USA SWIMMING RULES FOR SWIMMING THE STROKES

FREESTYLE

            In an event designated freestyle the swimmer may swim any style, except that in a medley relay or an individual medley event, freestyle means any style other than butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke.  Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except it shall be permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after the start and each turn.  By that point the head must have broken the surface.

            Any stroke or combination of strokes (including “dog paddle”) may be used.  Freestyle is freestyle; i.e., anything goes, including doing other strokes during the race and even changing strokes in the middle of the race.  UNLESS it’s in the Individual Medley or the Medley Relay the swimmer may NOT swim a stroke that has already been swum during the event.  Some part of the body must remain on the surface throughout the rest of the swim, except for the first 15 meters after each turn.  The swimmers may turn in any manner they want as long as they touch the wall at the end of each length of the race.  The touch at the finish may be made with any part of the body (including the forehead).  Some part of the body must touch the wall at the end of each length of race and a swimmer can go back and “save themselves” if they miss the touch during a turn.  The DQ for missing the wall is not “officially” called until the swimmer touches the opposite end of the pool from the wall that they missed. 

            The stroke judge should make sure that the swimmer does not go completely submerged, pull on the lane lines to advance themselves, and/or push off of the bottom of the pool during the swim.

            Turn judge should stand over the lanes(s) or at the corners of the pool to observe the touch at the turns and finish. 

BACKSTROKE

            The swimmers shall line up in the water facing the starting end, with both hands placed on the gutter or on the starting grips.  Prior to the command “take your mark” and until the feet leave the wall at the starting signal, the swimmer’s feet, including the toes, shall be placed under the surface of the water.  Standing in or on the gutter or curling the toes over the lip of the gutter is not permitted at any time before the start.  A backstroke starting block may not be used. 

            The swimmer shall push off on his back and continue swimming on the back throughout the race.  Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except it shall be permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after the start and each turn.  By that point, the head must have broken the surface of the water.  Upon completion of each length, some part of the swimmer must touch the wall. During the turn the shoulders may be turned past the vertical toward the breast after which a continuous single arm pull or a continuous simultaneous double arm pull may be used to execute the turn.  Once the body has left the position on the back, any kick or arm pull must be part of the continuous turning action.  The swimmer must have returned to a position on the back upon leaving the wall.  Upon the finish of the race, the swimmer must touch the wall while on the back.  The body may be submerged at the touch.

            If the swimmer touches the wall while on their back, they may turn in any manner they want as long as they are past vertical towards the back when their feet leave the wall.  If the swimmer has begun to turn past the vertical towards the breast, but touches the wall with some part of their body (including the hand, arm, forehead, chin, etc.) before going into the turn, this is legal.  As long as their turning motion was continuous once they went past vertical towards the breast, it’s still legal, and they may turn in any manner they want as long as they’re past vertical towards the back when their feet leave the wall.  If, however, they go past vertical towards the breast, and stick their arm out but don’t immediately begin a pulling motion, that’s a DQ for “non-continuous turning action. 

            A turn judge should stand over the lane looking down at the swimmers to observe the turns.  Once a swimmer passes vertical toward the breast, you should observe that all actions of the swimmer were associated with a continuous turning action and that the swimmer is past vertical toward the back when their feel leave the wall.  

BUTTERFLY

            After The start and after each turn, the swimmer’s shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast.  The swimmer is permitted one or more leg kicks, but only ONE arm pull under water, which must bring him to the surface.  It shall be permissible for a swimmer to be completely submerged for a distance of not more than 15 meter (16.4) yards after the start and after each turn.  By that point he head must have broken the surface.  From the beginning of the first arm pull, the body shall be kept on the breast.  Both arms must be brought forward over the water and pulled back simultaneously. 

            The kick is all up and down movements of the legs and feet, which must be simultaneous.  The position of the legs or feet need not be on the same level, but they shall not alternate in relation to each other.  A scissors or breaststroke kicking movement is not permitted. 

            At each turn the body shall be on the breast.  The touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the water surface.  Once a touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired.  The shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast when the swimmer leaves the wall.  At the finish, the body shall be on the breast and the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the water surface. 

            From the side of the pool the stroke judge should have a clear view of all swimmers within their jurisdiction, (usually slightly behind the slowest swimmer).  One foot may be higher than the other as long as the feet do not alternate position in a stroke cycle.   From the end of the pool the judge should observe that all strokes have an over the water recovery of the arms.  And, Two hand simultaneous touch at, above, or below the water surface.  No Under water recovery.

