There are four different swimming strokes that are officially recognized as a stroke by the FINA (International Swimming Federation). These four strokes are called Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle. Each swimming stroke has different benefits and efficiency rates, and each swim stroke is done differently. In this article, we try to give a brief idea about different Swimming strokes and their benefits.

Different Swimming strokes and their benefits

Butterfly Swimming

The butterfly is often regarded as the toughest stroke to swim. This stroke requires a lot of power and training in order to be done correctly. It is a very impressive swimming stroke that uses a wave-like movement which starts in the upper body and goes all the way to the legs. Butterfly generally burns fatter than other strokes because it really involves your entire body when swimming and a more complex body movement and it’s one of the best swim strokes for exercise.



The most used muscle groups while swimming butterfly is your chest, your back, your core, and your shoulders. Swimming butterfly can be a lot of fun once the stroke is mastered. It also looks fantastic and it’s a good stroke to impress people in your swimming skills. Not many people know how to swim this stroke and especially not many people know how to swim the stroke with the correct technique.

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Backstroke Swimming

Backstroke, like the name, already suggests, is done on your back. For some people, this stroke is easier than others because it doesn’t require swimmers to hold their breath. Since backstroke is done on the back, swimmers are always able to take a breath and don’t have to wait for the next stroke. If we talk about the benefits of breaststroke swimming then note that Swimming backstroke is a great workout for the back muscles and the hamstrings. It also requires a lot of core stability.



Backstroke is often used as therapy for people who suffer from back problems. Learning how to swim backstroke is generally a bit harder than freestyle because it takes swimmers some time to learn the proper movements. It can be initially a bit challenging to hold the balance while on the back. Additionally, it could be difficult because swimmers can’t see where they are going. However, it is a much faster stroke than breaststroke, but a slower stroke than butterfly and freestyle.

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Breaststroke Swimming

Although breaststroke is sometimes considered as a very slow stroke that is bad for the spine and back due to the constant upward movement of the head, it is a very good stroke for exercise and has lots of health benefits. Breaststroke is the only stroke that can be done without having to put the head underwater, although it is recommended to swim with the head underwater in order to minimize the spine and back strain.

In most schools and swim courses, this is also the first stroke that people learn to swim because it requires the least amount of prior experience in the water. However, in order to learn an efficient and correct breaststroke, swimmers will have to put in more time than for other strokes like freestyle or backstroke. Because breaststroke can be done with the head above the water, it is good for people who are afraid of submerging their head or who have not yet learned how to take proper breaths while swimming.



For some swimmers, the synchronized arm and legs movements are very easy to pick up, for some they take many years of practice. Let check some breaststroke swimming benefits first, The stroke gives swimmers a good chest, lat muscle and cardiovascular workout. One problem with breaststroke swimming is, that if done in large amounts, it can be harmful to the knees and elbows and the spine because it strains these parts of your body. But don’t expect to win a race against swimmers doing a different stroke! Breaststroke is the slowest of the four strokes and doesn’t offer a great deal of fat-burning potential.

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Freestyle Swimming

Freestyle, often known as front crawl, is the fastest and most efficient out of the four strokes. While swimming freestyle, swimmers can be much faster and swim for longer distances with less energy when compared to all the other strokes. For most swimmers, this is the preferred stroke for longer distances and for fast swimming. In order to learn freestyle swimming, swimmers need to have proper coordination of arms and legs and especially their breathing, which is done to the side.

Swimmers also need to learn how to hold their breath underwater since the head is submerged for the most part of the freestyle stroke. Breathing to the side with very little time and water coming in your mouth or nose also has to be practiced. As stated earlier, freestyle swimming has the greatest force. It works your entire upper body, but especially the chest, lat and back muscles. With a strong kick, it also works your thighs and butt muscles.

The most efficient swim stroke

After reviewing all four strokes, its easy to say, that freestyle is the most efficient swim stroke and the best stroke for a full-body exercise. Freestyle requires the least amount of training to get the technique correct and it works your entire body, while not overworking any joints and body parts like breaststroke or butterfly. It is also the fastest way to move in the water. If you are planning to use swimming as an exercise, we recommend you swim freestyle in order to exercise your whole body, burn fat, and boost your metabolism without injuring yourself. In order to learn how to swim freestyle correct, it is best to take one or two private lessons with a swim coach or watching YouTube videos with tips and tricks on how to improve. hope you enjoy our different Swimming strokes and their benefits, to learn more about swimming like swimming rules, their benefits, how to start swimming, swimmer body sign just turn on home page.