Breaststroke Streamline Kick Count
Breaststroke kick with arms in streamline, counting kicks per width – a powerful, well-finished kick means fewer kicks.
- Stages
- Swimming – Stage 8, Swimming – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Streamlining, Breaststroke Kick, Stroke Efficiency
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 1–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Give swimmers space ahead before pushing off.
What it develops
- Breaststroke: symmetrical kick with a controlled glide
- Breaststroke: compact pull and well-timed breath
How to run it
- Push off in streamline and kick breaststroke with the arms locked above the head.
- Lift the head forward to breathe every one or two kicks, returning to streamline before the kick finishes.
- Count the kicks to cross the width.
- Repeat, trying to take one fewer kick with a full finish and a short glide.
Teaching cues
- Squeeze ears with arms.
- Kick and glide.
- Finish with feet together.
Make it easier
- Hold a float at arm's length instead of streamline.
Make it harder
- Breathe every two kicks.
- Hold the same count over a length.
Common faults
- Arms drift apart.
- Short, unfinished kick to go faster.
- Head stays up.
Corrections
- 'Lock your hands.'
- 'Snap your feet together.'
- 'Head down between breaths.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand at the finish wall and repeat each swimmer's kick count back to them, then tell the teacher the best improvement.