Which swimming stroke uses the most muscles

The butterfly stroke tends to require the most physical exertion, and engages your chest and hips just as much as your limbs. Your torso is thrust towards the surface with every stroke, as your arms move forward synchronously back into the water and then down to your sides. Posted by Ryan on January 19, Featured. Backstroke This stroke involves your arms pulling and pushing underwater, while also requiring you to maintain the position of your torso in the water.

Front Crawl or Freestyle Stroke The front crawl is a fast-paced stroke that tends to work muscles harder because of the greater force it generates. Breaststroke This popular facedown stroke requires your upper and lower body to move in tandem.

Butterfly The butterfly stroke tends to require the most physical exertion, and engages your chest and hips just as much as your limbs. More Information. Butterfly uses your entire core. It also uses most of the prime movers in your body. This stroke calls on your pectorals, latissimus, trapezius, quadriceps, hamstrings, shoulders and hips.

Basically any "show" muscle on your body is used to produce force. By coupling the use of all these muscles and the extreme call on your heart and lungs, you get the best calorie-burning, muscle-building swim from the butterfly stroke.

Fitness Workouts Exercises and Workouts. Aubrey Bailey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with an additional degree in psychology and board certification in hand therapy. Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor. Nicholas Victory. Nicholas Victory is a personal trainer with nutrition, athletic, supplement, weight loss and general health improvement knowledge and certifications.

He also has experience as a trainer for big gyms, private clubs, sports teams and Army fitness instruction. Freestyle is a great overall workout.

Video of the Day. Front crawl: Swimming uses all major muscle groups and boosts cardio fitness and endurance. Despite being the fastest, most continuous stroke, crawl is more economical in energy expenditure than breaststroke.

Breaststroke: Breaststroke is the slowest competitive stroke, but uses most energy. Also, breathing out into water, and resisting water pressure against your chest, greatly improves lung function.

Front crawl: Predominantly recruits the deltoids, latissimus dorsi down the side of your back , trapezius, triceps and biceps muscles. It's a fast way to a taut, toned upper body.