Have you ever wondered how Adam Peaty swims so fast? This Whiteboard Wednesday is a deep dive on his latest World Record performance in the 100m Breaststroke at the 2018 European Championships. In this video we overview the common technique elements that are shared by the best breaststrokers in the world!
Who is Adam Peaty?
Adam Peaty is the best breaststroker in the world. He holds the World Record in the 50m and 100m Long Course Meter Breaststroke and is the 2016 Olympic Champion in the 100m Breaststroke. He is known for his speed and power in the sprint breaststroke races and is an athletic icon in the United Kingdom and for swimmers all over the world.
- Date of Birth: December 28, 1994
- Height: 1.9 Meters
- Weight: 96 Kg
Check out our analysis of Adam’s breaststroke technique!
Breaststroke Mechanics
Breaststroke is often regarded as one of the more difficult strokes to master. It’s slow, your body position is low in the water, and if you’re not gifted with out-ward pointing breaststroke feet, it can be real struggle. Below are six elements to master for elite breaststroke:
Related: How to Swim Breaststroke with Perfect Technique
1) Strong Kick
Because you’re so low in the water while swimming breaststroke, your legs have to do more work to keep your body moving forward. To push the most water back, the feet turn out and the toes point to the side. The feet should not extend past the width of the knees. The kick will naturally extend downward.
2) Fast Recovery
The best breaststrokers have the most speed when they extend into streamline. The best breaststrokers also have the most speed at the peak of their stroke/breath: just before extending into line, and they slow down the least at that point. Speed is the name of the game! Below is a animated gif of World Record holder Adam Peaty (In real speed):
3) Narrow Kick
The best kickers have a very narrow profile with their legs, yet good ankle flexibility to grab water. If the kick becomes too wide, there will be too much drag. The best swimmers have a balance between generating propulsion and decreasing drag by keeping their profile narrow in the water.
4) High Body Line
It’s very important to maintain a very high body position even at the lowest points of the stroke (the breath). The breaststroke line is finger tips to toes. The head needs to hide between the arms and the hips are high and just under the surface of the water.
5) Low Stroke Count
If you’ve ever seen a world class breaststroker in person, it’s amazing to see how few strokes they take per length. Male or female, the best swimmers literally only five or six strokes per length in a short course (25m) pool. To do this, focus on keeping your hands on the same vector as the plane of the water during the recovery of the stroke. Limit recovery time, and keep the pull out of the way of the kick.
6) Power
Breaststroke is so inefficient, there becomes a benefit to having natural strength in the water. Being able to generate power and combat the resistance of the water while swimming is a huge part of swimming breaststroke fast at an elite level. Look no further than Adam Peaty!
See Also: How To Swim Breaststroke With World Class Technique
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