At Leopold Swim School we initially teach our swimmers freestyle with straight arm recovery in the lower levels and then change them to bent arm recovery in the higher levels. The reason we teach our 1 Silver, 1 Gold and 2 Bronze levels straight arm recovery is so they can learn how to breathe correctly and efficiently with correct head turn. Then, in a level 2 Silver we change their arm recovery to a bent elbow to help them develop a glide and an efficient stroke in freestyle. This efficiency allows them to use their strength to power through the water for propulsion and the bent elbow allows them to move their arms faster through the water.
