Swimming Breaststroke: How to Maximise Your Pullout Off Every Wall

Swimming Breaststroke: How to Maximise Your Pullout Off Every Wall#

The breaststroke pullout — the underwater sequence that follows each turn and the start — is the fastest phase of every breaststroke length. Underwater, a swimmer moves faster than on the surface because there is no wave drag. Elite breaststroke swimmers spend as much time as legally allowed underwater, maximising the pullout to gain a significant advantage over swimmers who surface too early.

The rules allow one complete arm pull and one leg kick underwater before the swimmer must surface. This sequence — the streamline, the pull, the glide, the kick, and the breakout — is a skill that can add 0.5 to 1.5 seconds per length when executed correctly.

The Pullout Sequence: Five Phases#

Phase 1: The Streamline Immediately after the turn or start, the body enters a tight streamline position: arms extended above the head, hands overlapping, biceps squeezed against the ears, core tight, legs together, toes pointed. The tighter the streamline, the faster the glide.

Phase 2: The Glide After the push-off, the swimmer glides in streamline until the speed drops to approximately the same speed as the surface breaststroke stroke. Gliding too long wastes time; surfacing too early wastes the underwater advantage. The optimal glide duration varies by swimmer speed — faster swimmers can glide longer because their push-off speed is higher.

Phase 3: The Pull The arms pull down and back in a wide arc, finishing at the hips (not at the sides of the body). The pull generates propulsion and sets up the body position for the kick. The hands should be angled outward at the start of the pull (to maximise the catch surface) and angled inward at the finish (to reduce drag).

Phase 4: The Glide After the Pull After the pull, the arms are at the hips and the body is in a streamlined position again. Many swimmers skip this glide and kick immediately — this is a mistake. A brief glide (0.2-0.4 seconds) after the pull allows the body to decelerate slightly, which makes the kick more effective.

Phase 5: The Kick and Breakout The legs kick in a breaststroke kick pattern, generating propulsion. As the kick finishes, the arms sweep forward into the streamline position and the swimmer surfaces into the first stroke. The breakout stroke should be timed to coincide with the peak speed from the kick.

Common Pullout Errors#

Error 1: Surfacing too early Many swimmers surface before the speed from the push-off has dropped to surface speed. This is the most costly error — it wastes the fastest phase of the length. The rule of thumb: stay underwater until you feel yourself slowing down.

Error 2: Poor streamline A loose streamline (arms not tight to the head, core not engaged, toes not pointed) creates drag and reduces the speed of the glide. Every millimetre of body width adds resistance. Focus on the tightest possible streamline position.

Error 3: Pulling too early Pulling before the glide speed has dropped means the pull is fighting against the swimmer's own momentum. Wait until the speed has dropped before initiating the pull.

Error 4: Skipping the glide after the pull Kicking immediately after the pull means the kick is fighting against the deceleration from the pull. A brief glide after the pull allows the body to stabilise before the kick.

Error 5: Surfacing before the kick is complete The swimmer should not surface until the kick is fully complete and the arms are back in the streamline position. Surfacing mid-kick wastes the propulsion from the kick.

How to Improve Your Pullout#

Drill 1: The Streamline Push-Off Push off the wall in streamline without any pull or kick. Time how long it takes to reach a specific distance (e.g., the 5-metre mark). This establishes your baseline glide speed and helps you identify the optimal moment to begin the pull.

Drill 2: The Pull-Only Pullout Perform the pullout with only the pull — no kick. Focus on the timing of the pull (wait for the glide to slow) and the arm path (wide arc, finishing at the hips). This isolates the pull technique.

Drill 3: The Full Pullout with Video Perform the full pullout sequence and video it from the side (using an underwater camera or a camera at pool level). Check: Is the streamline tight? Is the pull timed correctly? Is there a glide after the pull? Is the kick complete before surfacing?

Key Takeaways#

• The pullout is the fastest phase of every breaststroke length — maximise it.
• The streamline must be as tight as possible — arms against the head, core engaged, toes pointed.
• Wait for the glide speed to drop before initiating the pull.
• Include a brief glide after the pull before the kick.
• Do not surface until the kick is complete and the arms are back in streamline.