What Are the 4 Basic Swimming Strokes? A Complete Beginner's Guide

Author : Ryan Lim | Published On : 20 Oct 2026

The four basic swimming strokes are freestyle (also called front crawl), backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. These are the strokes recognised by World Aquatics and swum at the Olympic Games, and they form the foundation of nearly every swimming lesson, whether the learner is a four-year-old or an adult who has never put their face in the water.

Each stroke has its own body position, kick and rhythm. Some feel natural within a few lessons, while others take months of patient practice. Here is how each one works, which is easiest, which is fastest, and the order in which most beginners find it sensible to learn them.

The 4 Swimming Strokes at a Glance

1. Freestyle (Front Crawl)

What is freestyle?

Strictly speaking, "freestyle" is a race category in which swimmers may use any stroke. Front crawl is so much quicker than the alternatives that the two names are now used interchangeably. The swimmer lies face down, the arms take turns pulling, and the legs kick continuously.

Body position and technique

Aim for a long, flat body with the head in line with the spine, eyes looking down and slightly forward. Each arm reaches ahead, catches the water and pulls beneath the body towards the hip. The kick comes from the hips, with loose ankles and small, quick movements. Big, splashy kicks look impressive but tire children out quickly.

Breathing technique

The head turns to the side as one arm recovers over the water, keeping one goggle lens in the water. Breathing every three strokes, known as bilateral breathing, helps a swimmer develop an even stroke on both sides. Beginners are often happy breathing to their favourite side first, and that is perfectly fine. What matters more is breathing out steadily underwater. Holding the breath is the most common reason young swimmers run out of energy after a length.

Common mistakes

Lifting the head to look forward is the classic one. It drops the hips and legs, and the swimmer ends up swimming uphill. Kicking from the knees and crossing the hand over the centre line are also common.

Benefits

Freestyle is efficient and builds cardiovascular fitness. Along with backstroke, it is usually among the first strokes children learn.

2. Backstroke

What is backstroke?

Backstroke is swum on the back, with the face above the water throughout. The arms move in an alternating windmill pattern while the legs flutter kick.

Body position and arm movement

The ears sit in the water, the eyes look up at the ceiling or sky, and the hips stay near the surface. Each arm enters the water little finger first, directly above the shoulder, and pushes down and back.

Flutter kick and body rotation

The kick is similar to freestyle, but the toes should just break the surface. The shoulders and hips rotate gently from side to side as the arms work. A flat, rigid body makes the stroke harder than it needs to be.

Common mistakes

Sitting in the water with sagging hips is the most frequent problem, usually caused by lifting the head to watch the feet. Cycling the legs like a bicycle, with the knees bending too far, is another.

Benefits

Breathing is easy, which makes backstroke calming for nervous swimmers. It opens the chest, works the back and shoulders, and many swimmers find it a comfortable way to recover between harder sets. The only real challenge is not seeing where you are heading, so lane ropes and the backstroke flags above the pool become useful guides.

3. Breaststroke

What is breaststroke?

Breaststroke is the only one of the four strokes where the arms and legs move symmetrically, with both sides doing the same thing at the same time. It is also the slowest competitive stroke, though many swimmers find it the most relaxed.

Arm pull, breathing and glide timing

The hands sweep outwards and then in, in a small heart shape in front of the chest. They never pull past the shoulders. As the hands come together, the head lifts naturally to breathe, then the arms shoot forward into a glide. The rhythm is pull, breathe, kick, glide.

Whip kick technique

The heels draw towards the bottom, the feet turn outwards with toes flexed, and then the legs circle round and squeeze together. It feels unnatural at first, and plenty of children need several terms of practice before it clicks.

Common mistakes

The scissor kick, where one leg moves differently from the other, is the one coaches see most. Others include pulling the arms too far back, lifting the head too high, and rushing the glide.

Benefits

The head is up for most of the stroke, which builds confidence. The pace is gentle, so breaststroke suits recreational swimming and longer, steadier swims.

4. Butterfly Stroke

What is butterfly?

Butterfly is the most dynamic of the four strokes. Both arms move together over the water while the body ripples like a wave.

Dolphin kick and arm movement

Both legs kick together in a dolphin kick, with the movement starting from the chest and flowing through the hips. There are two kicks for every arm cycle: one as the hands enter the water and a stronger one as they exit.

Breathing rhythm

The swimmer breathes forward, keeping the chin low and skimming the surface, usually every one or two strokes. Lifting too high breaks the rhythm and sinks the hips.

Why it is the hardest stroke

Butterfly demands timing, core strength and powerful shoulders all at once. Even strong swimmers tire quickly, because the arms have no alternating rest period.

Common mistakes and benefits

Common errors include pulling too wide, kicking from the knees and swimming too far before stopping to rest. In return, butterfly builds impressive upper body and core strength. Most coaches introduce it once the other strokes feel secure.

Which Swimming Stroke Is Easiest, Fastest and Hardest?

Easiest: Backstroke and freestyle tend to be the easiest for beginners, mainly because the movements are simple and alternating. Backstroke removes the breathing challenge, while freestyle rewards children who are happy putting their face in the water. Every swimmer is different, though, and some people find breaststroke more natural.

Fastest: Freestyle. It is the quickest stroke in competition, which is why it is swum in the final leg of a medley race.

Hardest: Butterfly, for the reasons above.

In What Order Should Beginners Learn the Strokes?

There is no single correct order, but a sequence that works well for most beginners looks like this:

1. Water confidence: floating, blowing bubbles and putting the face in the water

2. Backstroke or freestyle

3. Breaststroke

4. Butterfly

Beginners benefit most from kicking drills with a kickboard and plenty of short, repeated practice. Well-structured swimming programmes usually follow a similar progression, introducing each stroke in small stages so skills build gradually and confidence grows alongside them. A child who is not ready for the next stroke is not failing. Progress depends on age, physical development, confidence and how often they swim, and a good instructor adjusts accordingly.

How the 4 Strokes Are Used in Competitive Swimming

In the individual medley (IM), one swimmer uses all four strokes in this order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle.

The medley relay has four swimmers, each covering one stroke, in a slightly different order: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle. The order differs because backstroke starts in the water, while the other strokes start from the blocks.

Each stroke also has its own individual events at the Olympic Games, over a range of distances.

Conclusion

Freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly each offer something different, from the simplicity of backstroke to the power of butterfly. Learning them gradually, with plenty of practice and a patient approach, gives swimmers both skill and confidence in the water. A qualified instructor can spot small technique faults early, and that guidance makes a real difference. Children should always be supervised around water, whatever their ability.

FAQd

How many swimming strokes are there?

Four recognised competitive strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. There are also several non-competitive strokes, such as sidestroke.

What is the easiest swimming stroke to learn?

For most beginners, backstroke or freestyle, though individual preferences vary.

Which swimming stroke burns the most calories?

Butterfly generally uses the most energy per minute, followed by freestyle. The actual number depends on effort, pace and body size, so the best stroke for fitness is one you can keep doing consistently.

What is the fastest swimming stroke?
 

Freestyle (front crawl).

Which stroke should I learn first?

 Freestyle or backstroke, after you feel comfortable in the water.