Front crawl vs Breaststroke

Cardio fitness

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.
4 stars

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.
5 stars

Upper body

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.
5 stars

Breaststroke: Uses similar muscles, but the trapezius muscles in the back and the chest muscles, such as the pectorals, also play more of a part.
5 stars

Beginners

Front crawl: Many people find keeping their face in the water and turning their head to breathe a daunting prospect - there's usually a bit of water-swallowing before you master the breathing.
3 stars

Breaststroke: Your head comes out of the water after each stroke, so it's an easier option to start with. But it's the hardest stroke to do correctly because of the timing between arms and legs.
4 stars

Lower body

Front crawl: The flutter kick is the key to keeping your body high in the water, and this works the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. Your abdominal muscles will also tone up from stabilising you in the water.
5 stars

Breaststroke: Breaststroke kicking, known as the whip kick, uses similar muscles, but the adductor and abductor (inner and outer thigh) muscles come more into play.
5 stars

Injuries

Front crawl: Shoulder overuse or impingement injuries are most common because of the overhead motion, but this is more likely to happen to a professional swimmer than to a recreational one.
4 stars

Breaststroke: Groin and knee injuries are more common, especially if you have a screwkick. Swimming with your head above the water strains the muscles and puts pressure on the cartilage between your vertebra.
3 stars

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