duck swimming

In this exercise, the swimmer is on their back. The arms lie alongside the body, with the elbows lightly touching the torso just above the hips. The legs perform a gentle flutter kick. Then, an attempt is made to generate propulsion using the forearms. To do this, the forearms are alternately angled outwards (at the outermost point about 20 cm deep). The palms face backward, allowing them to push the water away behind the body. The water is then pushed backward—alternating between both hands. The elbows remain close to the body at all times. This exercise trains the power phase of the arm movement in advanced backstroke. Admittedly, the explanation above is a bit complex. We therefore recommend watching the video of the core exercise again and paying close attention to the second half of the underwater phase of the arm stroke. This exact phase is isolated and practiced during the duck swim.