NEW BREASTSTROKE RULE ADOPTED BY FINA

The rules of swimming are not set in stone. Over the years, major changes have been made to legitimize new techniques and make the sport faster.

One of the most significant changes in modern swimming happened in 2005, when FINA officially updated the breaststroke pullout rule. This post covers that original change, the controversy that sparked it all, and the subsequent update that defines the rule we use today.

Dive Into: The Evolution of the Breaststroke Pullout

• The Original 2005 FINA Rule Change
• The Story and Strategy Behind the Rule
• The Current Rule: The Final Clarification
• Frequently Asked Questions

The Original 2005 FINA Rule Change

Some of you already might have heard that FINA has updated their breaststroke rule to accommodate an underwater dolphin kick during the pullout phase after the initial start or a turn.

The rule marked as SW 7.4 clearly states "A single downward dolphin kick followed by a breaststroke kick is permitted while wholly submerged. Following which, all movements of the legs shall be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane without alternating movement."

Not sure what to make of this, but I believe it was received with positive feedback on many fronts.

There is one country, however, that does not like this rule. As Swim News indicated in their recently published article, the Chinese swimming committee decided not to follow this rule during China's 10th National Games.

I personally think this rule will reduce the number of disqualifications and will allow for faster swimming of skilled butterfly kickers.

It potentially might even help those IMers that struggle on breaststroke.

Finally, I predict we will see some breaststroke world records going down with the adoption of this rule.

The Story and Strategy Behind the Rule

The official rule change wasn't just a random decision; it was a direct response to years of controversy and evolving technique.

The Controversy That Sparked the Change

The initial 2005 rule change was largely driven by events at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Japanese swimmer Kosuke Kitajima won the 100m breaststroke gold, but underwater footage later showed him performing a clear dolphin kick during his pullout. Since the kick was invisible from the surface, officials couldn't disqualify him, and the benefit of the doubt went to the swimmer. This incident highlighted the need for a rule that could be officiated consistently, leading FINA to legalize the single dolphin kick.

The Ongoing Judging Challenge

Even after the rule was adopted, it remained one of the most difficult to officiate. The rule allows for only one kick, but many swimmers were seen doing multiple, subtle undulations. The controversy peaked at the 2012 London Olympics when South African Cameron van der Burgh won gold and later admitted to doing "three or four" dolphin kicks, arguing that "everybody's doing it" and if you're not, you're falling behind.

A Strategic Loophole: Skipping the Pullout

An interesting tactical point is that the long underwater pullout is not mandatory. For swimmers who are not breaststroke specialists, particularly in a long event like the 400 IM, some coaches advise skipping the pullout altogether. Instead, the swimmer performs a single, powerful dolphin kick while in a tight streamline and then surfaces immediately to begin their stroke, saving valuable energy and oxygen.

The Current Rule: The Final Clarification

Update:

Since this article was first published, FINA has further clarified its dolphin kick rule.

It now states: Rule 101.2.3 states: After the start and each turn, a single butterfly kick, which must be followed by a breaststroke kick, is permitted during or at the completion of the first arm pull.

For the purposes of Article 101.2.3, as it relates to what constitutes the initiation of the first arm pull and the allowed single downward butterfly kick, the following applies: After the start and after each turn, any lateral or downward movement of the hands or arms is considered to be the initiation of the first arm pull.

So in other words, there are now two places one can execute the dolphin kick:

1) during the initial underwater arm pull (this is the older way and could cause the swimmer to loose a nice streamlined position as the swimmer is moving up through the water column)

2) at the beginning of the pull (this is thought to be the more efficient way as the swimmer is in a more streamlined position to utilize the pull)

How do you do your breaststroke pull? Leave a comment below.