What Muscles Are Used For Swimming? A Complete Guide.

When you swim, you engage different muscle groups, both upper and lower body, to create propulsion and move through the water. The primary muscle groups in all swimming strokes are the pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, abs, obliques, and hip muscles. No matter what swimming stroke you're swimming, the following muscles will be responsible for creating propulsion while maintaining a streamlined body position in the water.

The swimming stroke that requires the most output from the legs is the breaststroke. In breaststroke, the kick is the largest and longest propulsive force. It's a unique stroke involving a rhythmic and sweeping motion of the legs, often referred to as a frog kick or whip kick. Muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus generate power and propel you through the water.

The breaststroke kick requires significant work from the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus. Additionally, breaststroke relies heavily on the foot muscles, such as the gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis posterior. These muscle groups work together to produce the sweeping motion of the legs. The hip flexors are also engaged during the breaststroke kick, supporting a streamlined body position to maximize distance per stroke.

The breaststroke kick requires significant work from the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus. Additionally, breaststroke relies heavily on the foot muscles, such as the gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis posterior. These muscle groups work together to produce the sweeping motion of the legs. The hip flexors are also engaged during the breaststroke kick, supporting a streamlined body position to maximize distance per stroke.

It's true that compared to the other four strokes, the breaststroke requires greater output from the legs and lower body. However, you can't disregard that all swimming strokes engage leg muscle groups for body stability and propulsion purposes. Recent research suggests that kicking alone is responsible for 10-15% of the swimming speed. Thus, maximum speed and efficiency in all four strokes are only possible with a power output from the legs.

The freestyle (known as a front crawl) is the most upper body muscles driven swim stroke. Freestyle is the fastest, most efficient of all the swim strokes, and the upper body muscles generate the most propulsion. Research indicates that the main muscles that play a role in moving forward motion are the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi muscle.

In front crawl, arms, and shoulder muscles perform circular movements, pulling the swimmer forward through the water. The pectoral muscles, deltoids, and triceps work together to generate power and drive the arms through the water. The back and neck muscles, such as the latissimus dorsi muscles and trapezius, are responsible for good body position, alignment, and propulsion.

While freestyle is a highly shoulder-driven stroke, numerous different muscle groups play a role in efficient freestyle swimming. And the lower body is a big one.

Important functions they do:

1. The strong core connects lower and upper body muscles to work together;
2. Core muscles (abs, hips, lower back) are responsible for rotation and breathing;
3. Hip muscles control a streamlined body position and prevent you from sinking in the water;
4. Foot muscles, hips, hamstrings, and quadriceps generate force by kicking and pushing off the walls.

Similarly to freestyle, backstroke (or back crawl) is driven by deltoid and shoulder muscles. But there's more to it.

Unlike other swimming stroke techniques, backstroke relies heavily on the strength of your core to rotate and keep you high in the water. Additionally, in comparison to freestyle, backstroke's stroke rate has its limit; thus, a stronger flutter kick is required to maximize speed.

Despite different stroke techniques, the butterfly uses the same muscle as freestyle and backstroke to keep you moving forward. Still, it's one of the hardest strokes due to its mechanics. So, if you are searching for a good full-body workout, there's no better stroke than butterfly.

By involving various small and large muscles, swimming is considered a full-body workout. No matter what stroke you are swimming, you'll simultaneously get multiple muscles fired up and build an athletic figure over time.

However, it's important to note that not every swimming workout is built the same. That's why every swimmer has a different body composition. Sprints have more muscle mass, while long-distance swimmers are leaner due to the nature of the event and their work at the pool.