Why Swimmers Have a Favorite Stroke
By Lina Matera
Ask a swimmer their favorite stroke. Now, ask which one they swim fastest. You might get two different answers.
A swimmer’s favorite stroke is not always their strongest. Preference can depend on physical comfort, confidence, past experiences, and the pressure associated with competing. Some swimmers prefer a stroke because its movements feel natural. Early success and encouragement from coaches can also build confidence and make that stroke more enjoyable. However, continued success can bring higher expectations. Swimmers may feel pressure to achieve certain times, score points, or maintain their reputation in their best events.
Research on college athletes helps explain why ability is only one part of a swimmer’s experience. A 2024 study in Frontiers in Psychology surveyed 835 college athletes about competition anxiety, psychological needs, and overall happiness. Athletes who struggled more to concentrate because of sports anxiety tended to report lower happiness. Feeling capable, having a sense of choice, and feeling connected to others were associated with greater happiness.
The study did not investigate favorite strokes, but it offers a useful connection to swimming: feeling capable does not tell us everything about how an athlete feels. A swimmer may know they can perform well in an event while still feeling uncomfortable with the expectations surrounding it. Their dislike may come from the pressure to produce a result, rather than from swimming the stroke itself.
A weaker event may involve less pressure and more freedom to focus on improvement. A stronger event may bring concerns about repeating past results or disappointing a coach or teammates. In these cases, the pressure surrounding an event may explain the dislike more than the stroke itself.
Recognizing that difference matters. Disliking a best event does not automatically indicate a lack of confidence or commitment. Performance and enjoyment are different parts of swimming, and success does not always make an event a favorite.
