Position and breathing: Your head needs to be in a neutral position facing straight up at the ceiling, keeping you as high as possible in the water. Pull your stomach in and flatten your back to limit arching. As your face is out of the water at all times, breathing can take place whenever necessary, but it’s a good idea to develop a rhythm that works with your stroke pattern. Photograph: Speedo
Kick: Gently place your hand in the water, rotated so your little finger hits the water first. Keeping your elbow position high, initiate the pull phase of the stroke: one arm should be pulling the water while the other recovers. Extend your ankles and point your toes: with your leg fairly straight, bend your knee slightly as your foot moves down, straightening your leg and using power to kick back up. Photograph: Speedo
Stroke: Extend your arms at the front of the stroke, with your hands turned slightly outwards. Keep your elbows high and sweep your arms outwards to catch the water, then squeeze your arms back together holding on to the water to lift you above the surface for breathing. Photograph: Speedo
Kick: Flex your feet, with your toes pulled towards your shins at the beginning of the kick. As your legs extend outwards, push the water backwards with the soles of your feet to accelerate and propel your body forwards. Point your toes forward at the end of the kick and then repeat. Photograph: Speedo
Position and kick: Your head needs to be in a neutral, face-down position with your eyes looking below you to the bottom of the pool. Flatten your back and try to keep your head as still as possible unless lifting it to breathe. Start the dolphin kick by driving down from your hips with your legs together and bent slightly at the knee. During this movement, your legs should accelerate on the downwards kick. Photograph: Speedo
Breathing: As your arms finish pulling through and out of the water, lift your head to breathe in through your mouth. Remember to leave your chin as close to the water line as possible. Breathe out with your head submerged at the beginning of the underwater pull phase. Photograph: Speedo
Stroke: At the front of the stroke, gently place your hand in the water, fingertips first, while keeping your elbow high as your arm enters the water. Pull down with your forearm, and as one arm pulls through the water, the other should be recovering out of the water. Photograph: Speedo
Position and breathing: Keep in a neutral position, with your back flat and your body as straight as possible. Only move your head slightly as you turn to breathe, with your mouth only just out of the water: your body will rotate slightly, but aim to keep it as flat as possible. Photograph: Speedo
