The following are the four most competitive strokes:
Freestyle / Front Crawl
This is an alternating, over-arm stroke using the flutter kick. The face is in the water and breathing is done by turning the head to the side every 2 or 3 strokes. Freestyle is the most efficient stroke for speed and distance.
Backstroke
The same alternating arm motion and kick as freestyle is used, but it is done on the back.
Breaststroke
This is a both a competitive and a survival stroke. It is done on the front with the arms working together in a circular sculling motion, raising the head forward to breath. The kick is also done in a circular motion simulating a frog’s kick.
Butterfly
This is a competitive stroke where the arms recover simultaneously over the water and pull simultaneously under the water. The kick is the dolphin kick.