Backstroke Arms – swimming activities

Straight-arm recovery, entry in line with the shoulder, catch and push to the thigh.

Activities

• Backstroke Windmills – Swimmers kick on their back and add one arm at a time, lifting it straight up and over like a windmill.
• Bend and Push – The backstroke underwater arm bends and then pushes the water down to the thigh – a stronger, safer catch than a straight-arm sweep.
• Double-Arm Backstroke – Both arms recover and pull together – a balanced way to feel straight arms and entry width before alternating.
• Eleven and One – Imagine a clock above the head: the left hand enters at eleven and the right at one – fixes entries too wide or too narrow.
• Opposite Arms – As one hand enters, the other leaves the water at the thigh – continuous backstroke arms with no pause.
• Single-Arm Backstroke – One arm works while the other rests by the side – isolates a straight recovery and an entry in line with the shoulder.
• Stop at the Top – Swimmers pause each arm straight up at the top of the recovery to check it is straight, thumb-first turning to little-finger-first.
• Thumbs Up, Pinkies In – A simple rhyme for backstroke hands: thumb leaves the water first, little finger enters first.