When we start thinking about full stroke breaststroke, we want to start with the pull. And in order to build to a proper pull, we're going to start understanding how deep the pull is or how far back the elbows go.

A great place to start understanding that elbows should be in front of you or the pull should be smaller is to lay over the lane line and sweep your hands out and back into extension through regular breaststroke pull.

The lane line will inhibit your elbows from going past the shoulders. This is what a great breaststroke pull is going to feel like, especially when you get started. You don't want the elbows coming back too far, because we also have to be very aware of the recovery and the resistance that the recovery can brain. By limiting how far back the elbows go, we can spend more time producing force rather than creating resistance that will come with a big recovery. If you don't have a lane line. 

Another way is just to lay on the side of the pool on the deck and lay the underarm right at the edge of the pool. You'll be able to pull the same way that our swimmer did on the lane line. The wall will stop the elbows from coming too far back. You simply can't go through the wall. So this is another way that you can practice a small pull and start to develop a great front end for your breaststroke.


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Lane line pull