4LearnSwim Pathway, stage 4: First stroke
How to swim freestyle: a step-by-step guide
Freestyle, also called front crawl, is the stroke most beginners learn first. It looks simple and feels complicated, mostly because breathing and arms have to happen together. Here's how to build it in parts.
Short answer
Lie flat, face down, with a steady kick from the hips. Reach forward with one arm at a time, pull the water back towards your hips, and recover the arm over the water. Breathe out underwater and turn your head to the side to breathe in as one arm finishes its pull.
Before you start
You'll find freestyle much easier if you can already float on your front, breathe out underwater and glide and kick a few metres. If not, start there.
1. Body position
Keep your body long and level near the surface, like you're lying on a bed. Look at the pool floor, slightly ahead. Your head is the steering wheel: lift it and your legs sink.
2. The kick
A steady flutter kick from the hips, legs nearly straight, ankles relaxed. For beginners its main job is keeping the legs up, not speed.
3. The arms
- Entry: your hand enters the water in front of your shoulder, fingertips first.
- Reach: stretch forward under the surface.
- Pull: bend the elbow slightly and press the water back under your body towards your hip.
- Recovery: lift the arm out near your hip and swing it forward, relaxed, elbow leading.
One arm stays forward while the other pulls. Beginners often let both arms end up at their sides, which makes them sink.
4. Breathing
Breathe out steadily with your face in. As one arm finishes pulling back, rotate your head (with your body) to that side, keeping one goggle in the water, and take a quick breath. Turn back as the arm swings forward. Most beginners breathe every two strokes to one side.
Drills to build freestyle
- Kick with board, breathing to the side. Builds the breathing turn without arms.
- Catch-up freestyle. One arm waits in front until the other arm "catches up". Slows the stroke down so you can think.
- Single-arm freestyle. One arm on a kickboard, the other swimming. Breathe to the working-arm side.
- Swim-and-stand. Swim five strokes without breathing, stand, breathe, repeat. Then add one breath.
- Full stroke, short distances. Swim a few metres calmly, then stand. Extend gradually.
Why freestyle feels so tiring
| Cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Holding your breath | Exhale continuously underwater |
| Lifting the head to breathe | Rotate to the side; keep one goggle in |
| Kicking too hard | Smaller, steady kicks |
| Rushing the arms | Slower, longer strokes; try catch-up drill |
| Crossing hands over the centre line | Enter in line with your shoulder |
Practise safely
Practise in water shallow enough to stand in, at a pool with a lifeguard or a capable adult watching you. Never practise breath-holding or floating alone in deep water. Children should always be within arm's reach of a supervising adult.
Common questions
Is freestyle the same as front crawl?
In everyday use, yes. Technically "freestyle" in competition means any stroke, but almost everyone swims front crawl in freestyle events, so the names are used interchangeably.
How do I swim freestyle without getting tired?
Breathe out underwater, keep your head down, kick gently and slow your arms down. Most beginner tiredness comes from tension and breath-holding, not fitness.
Should I learn freestyle or breaststroke first?
Most learners start with freestyle. Breaststroke can suit adults who want their head up. Either works as a first stroke.
Written by the Swim2u Swim School coaching team. Last reviewed 18 September 2026.