Types of Swimming Strokes: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke & More

The main types of swimming strokes are freestyle (front crawl), backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly — the four strokes swum in competition — plus sidestroke and elementary backstroke, which are used for fitness, survival, and lifeguard rescues. Each stroke moves the body through water differently, which is why swimmers pick one over another depending on whether they’re racing for time, building endurance, or just trying to stay afloat safely. If you’re new to the pool, start with our guide on how to start swimming before working through the strokes below.

The Four Competitive Swimming Strokes

Every Olympic swimming event is built around four legal strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. World Aquatics (the sport’s global governing body) defines strict technical rules for each one, right down to how a swimmer’s hands must touch the wall on a turn. These four strokes also form the individual medley, where one swimmer performs all four in sequence, and the medley relay, where four teammates each swim one leg.

Freestyle is the only event where the rulebook doesn’t dictate a specific stroke — “freestyle” technically means “any stroke you want” — but every competitive swimmer uses front crawl because nothing else moves through the water faster.

Freestyle (Front Crawl): The Fastest Stroke

Freestyle, or front crawl, is the fastest and most efficient of all swimming strokes, which is why elite swimmers like Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky built their careers largely around it. The swimmer lies face-down and alternates arms in a windmill motion — one arm pulls underwater while the other recovers above the surface — combined with a continuous flutter kick. Because the body stays streamlined and one arm is always generating propulsion, freestyle wastes very little energy.

It’s the go-to stroke for open-water swimming, triathlons, and fitness laps, and it’s usually the first full stroke beginners are taught. Read the full breakdown in our freestyle swimming guide.

Backstroke: Racing on Your Back

Backstroke mirrors the front crawl’s arm and leg mechanics but is performed lying face-up. It’s the only competitive stroke that starts in the water rather than with a dive, since swimmers push off the wall on their backs. Because the face stays above water, backstroke is often recommended for people managing back issues or working on posture, and it’s a natural stroke to pair with sighting skills since swimmers can’t see where they’re going.

Backstroke ranks as the third-fastest of the four competitive strokes. For technique cues and common mistakes, see our backstroke swimming guide.

Breaststroke: The Slowest but Most Popular Stroke

Breaststroke is the slowest of the four competitive strokes, but it’s also the most widely taught and most commonly swum stroke overall — many recreational swimmers know breaststroke and nothing else. The arms pull in a circular motion in front of the chest while the legs execute a distinctive whip kick, and unlike the other three strokes, the head can stay above water for the entire stroke cycle.

That accessibility makes breaststroke a favorite starting point for adult beginners, even though its rules (a simultaneous, symmetrical arm pull and glide phase) are stricter than they look. Full mechanics are in our breaststroke swimming guide.

Butterfly: The Toughest Stroke to Master

Butterfly is widely considered the hardest stroke to learn and the second-fastest after freestyle. Both arms sweep out of the water simultaneously in a wide arc while the legs perform a wave-like dolphin kick — the same kick swimmers use underwater off every wall in every stroke. Timing the arm recovery with the kick’s two beats per cycle takes real upper-body strength and coordination, which is why butterfly is usually taught last, after a swimmer has mastered the other three strokes.

Because it’s so demanding, butterfly is rarely swum for casual fitness laps, but it’s a staple of competitive swimming and a signature event for stars featured in our list of the greatest swimmers of all time. See our full butterfly stroke guide for a step-by-step breakdown.

Sidestroke and Elementary Backstroke: Survival and Fitness Strokes

Beyond the four racing strokes, two non-competitive strokes matter for real-world swimming: sidestroke and elementary backstroke.

• Sidestroke is swum lying on one side with a scissor kick, one arm pulling in front of the body and the other trailing behind. Because it keeps the head above water and leaves one arm free, it’s the stroke lifeguards default to when towing a swimmer to safety. Learn the technique in our sidestroke swimming guide.
• Elementary backstroke is performed face-up with a whip kick and a synchronized “reach and pull” arm motion. It’s low-effort, easy to sustain, and often one of the very first strokes taught to new swimmers because it builds comfort floating on the back before backstroke’s more athletic arm recovery is introduced.

Both strokes prioritize energy conservation and breathing over raw speed, which is exactly why they’re taught in Red Cross water-safety courses rather than raced at swim meets.

How to Pick the Right Stroke: A Step-by-Step Approach

1. Decide your goal. Racing for time favors freestyle; building total-body strength favors butterfly; low-impact fitness favors breaststroke or backstroke.
2. Check your comfort in the water. If you’re not fully confident submerging your face, start with elementary backstroke or breaststroke, both of which let you keep your head up.
3. Learn the kick first. Every stroke’s power comes from the legs and core, not the arms — master the flutter kick (freestyle/backstroke), whip kick (breaststroke/elementary backstroke), or dolphin kick (butterfly) before adding the arm pull.
4. Add the arm pattern. Layer in the stroke-specific arm motion once the kick is automatic, keeping strokes long and controlled rather than fast and choppy.
5. Practice the turn. Competitive swimmers finish each pool length with a flip turn to save time; recreational swimmers can use an open turn instead.
6. Mix strokes to build well-roundedness. Rotating through all six strokes in practice, the way medley relay swimmers must, builds a more complete set of muscles and skills than repeating one stroke alone.

Swimming Strokes Comparison Table

Stroke	Speed	Difficulty	Best For
Freestyle (front crawl)	Fastest	Moderate	Racing, open water, fitness laps
Butterfly	2nd fastest	Hardest	Competitive racing, upper-body strength
Backstroke	3rd fastest	Moderate	Racing, back-friendly fitness
Breaststroke	Slowest (of the 4)	Easiest of the 4	Beginners, recreational swimming
Sidestroke	Slow, efficient	Easy	Lifeguard rescues, long-distance survival
Elementary backstroke	Slow	Easiest overall	Beginners, relaxed fitness, floating confidence

Once you’re comfortable with all six, the natural next step is combining them: the individual medley tests every stroke in one race, while a medley relay turns it into a four-person team event. Whichever stroke you start with, pairing solid technique with a real training plan — outlined in our beginner’s guide to starting swimming — is what actually moves you from splashing around to swimming with purpose.