Breaststroke is swum on the chest with no rotation of the torso. A breath is taken after every stroke. You come up out of the water to breathe. You are not only moving forward but also up and down when swimming breaststroke. The arms and legs move symmetrically together yet independently of each other. First the arms, then the legs. Breaststroke is a challenging stroke on competition level, but can also be swum at a slow speed, making it a popular recreational stroke.