Survival Backstroke | Survival Breaststroke

How To Swim & Survive

There are a whole variety of names for this stroke. Sometimes referred to as "Elementary Backstroke or Survival Backstroke or Survival Breaststroke", it's about knowing how to survive when you have got too far to swim or you are injured. Its primary function is to allow you to make slow but steady progress in the water, whilst you maintain as much heat as you can.

Wait... Get Your Lesson Plans Here

There is a version that you can use as a rescue stroke that is sometimes referred to by the same names above; despite being quite different in their function. In fact, the only thing that is the same is the leg action because your arms are occupied in a rescue. More than that, even though your legs move with the same action they move much faster because your objective is quite different. But that is another post.

Every swimmer Should Learn This Stroke and how to keep your bearings when doing it!

Survival Breaststroke Often Neglected

Survival breaststroke is an often neglected stroke because it is not a competitive stroke. But it is a stroke that should be learn by everybody.

It is one thing to know how to swim it is another to know how to survive. It seems to me that no one should want to find themselves in a high-risk situation, desperately needing to get to safety but simply unable to make it because of exhaustion or you are injured. Such a situation is exactly what this stroke is designed for.

I can't overemphasize that this stroke is intended to be done slowly. In fact, you should stay in the glide position for as long as you possibly can. You should only do the actual stroke when you have lost your momentum and are beginning to come to a stop.

The video below also covers sidestroke.

Enjoy
   Richard