Why are there so many strokes in Swimming?

Question

If free style/front crawl is the fastest stroke, why do people compete in such events as the butterfly or the backstroke as it seems akin to doing the 100m hop or the 400m running backwards.

Is there any instance where choosing a stroke other than front crawl is actually quicker or more efficient?

Answer 1

Actually, for different people, different strokes are faster. I think that butterfly may actually be fastest, but for me at least, I swim a 50 free in a 28.79, and a 50 fly in a 30.82. So, free is the fastest for me. I think this is exactly why. People's bodies are built differently, thereofre they can swim some strokes faster than others.

Also, breastroke is just more enjoyable to do for me, and I think of it more of a challenge, becuase it's much more technique - just kicking and pulling really fast won't get you anywhere - it's all about timing.

Also, different strokes can help in different situations. For example, it's not a "real" stroke don in the olympics, but the side stroke is used by lifeguards when pulling someone out of the ocean. It would be extremely difficult to rescue someone swimming freestyle. This would be a time where it would be much more helpful to NOT do freestyle.

Hope this helps, and Just keep swimming!

Answer 2

lol different strokes in swimming is like having different apparatuses for gymnastics or events for track...as swimmers train more and more it can get really boring to be always working on one stroke. but that's not the point. the [very few] strokes in swimming (only 4), competitively at least, allow swimmers to work on different parts of their body because each stroke has a different concentration of muscle usage. for example, the breaststroke, requires great ankle flexibility, strong line from tip of one finger all the way to the other tip on the other hand. this includes the chest area. and thigh strength. it's not always just trying to swim the "fastest stroke" because if you swam you would know that not everyone's great at freestyle. people specialize in their own stroke and that's what sets them apart from others, thus making swimming more interesting. and butterfly is actually more efficient when done properly.

Examples:

Michael Phelps - Butterfly (mainly)

Kitajima (Japan) - Breaststroke

Aaron Peirsol, Ryan Lochte, Natalie Coughlin - Backstroke

  

Answer 3

front crawl isn't the fastest stroke butterfly is...my neighbor is a swimmer and he almost made it to the Olympics...:)if you are a long distance swimmer you would choose a long distance swim to participate in and anyways 50 meters is not long enough for people to get into the middle of competition! 50m is a splash and dash where you don't swim long but still have to train a LOT!!  The butterfly is the fastest style regulated by FINA...

Answer 4

you must know nothing about swimming.

hahah

there are four strokes just because!

you dont "choose" the stroke you want to swim

you just do it... if ur a swimmer.

im a hardcore swimmer that swims 7 times a week.. i guess it just depends on which stroke you are best at

freestyle or "frontcrawl" IS the fastest stroke, but you might be REALLY GOOD at butterfly, and just ok at freestyle

for example:

you could go a 28 in 50 freestyle and a 29 in 50 butterfly and the butterfly time would still be slower... but  compared to other flyers it would be a faster time and fly would be your best stroke

its hard to understand.

hahaha

Answer 5

the crawl is not necessarily "the fastest swim" It's different for different people. I'm faster at backstroke than I am at any other stroke. Also, there aren't alot of strokes, there's only four.