Speedo Tip of the Week

Oct 27, 2009

Breaststroke Pullout

BY Kelsey Savage Hays
The breaststroke pullout, or the underwater stroke that begins a lap of breaststroke, is a key factor to any breaststroke event, especially longer ones.

“In a 200 yard breaststroke, pullouts make up 40% of the race,” said coach Pat Murphy, head coach and owner of the Chattahochee Gold Swim Teamd. “It’s really important for swimmers to be able to hold their breath and complete strong pullouts off every wall.”
 
For weak breaststrokers, mastering the pullout can immediately improve their races.
 
Since pullouts are made up of three separate steps (the glide, where body position is key; the pull, which mimics butterfly’s underwater movement; and the kick, the most powerful part), Murphy teaches a progression drill to swimmers hoping to improve their pullouts.
 
Step 1
Starting with just a push and glide, swimmers see how far they can get off the wall while maintaining a tight streamline, with their necks aligned and abdomens taut. Toes should be pointed and feet together. While pushing off the wall, swimmers should aim to move forward in a straight line – deep enough underwater to comfortably complete the pullout, but not diagonally towards the bottom of the pool. After practicing a few push-offs, swimmers can begin to add the arm pull, gliding off the wall with a tight streamline and using their arms just before they have lost momentum from their push. The arm movement for breaststroke pullouts is the same movement used in the butterfly. During their pull, as their hands pass by their shoulders and chest, swimmers do a quick butterfly kick.
 
Step 2
After mastering the pulling movement, swimmers are ready to add a kick and complete their pullout. Murphy sees many swimmers rushing to get the kick and recovery finished in order to get to the surface and breathe, a mistake that lessens the impact of their kick, which should be the most powerful part of the pullout and needs to be strong and unrushed. After pulling their arms down to their waist and completing a butterfly kick, swimmers do a frog kick, making sure their feet are turned out, and then push back completely. Simultaneously, their hands sneak along their body and their heads remain in line with the rest of their body until their hands are in front of the face and beginning the first above-water stroke.  
 
Step 3
For the last step of the drill, Murphy has his swimmers dive from blocks into the water and then do one full pullout, coming up wherever they are in the pool when finished. Swimmers should also practice doing a pullout and breaking the surface of the water sprinting. Murphy emphasizes that it shouldn’t take several strokes to get into a race-rhythm; the first stroke after breaking the water sets the rhythm for the rest of the race.