it should be, in my experience 9/10 the kicking is not hard enough.

[@jaydeepbanerjee2275]

😃

[@barcaleicleic7781]

🌈

[@shruthilc9183]

Thankyou man

[@gitanjalipuri3824]

Speed slowing down ....now rotate 3d room n let's go to room speed increases ....j enemies room ...

[@vighneshramesh2569]

I do this and once water goes in my nose it’s over😂😂

[@Lizalotte]

Yep same!

[@charlie6196]

does it hurt your ears too when water gets in the nose?

[@npc-333]

tHIS IS MY FIRST SWIM MEET IM TERRIFIED