Backstroke Starts: The Complete Guide

Importance of Projecting Over the Water During Your Backstroke Start 

The first main goal in a backstroke start is to dive over the water rather than push off through the water. Because water is about 830 times denser than air, traveling through the water slows you down a lot more than traveling through the air. The more distance you can cover with as much of your body out of the water as possible, the less distance you’ll have to cover swimming through the water. 

Compared to forward starts, projecting over the water is much more difficult during a backstroke start. During a forward start, you’re beginning completely out of the water, above the surface of water. During a backstroke start, you’re beginning with at least some part of your body submerged. Furthermore, your body is structured to move yourself forward, not backward, so it’s a lot easier to generate the force to propel yourself into the air during a forward start than it is during a backstroke start. Yet the goal of projecting yourself over the water remains the same in both starts, so you must be a lot more effective with your skills to do a great start. 

Focus on doing a powerful backstroke start rather than simply trying to perform the start as quickly as possible. Trying to leave the block as quickly as possible without focusing on power may allow you to start faster, but it will greatly compromise your ability to generate as much speed over and into the water as possible. A bad backstroke start will also cause you to lose most of the speed you do generate. Taking the time to do the start properly will save you more time overall. 

Importance of Maintaining Speed During Your Backstroke Start 

The second major goal of a backstroke start is to maintain as much speed as possible when you enter the water. You can travel faster through the air than in the water, so your start is the fastest you’ll go in your race.  

Water resistance slows you down once you enter, so how you enter and transition into swimming determines how well you’ll preserve your speed. The more speed you can maintain, the faster you’ll swim. 

Any part of your body that moves through the water during your start creates resistance. Some swimmers push though the water with their back, and others drag their legs through the surface. Both mistakes immediately cause you to lose the speed you generated from your start. Although they’re different, these two mistakes produce the same result: a failure to carry momentum from the start. 

How you enter the water matters too. A bad streamlined position or a back-flop-like entry increases drag. Keep the resistance you create as low as possible to ensure you maintain as much speed as possible.  

Projecting yourself over the water is critical for a great start, but maintaining the speed you generate is just as important. 

Backstroke Start Starting Position 

The process of assuming the starting position for your backstroke start begins outside of the pool. When the referee blows the first of two long whistles, enter the water and grab the starting handles or gutter, whichever you prefer. At the second long whistle, place your feet onto the wall and get ready for the “Take your marks” command from the starter. 

When you hear the “Take your marks” command, pull yourself up into position while pressing your legs into the wall. This position should provide you with the best opportunity to launch yourself over the water. Typically, the higher you can get out of the water, the better. 

There are a few grip options. Some swimmers prefer holding onto the gutter, but most use the handles on the block, which allow for a higher lift. Backstroke blocks may have horizontal and vertical bars. Grab onto whichever works best for you. 

You may also have the option to use a backstroke ledge. This device is under the waterline; adjust it to whatever depth is most comfortable for you. Positioning it higher helps you lift more of your body out of the water before the start. Some ledges are adjusted before you enter the pool and others afterward, so be sure to understand how yours works before your race. 

Initial Movements of Your Backstroke Start 

Although pushing off as hard and as fast as possible might seem best, a good backstroke start requires a more controlled approach. Your goal isn’t just to launch backward but to enter the water with minimal resistance. You must first position your upper body at the correct angle before fully pushing with your legs. The faster you reach this angle, the better.  

Start by quickly pushing up off the wall and throwing your hands backward over your shoulders. Your hands don’t have to go directly up; they can swing around to your sides to some extent. The key is to initiate backward motion while transitioning into a streamlined position. At the same time, aggressively arch your head and chest backward to set up for a headfirst entry at the appropriate angle. 

Shortly after throwing your arms and upper body backward, drive off the wall with your legs. Pushing too soon leads to an inefficient start because you won’t be positioned for a clean entry. Because your goal is to generate maximum speed, your upper-body throw should be explosive. But it’s not just about moving your hands quickly; your entire upper body must arch backward to ensure a streamlined back dive. 

Jump in Your Backstroke Start 

Once your upper body arches backward, the most propulsive phase of your start begins: the jump. 

The jump happens when you push aggressively off the wall, using the same force as in any other jumping motion. For a good start, you must push both backward and downward. Pushing backward propels you down the pool, and pushing downward lifts you over the water. Both are essential. 

A great start balances backward and downward pressure. Too much downward force sends you straight up, possibly leading to a back flop. Too much backward force sends you straight back, making it difficult to arch over the water and dive cleanly. 

If your starts feel too flat, focus on pushing downward to lift yourself higher into the air; if you’re coming up too high, focus on pushing backward to reduce your upward trajectory. 

The need for downward pressure led to the introduction of the backstroke ledge. When you focus on pushing down, you’re not focused on pushing into the wall and creating the necessary friction. Pushing down too much during your start without enough friction causes your feet to slip. The backstroke ledge significantly reduces this, though it doesn’t eliminate it entirely. 

What Your Arms Should Do During a Backstroke Start 

Your arm movement during a backstroke start is crucial for two reasons: 

• It initiates the start and backward motion of your upper body.
• It helps you get into the streamlined position that helps you maintain your speed once you enter the water. 

