Crawl 1
The front crawl or freestyle has evolved into the fastest of the four competitive styles. Swimmers encounter less resistance when their bodies are streamlined horizontally and laterally.

Key to good horizontal alignment is, natural head position, a fairly straight back and a narrow kick. The face is in the water with the waterline somewhere between the hairline and the middle of the head. One stroke cycle consists of a right and
left arm stroke and a varying number of kicks. The width of the kick should be such that they just reach the surface of the water on the upbeat and only slightly lower than the body on the downbeat. In the above picture (1) the elbow is held high and the fingers enter the water first.

Crawl 2
The hand slides forward through the water. The fingers turn downwards and the hand catches the water.

Crawl 3
The body is levered forward as the elbow of the right arm underwater is kept "cocked." The right hand begins to push and the elbow is no longer cocked. The hand is pushed down to the thigh and the arm is lifted out of the water. The left arm is lifted out of the water by raising the elbow. The purpose of the leg kick is to help maintain a streamlined body whilst the arms lever you through the water. Point your toes, kick from the hips, and make sure the knees don’t bend too much. Neither foot nor part of the leg comes out of the water. Don’t kick too deeply - ankle extension ability is key for a propulsive force during the downbeat of the kick.

Crawl 4
As the left arm elbow has relaxed and the hand enters the water. The entry is made between the shoulder and head. As one leans into the stroke pushing down on the left hand, the body rolls slightly. The head turns to breathe to the right, as the right arm is about to lift out of the water. Try to keep the left eye in the water. Breathe out when your face is in the water. Breathe in as you turn your head and as soon as your mouth is clear of water. Turn your head back into the water as the arm enters the water again. Breathe regularly.