The Freestyle Swim is a intermediate-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the lats, middle back and chest, with the triceps, shoulders, abdominals and biceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesLats, Middle Back, Chest
Secondary musclesTriceps, Shoulders, Abs, Biceps
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Freestyle Swim
Float face down with your body straight and horizontal in the water.
Reach one arm forward and set the catch with the elbow held high.
Pull that hand down and back past your hip while the body rolls toward it.
Recover the arm over the water as the opposite arm begins its pull.
Kick continuously from the hips with loose ankles and a small knee bend.
Turn your head to inhale every two or three strokes as the hand exits.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Trains back, chest and arms through a repeatable overhead pull.
Builds aerobic capacity with no ground impact at all.
Transfers directly to triathlon and open water programming.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Dropping the elbow at the catch, which spills water and loses the pull.
Lifting the head to breathe instead of rotating, which sinks the hips.
Kicking from the knees, which adds drag rather than propulsion.
Crossing the hand over the midline at entry, which pushes the shoulder to end range.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Freestyle Swim, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