Both are essential for generating speed over the water and maintaining it after you enter the water. Doing them effectively, however, is challenging because they must happen quickly and with precision. 

Using your arms to initiate your start is key. The moment you hear the start signal, throw your hands backward. A quick push against the starting bars can also help propel your upper body backward and get you into an effective diving position quickly. 

The more challenging aspect of your arm movement is grasping your hands tightly and fully extending into a streamlined position while moving backward and upside down in midair. Throwing your arms aggressively is essential for bringing them together before you enter the water. This shouldn’t be done slowly. 

Some swimmers prefer to swing their arms overhead, and others opt for a slightly wider, more lateral motion. Neither technique is better. What matters is what’s best for you. 

If you prefer to throw your hands straight back over your head, placing them closer together on the starting bars can create a more direct path into your streamlined position. If you prefer to bring your arms around wider, placing your hands slightly farther apart can be beneficial. Ultimately, the most effective hand position is the one that feels best for you. 

What You Need to Know About the Backstroke Start Entry 

A good entry during your backstroke start is crucial for maintaining as much speed as possible. Many swimmers struggle with this skill because of two main challenges: 

• The backward entry into the water, which makes controlling your body position harder.
• The low starting point, which requires launching yourself precisely so you can enter at the correct angle. 

The goal for your entry is to have your entire body pass through a single point in the water. This minimizes resistance, allowing you to preserve speed. Less splash means more speed. 

Many problems with entries stem from mistakes made earlier in the start. To ensure a clean entry, throw your arms aggressively and arch your upper body backward to create an arc over the water. A proper arc allows you to enter at an angle that minimizes resistance. Not throwing your upper body back can result in a flat entry that increases drag. 

Your hands must move quickly into a tight streamline before you enter the water. Entering like an arrow, with your hands leading and body following, generates far less resistance than entering like a plow, with your hands spread apart in a nonstreamlined position. 

A great jump is also key to a clean entry. Pushing down and back into the wall helps project your body effectively over the water. A start in which you go too high will lead to you coming straight down, making a clean entry difficult. A start in which you go straight back will keep you from performing the necessary arc for a smooth entry. 

A great entry into the water during your backstroke start is the result of perfecting your initial starting movements. By combining a strong launch, an aggressive arm throw, and a tight streamlined position, you can ensure a smooth, fast entry that minimizes resistance and maximizes speed. 

Common Backstroke Start Mistakes and Reasons for Disqualification 

There are several common mistakes that occur during backstroke starts, most of which stem from a failure to properly project your body over the water or to maintain speed as you enter.  

One mistake is a lack of aggression during your start. If you initiate your start without enough aggression or fail to throw your upper body back, you won’t be able to launch yourself over the water and you’ll be less likely to get into a good streamlined position for your entry. 

In terms of the start itself, it’s also common to: 

• Push down too much into the wall. This results in a trajectory that goes too high, limiting the distance you cover and affecting your entry.
• Push back too much into the wall. This results in a low trajectory, which makes entering the water cleanly harder.
• Drag your legs during your start. Rather than following the natural path of your body’s arch over the water, your legs drag through the water, causing unnecessary resistance.  

The most common disqualifications related to backstroke starts are: 

• False starting. The most obvious false-start violation is starting the race before the starting signal goes off. A more common version of this violation is flinching after the referee has given the “Take your marks” command but before the starting signal. The backstroke starting position can be physically challenging because you’re holding your body up and out of the water, so assuming this position early can cause you to involuntarily twitch. You might also move if you find yourself in the wrong position and try to correct yourself.
• Kicking past 15 meters underwater. Because you can’t always see where you’re going, exceeding the 15-meter mark unintentionally can happen. Some part of your face needs to break the surface at the 15-meter mark to avoid disqualification.  

Differences Between Individuals for the Backstroke Start 

Swimmers are different sizes and shapes and have differences in range of motion and strength. Because of this, different versions of the backstroke start can be effective for different swimmers.  

The overall goals, however, remain the same for a good backstroke start: project yourself as far as possible over the water, as quickly as possible, and enter the water cleanly, so you can maintain as much speed as possible. 

The key is to find the method that works best for you. 

• Hand placement. You can place your hands in the gutter, vertically on the starting bars, or horizontally on the starting bars. In each case, you can adjust the width of your hand placement to be wider or narrower. Choose the position that feels most comfortable and effective.
• Arm movement. Once in position, you can throw your arms to the side or over the top, depending on what feels most natural to you.
• Backstroke ledge placement. If you’re using a backstroke ledge, you can adjust it up or down. The higher the ledge, the more of your body you can lift out of the water. But a higher ledge requires more strength to maintain your starting position. Choose the position that’s best for you.
• Starting position. There are two basic positions: 1) bringing your head and chest close to your hands while lifting your hips up and back out of the water, and 2) arching your back and leaning your chest back, bringing your hips closer to the wall. Experiment to find which is most comfortable for you. 

Of course, you’re not required to do a formal backstroke start. You can simply just push off from the wall at the start signal as long as you have one hand and one foot on the wall and you remain on your back throughout the start.