Swimming
Freestyle Breakout
The freestyle breakout is the transition from an underwater push-off to surface swimming. It develops a streamlined body position and smooth timing between your kicks and first freestyle strokes.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Place your feet on the wall with your body facing down in the water.
- Extend your arms overhead with your hands stacked.
- Push off the wall into a straight, face-down glide.
- Use a few small dolphin kicks while traveling gradually toward the surface.
- Begin your first freestyle pull as your head approaches the surface.
- Switch to flutter kicks as you move into alternating freestyle strokes.
- Swim relaxed freestyle to the wall to finish the repeat.
Form cues
- Keep your head between your upper arms.
- Make the kick ripple from your hips.
- Carry your speed through the first stroke.
Common mistakes
- Lifting your head to surfaceKeep your neck aligned with your spine as your whole body rises.
- Gliding until you stallStart the transition while you still have forward speed from the push-off.
- Pulling too deepStart closer to the surface so your recovering arm clears the water naturally.
- Forcing a delayed first breathBreathe when you need to rather than trying to reach a set number of strokes without air.
Safety
Extending the underwater phase or repeating it without adequate recovery can cause loss of consciousness and drowning. A deep or poorly directed push-off can also cause a collision with the pool floor or another swimmer.
- Practice only in a lifeguarded pool with someone directly observing your repeats.
- Check the water depth and leave a clear gap from other swimmers before pushing off.
- Keep the underwater portion short; never hyperventilate or use this drill as breath-hold training.
- Surface immediately if you need air or feel dizzy, and recover with normal breathing before repeating.
If you cannot comfortably swim freestyle and return to the wall, practice surface swimming before adding an underwater breakout.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Pool Lane Line (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 4–6
- Target
- 25 meters
- Rest
- 45 sec
Use one short breakout per repeat, followed by easy surface swimming for the remaining distance.