Breaststroke
Breaststroke involves swimming by alternating one stroke and one kick, with the movements of the right arm and leg in sync with those of the left arm and leg.
Officials on deck ensure safety, organization, timekeeping, and fair competition. During the race, they observe you swimming to the best of your ability and ensure the rules of the competition. They implement the rules with a heavy heart, knowing it's a part of the swimmer's learning process. By learning the rules during practice and reviewing them here, you reduce the likelihood of disqualification.
We compiled a list of what you can do in a Breaststroke event to have a valid race. This list is not exhaustive! Keep following your coach's instructions to swim properly while being competitive.
1
Breaststroke is the only stroke you do not have to worry about the 15m mark. However, the start and turns are more complex.
2
At the start and after every turn, you are allowed to do only one butterfly kick, and one stroke passing the hips while submerged. After that, you have to initiate the style and surface the water.
3
Make sure your left leg and arm are in sync with your right leg and arm, never alternating. If your goggles fall and you want to fix them, do it while keeping synchronous movements at all times. A single alternated movement can disqualify you.
4
Do not pull on the lane ropes or push off the pool's bottom during the swim.
5
It's the most technical of the styles. Your head can go underwater after a kick but must surface the water during a stroke. The strokes cannot bring your elbows out of the water and your hands cannot pass the hips. Turn your feet outward during the propulsive part of the kick.
6
Always touch the wall with your two hands simultaneously. The touch can be done in many ways, but always simultaneous and not stacked (one hand over the other).
7
When finished, don't leave your lane until all swimmers have finished. Leave the pool when instructed to do it.
Source: Swimming Canada Rules
