The trudgen stroke sits at the turning point between side stroke and modern front crawl, and that makes it more than a swimming relic. It is a hybrid technique built around alternating overarm recovery, a scissors kick, and careful timing, so I focus here on what it is, how it works, where it came from, and how to practise it without building sloppy habits. In 2026, it is not a race staple, but it still teaches body line, rotation, and breathing control better than many newer swimmers expect.
What matters most at a glance
- It is a hybrid stroke, not one of the four mainstream competitive strokes.
- The arms recover alternately over the water, while the legs usually use a scissors kick.
- Its real value is historical and technical: it shows the bridge between side stroke and modern freestyle.
- It can improve timing, breath control, and side-to-side balance in the water.
- For speed, front crawl wins easily; for coordination work, this older pattern still has something to offer.
What the stroke is and why it still matters
At its simplest, this is an old overarm swimming style that grew out of side stroke. John Trudgen popularised it in the late 19th century, and most modern descriptions treat it as alternating arm action plus a scissors kick, although historical accounts do not all agree on every detail of the original version.
That matters because the stroke was not just a curiosity. It helped swimmers move away from slower, flatter styles and towards the faster crawl family that dominates pool racing today. When I explain it to swimmers, I treat it as a missing link: not the finish line, but an important stage in how efficient freestyle developed.
So if you are studying swim technique, the point is not to cling to an obsolete race stroke. The point is to understand the mechanics that made it work, and then see why those mechanics were eventually overtaken by the modern crawl.
Why this hybrid mattered in swimming history
The stroke became important because it combined two ideas that were already proving valuable: an overwater arm recovery and a more propulsive body position than classic side stroke. That combination gave swimmers a faster, more aggressive shape in the water, even if it still looked a little awkward by modern standards.
In practical terms, it was a stepping stone. Swimmers were learning that the arms could recover efficiently out of the water, and that the legs did not have to stay locked into a purely breaststroke-like rhythm. Once the flutter kick and a flatter body line became more refined, the old hybrid lost its place as a racing mainstay.
That is why I would describe it as historically useful rather than competitively useful. It shows where modern freestyle came from, and it helps explain why technique changes that look small on paper can make a huge difference in speed and drag.
From here, the best way to understand it is to break down how the stroke actually behaves in the water.
How the stroke works in the water
Body line and rotation
The swimmer stays partly on the side rather than fully flat. That side-led position helps the arm recover cleanly and gives space for breathing, but it also demands control. If the body rolls too far, the stroke stalls; if it stays too flat, the kick and recovery lose their rhythm.
I usually think of it as a controlled tilt, not a dramatic roll. You want enough rotation to let the arm travel freely and the mouth clear the surface, but not so much that the hips and legs drift out of alignment.
Arm timing
The arms alternate in a hand-over-hand pattern above the water. One arm extends forward while the other recovers, and the key is to keep the motion smooth rather than jerky. If the recovery pauses or drops late, the stroke loses momentum very quickly.
A useful cue is to let the recovering hand pass comfortably over the water instead of muscling it forward. The stroke should feel long, not rushed.
The scissors kick
The kick is the defining feature for most modern descriptions of the style. It is not the flutter kick used in front crawl, and it is not the frog-like breaststroke kick either. Think of it as a quick open-and-close action that snaps the legs back together and helps finish the body’s rotation.
The most common mistake is making the kick too wide. A wide scissors kick creates drag, slows the hips, and makes the whole body feel heavy. A compact snap is usually far more effective.
Read Also: Teach Back Float - The Easiest Way to Confident Swimming
Breathing without breaking the rhythm
Breathing happens naturally during the recovery phase, when the mouth can clear the water on the open side. That makes the stroke feel easier to breathe than a fully submerged arm cycle, but it only works if the swimmer keeps the head relaxed and avoids lifting it too high.
If the breath is forced, the body line collapses and the whole stroke becomes choppy. Smooth breathing is one of the main reasons this style still matters as a teaching tool, because it shows how breathing and balance are linked.
Once those pieces start to fit together, the next step is to practise them in small parts instead of trying to swim the full stroke at speed from the start.
A simple way to learn it in the pool
I would break learning into short, controlled repeats. For a 25 m pool, a sensible progression is:
- 4 x 10 m side balance, just to feel stable on one side.
- 4 x 15 m single-arm overarm recovery with a compact scissors kick.
- 4 x 25 m full stroke, resting 20 to 30 seconds between repeats.
- 2 x 25 m with a smooth breath on the recovery side only, once timing feels calm.
If you want a little equipment help, a snorkel can remove breathing from the equation for a few lengths, and short fins can help you feel the kick snap. I would use both sparingly. They are useful for feedback, but they can also hide problems if you rely on them too long.
What I watch for first is rhythm, not effort. If the swimmer looks busy but goes nowhere, the drill is too fast. Slow the tempo, clean up the body line, and let the stroke feel coordinated before adding pace.
That foundation makes comparison easier, because once you know how it feels, you can see exactly why other strokes replaced it.
How it compares with front crawl and sidestroke
| Stroke | Body position | Kick | Main advantage | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid overarm style | Mostly on one side with controlled rotation | Scissors kick | Good for learning timing, breathing, and coordination | Slower and less streamlined than modern crawl |
| Front crawl | Flatter, more streamlined, with continuous rotation | Flutter kick | Fastest practical choice for pool racing | Needs stronger timing and body control to stay efficient |
| Sidestroke | Fully side-on and more relaxed | Usually scissors-style | Comfortable for long, easy swimming and lifesaving work | Lower speed and less direct propulsion |
The table makes the main trade-off obvious. Front crawl won because it reduced drag and kept propulsion more continuous, while sidestroke stayed useful in relaxed or rescue-oriented swimming. The hybrid style sits between them: more dynamic than sidestroke, but not as fast or efficient as crawl.
That comparison also explains why it is still taught in some technique conversations. It is a clean way to show how small changes in leg action and body line can change performance completely.
Common mistakes that make the stroke feel awkward
- Lifting the head to breathe - This breaks the line through the hips and legs. Keep the breath low and let the side rotation do the work.
- Making the scissors kick too wide - A broad kick feels powerful, but it usually just creates drag. Keep the snap compact and decisive.
- Rushing the recovering arm - A hurried recovery often leads to a heavy entry and poor timing. Let the hand travel smoothly over the surface.
- Over-rotating onto the side - Too much roll turns the stroke into a wobble. Think controlled tilt, not full twist.
- Trying to swim it like sprint crawl - The stroke depends on rhythm, so speed should come after coordination, not before it.
Most of these faults come from trying to force power into a technique that rewards shape and timing. When swimmers back off the effort slightly, the stroke usually gets cleaner within a few lengths.
If I had to pick one fix first, it would be body position. Once the line through the head, hips, and feet is stable, the arms and legs have a much better chance of working together.
What it can still teach a modern swimmer
Even though this is not a modern race stroke, I still think it has a real place in technical training. It teaches swimmers how to breathe without panicking, how to stay balanced on one side, and how to connect arm recovery with kick timing instead of treating them as separate skills.
That is useful for beginners, but it also helps more experienced swimmers who want to clean up their freestyle. The same principles show up again in front crawl: body line first, timing second, speed last.
My practical take is simple. Use the old hybrid as a drill, a history lesson, and a coordination exercise, not as a goal event. If it makes your body awareness better in the water, it has done its job.