BREASTSTROKE

            From the beginning of the first armstroke after the start and after each turn the body shall be kept on the breast.  The arms shall move simultaneously and in the same horizontal plane without any alternating movement.  The hands shall be pushed forward together from the breast, on, under, or over the water.  The elbows shall be under the water except for final stroke before the turn, during the turn, and the last stroke at the finish of the prescribed distance.  The hands shall be brought back on or under the surface of the water.  The hands shall not be brought beyond the hipline, except during the first stroke after the start and each turn.  Some part of the swimmer’s head shall break the surface of the water at least once during each complete cycle of one arm stroke and one leg kick, in that order, except after the start and each turn the swimmer may take one armstroke completely back to the legs and one leg kick while wholly submerged.  The head must break the surface of the water before the hands turn inward at the widest part of the second stroke. 

            The kick shall have all vertical and lateral movement of the legs be simultaneous.  The feet must be turned outward during the propulsive part of the kick movement.  A scissors, flutter or downward butterfly kick is not permitted.  The position of the feet is the key to judging the breaststroke kick.  If the toes are pointed outward during the propulsive part of the kick that’s a legal breaststroke kick.  If the toes are pointed straight back or inwards, that’s a butterfly kick and a DQ in breaststroke.

            At the turn, the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above, or below the water surface.  The head may be submerged after the last arm pull prior to the touch, provided it breaks the surface of the water at some point during any part of the last complete or incomplete cycle preceding the touch.  Once a touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired.  Be very aware of the “Swipe 

Touch”, where one hand clearly touches the wall but the second hand quickly (but simultaneously) just barely swipes at the wall and begin the turning action.  Elite swimmers are really good at it and sometimes you’re not sure if they touched the second hand at all.  Once again, “only call what you see, not what you don’t see”.

            The Stroke Judge should stand at the appropriate signal and walk forward after the start of the race.  They should watch the swimmer during the pull out observing the first arm pull, which may be past the hipline, the leg kick, followed by the second arm pull.  At the widest part of the second arm pull the head must break the surface of the water.  If the hands turn inward beginning the recovery portion of the next arm pull prior to the head breaking the surface of the water, that’s a disqualification.  The stroke judge should walk slightly behind the swimmers so that they can observe the entire swimmer, not just the feet. 

INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY (Order of strokes is, butterfly, back, breast and free)

            The swimmer shall swim the prescribed distance in the following order:  the first one-fourth, butterfly; the second one-fourth, backstroke; the third one fourth, breaststroke; and the last one-fourth, freestyle.  The stroke for each one-fourth of the designated distance shall follow the prescribed rules for that stroke.  Turns-intermediate turns within each stroke shall conform to the turn rules for that stroke.  The turns when changing from one stroke to another shall conform to the finish rules for the stroke just completed, and shall be as follows: 

            Butterfly to backstroke- The swimmer must touch as described in Butterfly rules.  Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the back when the swimmer leaves the wall. 

            Backstroke to breaststroke- the swimmer must touch the wall while on the back.  Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the breast when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke. 

            Breaststroke to freestyle- the swimmer must touch as described in breaststroke rules.  Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner. 

            Finish-the swimmer shall have finished the race when any part of his/her person touches the wall after the prescribed distance.

            The Stroke Judge should observe that the swimmer has swum each leg of the Individual medley as outlined for each stroke.  If the swimmer begins to swim a stroke out of order of the prescribed rules then it is a DQ.  Meaning, when the swimmer begins their freestyle stroke and uses butterfly strokes this is a DQ because that stroke has already been swum in this race.

MEDLEY RELAY (Order of strokes is; Back, Breast, Butterfly, and Free)

            Four swimmers on each team, each to swim one-fourth of the prescribed distance continuously in the following order: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle.  Rules pertaining to each stroke shall govern, where applicable.  At the end of the each leg, the finish rule for each stroke applies in each case.

No swimmer shall swim more than one leg in any relay event.

In relay races a swimmer other than the first swimmer shall not start until his/her teammate has concluded his/her leg.

Any relay team member and his/her relay team shall be disqualified from a race if a team member other than the swimmer designated to swim that leg shall jump into or enter the pool in the area where the race is being conducted before all swimmers of all teams have finished the race.

Each relay team member shall leave the water immediately upon finishing his/her leg, except the last member.

In relay races, the team of a swimmer whose feet have lost touch with the deck/block before his/her preceding teammate touches the wall shall be disqualified. 

            The key to relay take-offs is to watch the feet of the next swimmer on the blocks.  Look to see where they are before they take off—are they already at the front of the blocks or are they at the back ready to do a step-up take off?  When the feet of the swimmer on the blocks leaves the starting platform, look down to the pool level to see if the incoming swimmer has touched the wall yet—toenails to fingernails.  If the exchange is good, put a circle on the outgoing swimmer on the relay; if the exchange is bad, put an “x” through the swimmer that took off early.  Remember, you must have dual confirmation on relays.  Once the last swimmer leaves the two judges will compare, if only one judge saw an early take off then the team does not get DQ’d.  If, however, both judges agree on an early take off then this is a DQ.