The backstroke is a swimming stroke that is swum on the back. It is one of the four basic strokes in competitive swimming, along with the breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle. The backstroke is swum by lying on one’s back and kicking the legs in a alternating pattern while the arms are extended overhead, pulling the body through the water.

The backstroke was one of the first strokes to be developed, and it has been a part of the Olympic Games since the first modern Games in 1896. The stroke has evolved over time, and modern backstroke technique is quite different from the original form of the stroke.