Swimming skills
18 skills, beginner to advanced. 15 of them you can film on a phone and get measured. No fake scores.
Skills by level
You can film15 of 18 skills
Beginner 5
- Body Position & BalanceIn swimming, reducing drag matters as much as propulsion — and it all starts with body position. The goal is to lie flat, long, and horizontal on the surface like a torpedo.
- StreamlineStreamline is the tight, narrow 'torpedo' shape you hold off every push-off and dive to slice through the water with minimal drag. You're fastest right after pushing off the wall, so holding a good streamline lets you carry that speed.
- Flutter KickThe flutter kick is the alternating up-and-down leg kick of freestyle and backstroke. Its main job is to keep your body high and stable, not to be your main engine — so it's small, fast, and compact.
- Freestyle Arm PullYour arms are the main engine of freestyle. The stroke cycles through entry, catch, pull, and recovery: your hand enters fingertips-first in front of your shoulder, grabs the water, pulls back along your body, and then the relaxed arm swings forward over the water to start again.
- Breathing BasicsBreathing is what trips up most new swimmers, but the fix is simple: breathe WITH your body's rotation, not by lifting your head. You exhale steadily underwater, then turn your head to the side with your natural roll to grab a quick breath — keeping one goggle in the water.
Intermediate 5
- Freestyle CatchThe catch is the setup for your entire pull, and getting it right is what makes some swimmers look effortless. The technique is the 'high elbow catch' or Early Vertical Forearm (EVF): early in the pull, you bend your elbow and set your forearm vertical so your whole hand-and-forearm acts as one big paddle pressing…
- Body RotationGood freestyle isn't swum flat — you rotate along your long axis (head to toe) with each stroke. This rotation, driven by your CORE and initiated by your hips, lets you reach further, pull more powerfully with your back, and breathe easily.
- Bilateral BreathingBilateral breathing means breathing to both sides, typically every three strokes (alternating sides). It builds a more symmetrical, balanced stroke, prevents muscular imbalances, and develops even rotation both ways.
- BackstrokeBackstroke is freestyle's mirror image, swum on your back. You stay flat and streamlined face-up, windmill your arms in continuous opposition (one pulling underwater while the other recovers over the top), kick a steady flutter, and roll slightly side to side from the core.
- Push-Off & GlideEvery wall is a chance for free speed. A strong push-off into a tight streamline lets you carry your fastest velocity of each lap before you start stroking.
Advanced 5
- BreaststrokeBreaststroke is the most timing-sensitive stroke: it lives or dies on the rhythm 'pull, breathe, kick, GLIDE.' Your arms sweep out and in while your legs do a whip (frog) kick, and a streamlined glide between strokes is part of the stroke, not a pause to skip. A safety note: the whip kick's valgus load makes…
- ButterflyButterfly is the hardest stroke, demanding the most strength, coordination, and timing. It's built on an undulating, wave-like body motion — chest presses down, hips drive — with both arms recovering over the water simultaneously and a dolphin kick.
- Flip TurnThe freestyle flip turn is where races are won or lost — more time is gained or lost on the underwater portion of the turn than almost anywhere else. You somersault into the wall, plant your feet, push off into a tight streamline, and dolphin kick away aggressively.
- Underwater Dolphin KickSometimes called the 'fifth stroke,' the underwater dolphin kick is the fast, whip-like undulation you do off every wall and start (up to the 15 m mark). It's powered by your core, not just your legs: you create a stable streamline and send a wave from your chest through your hips to your feet, kicking in both…
- High-Elbow CatchThis is the advanced refinement of the freestyle catch you met earlier: mastering the Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) so your forearm becomes a powerful vertical paddle as early as possible in the pull. Done well, it's the single biggest reason some swimmers look 'effortless' — and it also protects your shoulder,…
Insane 3
- Racing DiveThe racing dive (start) sets the tone for a whole race — a full body length can be won or lost here. From the block you explode forward, fly in a tight line, and pierce the water cleanly with your fingertips to carry speed into a streamlined underwater.
- Stroke EfficiencyFast swimming is about efficiency, captured by 'distance per stroke' (DPS) — how far you travel with each stroke. Your speed is basically your stroke length times your stroke rate, so the goal is to maximize distance per stroke WITHOUT letting your tempo collapse.
- Open-Water SightingIn open water there are no lane lines, so you have to look up to navigate — but lifting your head drops your hips and brakes you, so the skill is sighting with minimal disruption. The classic technique is 'alligator eyes': press your lead hand, lift just your eyes above the surface for a quick peek, then roll into…