Competition rules
- We swim distances of 50 to 200m.
- The swimmers must push off in a supine position at the start and at every turn.
- Swimming over the entire distance, except for the turn, is only allowed in the supine position.
- After the start and after each turn the swimmer may be fully submerged for 15 meters.
- During each turn, the body may be turned to the chest position, but no more arm pulls or leg strikes may be made that are not related to the turn.
- The body must be in the supine position for the target stop.
Error
Typical mistakes in backstroke swimming are:
- Arm action under water without elbow flexion leads to a deteriorated abutment, which in turn results in slow propulsion.
- Elbows are bent too early.
- Lateral movement of the arms under water results in a serpentine swim.
- The legs are not stretched and the knees come out of the water. This leads to no propulsion.
- Too much flexion in the hip leads to a sitting position in the water. This increases resistance and reduces propulsion.
