## TL;DR

Competitive swimming comprises four strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly. Training combines aerobic base work, anaerobic sprint sets, technique drills, and dry-land strength. Key concepts: interval training, pace control, flip turns, streamline position, bilateral breathing. Olympic program: 35 events from 50m to 1500m.

## Core Explanation

Freestyle technique: high elbow catch, body rotation (45-60°), 6-beat kick. Backstroke: continuous flutter kick, alternating arm recovery above water. Breaststroke: simultaneous arm pull + frog kick (whip kick), glide phase, 1 pull per 1 kick rule. Butterfly: simultaneous arm recovery, dolphin kick (2 kicks per stroke cycle), undulating body motion. Turns: flip turn (freestyle/backstroke), open turn (breaststroke/butterfly), touch-at-wall requirement for breast/butterfly.

## Further Reading

- [World Aquatics Rules](https://www.worldaquatics.com/swimming/rules)