Below you will find a description of the strokes and how they are described from the NWAL 2026 Rule Book.  You can use this along with the Infractions List provided by NWAL to help understand why a swimmer is disqualified and what the refs are looking for.  

BREASTSTROKE

STROKE

• Body shall be on the breast from the beginning of the first arm pull after the start and after each turn.
• All movements of the arms shall be simultaneous and in the same horizontal plane without alternating movement.
• The hands shall be brought back on or below the surface of the water (during the pull) and shall be pushed forward from the breast on, above or below the surface of the water (during the recovery). A butterfly recovery is not permitted at any time.
• The hands shall not be brought beyond the hip line, except on the first stroke after the start and after each turn.
• Some part of the swimmer's head shall break the surface of the water at least once during each complete stroke cycle except during the first cycle after the start and each turn. The stroke cycle shall consist of one arm pull followed by one leg kick.
• After the start and the turn, the swimmer may take one arm pull beyond the hipline followed by one breaststroke kick, while the swimmer is underwater. At any time before the breaststroke kick, a single butterfly kick is permitted
• Some part of the swimmer's head shall break the surface of the water prior to the arms beginning the recovery part of the second arm stroke (which is the forward movement of the hands). Thereafter, some part of the swimmer's head needs to break the surface of the water only at some point during each stroke cycle.
• Either a complete or incomplete movement of the arms or legs from the starting position shall be considered as one complete stroke or kick.

KICK

• All vertical and lateral movements of the legs shall be simultaneous.
• The feet shall be turned outward in the backward movement.
• A flutter kick or downward butterfly kick (except as provided herein) is not permitted.
• Breaking the surface with the feet shall not merit disqualification unless followed by a downward butterfly kick.
• A scissor kick is not permitted. (A scissor kick is defined as the use of the top of the instep of one foot and the bottom of the other foot in the propulsive part of the kick.)

TURNS

• The touch at the turn shall be made with both hands simultaneously.
• A legal touch may be made at, above, or below the surface of the water and not necessarily at the same level. The shoulders are not required to be in a horizontal plane after the final arm pull and prior to the touch at the turn.
• The head may be lowered below the water level of the pool after the final arm pull prior to the touch.
• Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired.
• The shoulders shall be at or past the vertical towards the breast when the feet leave the wall. The prescribed form shall be attained from the beginning of the first arm pull.

FINISH

• The finish touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously while the body is on the breast.
• The head may be lowered below the water level of the pool after the final arm pull and prior to the touch.
• A legal touch may be made at, above, or below the surface of the water and not necessarily at the same level.

BUTTERFLY

STROKE

• The swimmer is permitted one or more leg kicks but only one arm pull under water after the start and after each turn. The initial under water arm pull must bring the swimmer to the surface.
• The body shall be kept on the breast and both shoulders in the horizontal plane from the beginning of the first arm pull after the start and after each turn.
• Some portion of both arms (or hands) shall be brought forward together over the water and brought backward simultaneously. A breast stroke recovery is not permitted.

KICK

• All up and down movements of the legs and feet shall be simultaneous.
• The position of the legs and feet shall not alternate in relation to one another.
• The use of the scissor or breast stroke kicking movement is not permitted.

TURNS

• The touch at the turn shall be made with both hands simultaneously.
• A legal touch may be made at, above, or below the surface of the water and not necessarily at the same level. The shoulders are not required to be in a horizontal plane after the final arm pull and prior to the touch at the turn.
• Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired.
• The shoulders shall be at or past the vertical towards the breast when the feet leave the wall. The prescribed form shall be attained from the beginning of the first arm pull.

FINISH

• On the finish, the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously while the body is on the breast.
• A legal touch may be made at, above, or below the surface of the water and not necessarily at the same level.

BACKSTROKE

Swimmers must enter the water feet first promptly at the starter’s direction, without unnecessary delay. If the swimmer fails to do so, the swimmer shall be charged with a 1^st false start and may be charged with unsportsmanlike conduct at the discretion of the Meet Referee.

START

• Swimmer shall line up in water, facing the starting end.
• Both hands shall rest on the end of the pool deck or on any part of the starting platform or block or on the starting block grips.
• Feet may be placed in any position on the end of the pool, but placing the toes above the lip of the gutter, or bending the toes over the lip of the gutter or top of the coping or end of the pool, before or after the start, is prohibited.

STROKE

• The swimmer shall push off on his/her back and continue swimming on his/her back throughout the race.

TURNS

• The turn requires that some part of the swimmer's body contacts the end wall. The swimmer shall assume a position where the shoulders are at or past the vertical towards the back when the feet leave the wall.
• After the swimmer's head has passed the backstroke flags, the swimmer's upper shoulder may rotate past the vertical towards the breast, provided that the rotation is accompanied by an initiation of the turning action or continuation into the wall. After the swimmer's shoulder has rotated past the vertical towards the breast, the swimmer may initiate the turning action with a single-arm or simultaneous double-arm pull. No additional arm pulls are permitted. Kicking and gliding actions are permitted before and after the turning action is initiated. The swimmer may touch the wall on the breast without completing a flip turn.

FINISH

• The swimmer completes the race when any part of his/her person touches the wall at the end of the pool.
• Upon the finish of the race, the swimmer must touch the wall while on the back, i.e. shoulders at or past vertical toward the back.

FREESTYLE

STROKE

• In the Individual Freestyle event, the swimmer may swim any stroke desired.
• In the Individual Medley or Medley Relay events, the
• Swimmer may swim any style desired, except legal butterfly, breast stroke, or backstroke (a legal backstroke shall include a propulsive motion of the arms or legs while the swimmer is towards the back).

TURNS

• A hand touch is not required.
• Some part of the swimmer shall touch the solid end of the pool.

FINISH

• A legal finish occurs when any part of the swimmer touches the solid end of the pool.