You push off the wall, take stroke after stroke, and still watch the swimmer next to you glide past with half the effort.
Do you know what makes this difference?
Don’t worry if not,
The difference is distance per stroke (DPS): how far you travel in one pull-kick-glide cycle.
Breaststroke is the only stroke where the kick drives most of your propulsion, so each cycle matters more here than in any other stroke. This article covers practical fixes for kick, pull, timing, and streamline.
What Distance Per Stroke Actually Means in Breaststroke
In freestyle, each arm entry counts as one stroke. Breaststroke works differently. One stroke equals one full cycle: pull, kick, glide. Count how many cycles you take per 25 meters after the breakout, and you have your stroke count. Lower count means more distance per cycle.
Breaststroke has far fewer strokes per length than freestyle. A freestyler might take 16 to 20 strokes per 25 meters. A breaststroker takes 5 to 10. Losing half a meter per cycle adds up fast over a 100 or 200.
Why Breaststroke DPS Matters More Than You Think
Fewer strokes per length means lower oxygen demand and fewer disruptions to your body line. Over a 200-meter race, that keeps your pace steady through the back half instead of falling apart.
Poor DPS forces compensation. Swimmers who cover little distance per cycle tend to over-pull or over-kick, which loads the shoulders and knees. Adam Peaty estimates the kick accounts for roughly 70% of breaststroke propulsion. He combines high DPS with fast tempo, but DPS comes first. You build tempo on top of distance per stroke.
| Rocket Swim Club coaches Alina and Ivan, former Moldova National Swim Team members, work with swimmers across the Greater Toronto Area on stroke-specific technique. |
Fix Your Kick to Travel Further Per Stroke
Kick Width, Power, and Finishing the Kick
A narrow kick produces more propulsion with less drag. Whip your heels back rather than spreading your knees wide. When the knees flare wider than the hips, the thighs act as a brake. Coaches see this constantly: strong legs, wide kick, slow swimmer. The drag eats the power.
Foot position matters. Flex your feet outward during the push so the soles catch water. Point your toes as your legs close into the glide. That snap from flexed to pointed drives the final burst forward. If your legs never fully close and straighten, you lose the squeeze that sends you into the glide.
Hip Mobility and How It Affects Your Kick Width
Tight hips limit how much water the soles of your feet can catch. Even two to three minutes of targeted stretching before practice, like the frog stretch, pigeon pose, or ankle circles, can open up your kick range. Small mobility gains translate to real distance gains in the water.
Get More Out of Your Pull
Pull Shape, Catch, and Arm Recovery
The breaststroke pull stays in front of your shoulders. Pulling past the shoulder line drops the hips and adds drag. Your hands press outward and sweep inward in a quick sculling motion. Keep the circle small and fast.
Recovery speed matters. After the insweep, shoot your hands forward. Slow arm recovery kills momentum before the glide starts. A coaching cue that works well: pull into your breath, kick into your stretch.
| Rocket Swim Club offers private swimming lessons across the GTA for real-time stroke correction. Contact info@rocketswim.com to book a session. |
Timing: The Part Most Swimmers Get Wrong
The Pull-Kick-Glide Sequence
Pulling and kicking at the same time is the most common DPS mistake. The correct sequence: pull and breathe, then kick as your arms shoot forward, then glide. Your kick should send you into streamline, not compete with your pull.
Think of kicking your hands forward. The kick happens as the arms extend, so kick energy goes into forward motion. Competitive swimmers shorten the glide but never skip it. Recreational swimmers should hold it longer.
Streamline Position and Body Line
Reducing Drag Between Strokes
During the glide, look straight down at the bottom of the pool. Looking forward pushes the hips down and breaks your body line. Extend your arms fully, hands together, biceps close to your ears.
Hold your breath during the glide for buoyancy. This keeps your hips near the surface. Exhale right before you lift your head to breathe. Tighter streamline adds measurable distance per stroke over a full race.
How to Measure and Track Your Breaststroke DPS
Stroke Counting and SWOLF for Breaststroke
Count full stroke cycles per 25 meters after your breakout. SWOLF adds your stroke count to your time for the length. Lower SWOLF means better efficiency. Push-off distance, fatigue, and effort level all affect the count, so track over multiple sessions for a reliable baseline.
Breaststroke DPS Benchmarks by Skill Level
Approximate stroke counts per 25 meters at moderate pace. Body size and push-off distance affect these numbers, so use them as guidelines.
- Beginner: 10 to 14 strokes per 25m
- Intermediate: 7 to 9 strokes per 25m
- Competitive: 5 to 7 strokes per 25m
| Rocket Swim Club uses Sportecos performance tracking to monitor stroke count and splits over time. |
Drills That Actually Increase Breaststroke DPS
Drill Progression for Distance Per Stroke
These drills target kick power, pull efficiency, and timing. Rocket Swim Club coaches use them with swimmers at every level.
- 2-Kick-1-Pull: One pull, two kicks per cycle. The second kick forces maximum distance from each kick.
- Single Kick Isolation: Push off in streamline, do one kick only. Mark how far you travel. Repeat and try to go further.
- Breaststroke Sculling: Scull on your front in pull position to build a better feel for the water.
- Closed-Fist Breaststroke: Swim full stroke with fists closed. Opening your hands again makes the catch feel larger.
- Glide-Count Drill: Count to two during each glide. If you cannot hold it, your timing needs work.
DPS vs. Tempo: When to Focus on What
Balancing Distance Per Stroke and Stroke Rate
DPS and tempo are inversely related. As stroke rate goes up, distance per stroke drops. For the 200 breaststroke, DPS matters most because you cannot sprint the whole race. For the 50 and 100, tempo takes over, but DPS still sets the floor.
In training, build DPS first. Layer tempo on top once your distance per stroke is solid.
Take Your Breaststroke to the Next Level
Rocket Swim Club Coaching and Programs
Nothing replaces a coach watching your stroke in real time. Rocket Swim Club offers private lessons, Junior through Senior competitive programs, and a Masters program for adults 30+ across the Greater Toronto Area.
| Book a tryout or private lesson at rocketswim.com or email info@rocketswim.com. |
Conclusion
Breaststroke DPS comes down to four things: a narrow kick that finishes completely, a small pull that stays in front of the shoulders, correct pull-kick-glide timing, and a tight streamline during the glide.
Your first step: count your strokes at your next practice. Pick one area from this article, work on it, and track your count over time.