Swimming

Backstroke

Alternating overhead pull on the back with continuous body roll. The lats, rear shoulder and hip flexors (flutter kick) work hard, and the body must stay flat and long.

Build a plan for thisOpen in the app

Backstroke swimmer flat on his back, one straight arm reaching overhead into the water

Muscles worked

Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts — 40% importance (Front)Chest — 40% importance (Front)Serratus anterior — 40% importance (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs — 65% importance (Front)Obliques — 70% importance (Front)Hip flexors — 70% importance (Front)Quads — 45% importance (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) — 60% importance (Back)Rear delts — 70% importance (Back)Side delts — 40% importance (Back)Rotator cuff — 80% importance (Back)Lats — 100% importance (Back)Lower back (erectors) — 35% importance (Back)Triceps — 60% importance (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes — 45% importance (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)
FrontBack
  • Lats
  • Rotator cuff
  • Rear delts
  • Obliques
  • Hip flexors
  • Abs
  • Triceps
  • Upper back

The movement, phase by phase

  1. Entry & catch

    Little finger enters straight above the shoulder, arm fully extended overhead.

    • Shoulder rotation
    • Front raise (shoulder flexion)
    Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts — primary (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff — primary (Back)Lats — primary (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)

    Best exercises for this phase:

  2. Pull & push

    Bent-elbow pull toward the hip, finishing with a downward push — lats, triceps and rear delts.

    • Straight-arm pull (shoulder extension)
    • Vertical pull
    • Elbow extension
    Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest — primary (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts — primary (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats — primary (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps — primary (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)

    Best exercises for this phase:

  3. Body roll & line

    Hips high, trunk rotates as a unit; the core resists sagging.

    • Trunk rotation
    • Anti-extension (brace)
    • Anti-rotation (brace)
    Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs — primary (Front)Obliques — primary (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) — primary (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes — primary (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)

    Best exercises for this phase:

  4. Flutter kick

    Up-kick is the power phase on the back — hip flexors and quads.

    • Hip flexion
    • Knee extension
    Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors — primary (Front)Quads — primary (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes — primary (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)

    Best exercises for this phase:

Most specific exercises

Drills & sessions in the sport

Work done in the water or on the run itself, next to the strength exercises above.

Common technique mistakes

The technique faults behind most injuries here, and how to fix them.

  • ✗ Hand enters behind the head, crossing the midline.

    Why it hurts: Over-reaching overhead pinches the front of the shoulder.

    ✓ Instead: Enter with the pinkie first at 11 and 1 o'clock, in line with the shoulder.

  • ✗ Sitting in the water with the hips low.

    Why it hurts: Drag increases and the lower back and shoulders work harder to pull you through.

    ✓ Instead: Keep the head still and back, ears in the water, and kick from the hips to lift them.

Training notes

  • Hanging leg raises and flutter kicks build the hip flexors that drive the up-kick.
  • Rear-delt and external-rotation work balances the heavy overhead pulling.

Mobility to pair with it

  • Overhead shoulder flexion
  • Pec stretch in a doorway
  • Hip flexor lunge stretch