SWIMMING RULES: COMMON ELEMENTS and DIFFERENCES (as of September 12, 2017) OKI Start Freestyle Backstroke Breaststroke Butterfly I.M. • 2 hand touch –simultaneous; WITH • Head up by 15 m; • Whistle preparatory • Arms in same horizontal commands; plane; • simultaneous 2 hand • Turn rules apply for • No recall; • Head up by 15m •Elbows can be out at turn touch; intermediate turns. BODIES • Forward - after TYM – • After 15m, some part of the and finish; • Arms simultaneous in • Finish rules apply at recovery and pull; foot/feet at front of block (see • Head up by 15m swimmer must break the surface •Head must break surface by transition turns. USMS); throughout the race widest part of 2nd stroke; • Breaststroke, scissor, • During freestyle the after the ELEMENTS • Back – feet can be above • May be completely submerged •One single butterfly/dolphin alternating kick not permitted turn the swimmer may be water; not above lip of gutter or during turn. kick permitted at start and (see USMS); towards the back provided curling of toes over gutter. each turn at any time prior to • Body kept on breast from there is no kick or stroke. • Requires a stationary starting the first breaststroke kick; beginning of first arm stroke; GOVERNING position. • Can’t re-submerge COMMON DIFFERENCES – see specific rule book for exact wording FINA; • Backstroke starting device use is See POOL DEPTH permitted. • At the touch at turns and • At the touch at turns and USA-S; finish, hands must be finish, hands must be COMPARISON chart • When backstroke ledge is used, YMCA; toes of both feet in contact with “separated”- meaning-cannot “separated”- meaning-cannot for differences be “stacked”. be “stacked”. NCAA end wall at start. • Verbal or whistle preparatory • Kick/glide is permitted before • No sculling permitted; • Hands – at same horizontal • See stroke differences. commands - State option and after turning action. • Stacking hands permitted plane at any given time • Backstroke starting device not during touch. during stroke; (both pull and NFHS permitted. recovery) • Both hands in contact with the • Stacking hands permitted end of the pool or starting platform. during touch. • Use back start for in-water free start; • At least one foot at front of block before TYM • Allow breaststroke or whip • In water relay exchanges kick exclusively or permitted. interchangeably • At least one foot must remain • Only one breaststroke or in contact with the wall prior to whip kick per arm pull USMS the exchange permitted. • See stroke differences. • On 9/25/13, adopted the “separated” rule wording interpreted to be identical in meaning to the USA Swimming Interpretation. .