In this video lesson, Swimming Instructor Phillip Toriello teaches that when swimming the backstroke, you must get comfortable floating on the back and then incorporate kicking and arm strokes.



Video Transcript: PHILLIP TORIELLO: "Hi, this is Phillip Toriello, and this is how to swim backstroke. Backstroke is basically the upside down version of your freestyle stroke. The only difference or the primary difference is that you're allowed to breath as often and as regular as you like, so it makes it almost more comfortable for swimmers. The first thing you're going to want to do is learn how to float on your back by simply placing your head back, your chin up in the air, putting your belly button up and just letting your body float naturally. Take breaths in nice and easy. A tendency that people have is that they stop breathing. Basically they just fill themselves up afraid to allow any water in their mouths or in their nose. But please, keep on breathing whenever you're floating on your back. The next phase is just incorporating your straight leg, pointed toe kick. You're just going to keep your hips up on top of the water with your pelvic bone up at the top and then you're just going to kick with that nice, small, fast, straight leg, pointed toe kick. Once you have your kick down, you float and you feel comfortable in the water, you can incorporate the pull or the stroke motion of the back stroke which is basically going to be a thumbs out, twisting your hand, pinkie in, bending that elbow by catching the water underwater and pushing it all the way through. So again, that's going to be a thumbs out of the water, pinkie into the water, bend that elbow under catching and pushing all the way through down to your hips. And it's going to be one hand at a time. You don't want to move both hands at the same time. It's going to be one hand at a time. Something to the effect of this. One arm pushes as the other one's coming back down your hips, the other one starts the stroke and then you can pick up the speed as fast or as slow as you like. Whatever is most comfortable. To learn more about back stroke, please contact your local swimming expert."

1. How to Swim the Freestyle Stroke
2. How to Swim the Breaststroke
3. How to Swim the Backstroke
4. How to Practice Etiquette at Public Pools
5. How to Teach a Child to Swim
6. How to Swim Underwater
7. How to Flip-Turn When Swimming Freestyle
8. How to Flip-Turn When Swimming the Backstroke
9. How to Swim the Butterfly Stroke
10. How to Do an Eggbeater Kick
11. How to Swim Head-High Freestyle
12. How to Swim the Sidestroke
13. How to Swim the Trudgen Stroke
14. How to Turn While Swimming the Breaststroke
15. How to Survival Float
16. How to Teach a Child to Float in the Water
17. How to Teach a Child the Back Float
18. How to Teach a Child to Kick in the Water
19. How to Teach a Child Rhythmic Breathing in the Water
20. How to Teach a Child the Crawl Stroke
21. How to Teach a Child to Dive
22. How to Teach a Child to Tread Water
23. How to Prevent Swimmer's Ear
24. How to Improve Your Breaststroke Kick
25. How to Breathe While Swimming Freestyle

In this video series, Swimming Instructor Phillip Toriello gives 25 video lessons on How to Swim. Learn how to swim the breaststroke, the backstroke and freestyle. Get tips on how to do flip turns for each type of swimming stoke and find out how to do swimming kicks like the eggbeater kick. Want to get the kids involved in swimming too? Find out how to teach children to swim with tips on teaching the survival float and child diving. Swimming is a useful skill and a fun activity that provides great exercise for all.