How do I push off the wall correctly?

Plant both feet flat on the wall, get your arms into a tight streamline overhead, then extend your legs to push straight back along the surface. Hold the streamline and glide before you start kicking. Aim your push slightly downward so you stay a foot or so under the surface, where there's less resistance.

When should I start kicking after pushing off?

Hold your streamline and let the glide carry you first. Start kicking only when you feel yourself begin to slow down — usually a second or two after the push. Kicking too early wastes energy and actually slows a fast glide rather than adding to it.

How deep should my push off the wall be?

Aim to travel about a foot or so below the surface, not skimming the very top and not diving deep. Just under the surface you escape the churn and chop up top but stay shallow enough to rise smoothly into your first strokes. Angle your push slightly downward to get there.

Does the push off apply to turns too?

Yes. Every time you turn at the wall — an open turn or a flip turn — you finish by planting your feet and pushing off in exactly the same tight streamline. A strong, streamlined push off the wall is a free burst of speed on every single length you swim.

How to Push Off the Wall in Swimming

By The Editorial Team · July 6, 2026 · 5 min read

Learning how to push off the wall is one of the fastest ways to swim better without getting any fitter, because a good push gives you a free burst of speed at the start of every length. You plant your feet firmly on the wall, lock your body into a tight streamline, push straight back, and glide before you kick. Most swimmers waste this moment — they shove off in a loose, wide shape and lose all that free momentum in a second or two. Done well, the same push carries you a third of the way down a short pool with no effort at all.

The short answer

To push off the wall, set both feet flat against the wall, stretch your arms overhead into a tight streamline with your head tucked, then extend your legs to launch straight back just below the surface — and hold that streamline to glide before you start kicking. Push firmly but smoothly, aim slightly downward so you settle about a foot under the surface, and keep your whole body long and narrow. The same technique applies coming out of every turn, so it pays off on every length.

Set your feet on the wall

Everything starts with your feet, because they’re your launch pad.

Plant both feet flat against the wall, roughly hip-width apart, with your toes pointing to the side or slightly up.
Position your feet so your knees are bent and ready to extend — not so close you’re cramped, not so far you can barely reach.
Keep your feet submerged, not up near the surface. A push from too high sends you skimming the choppy top of the water instead of gliding cleanly underneath.

If you’re starting from a standstill at the wall, sink low, get one or both feet planted, take your breath, and lower into the water before you go. Practice this somewhere within your depth and in a lifeguarded pool — never alone.

Get into a tight streamline

The push is only as good as the shape it launches. A loose body catches water like a parachute and kills your glide instantly.

Stretch both arms straight overhead and stack one hand on top of the other.
Squeeze your biceps against your ears so your head is tucked between your arms.
Lengthen your whole body — reach through your fingertips and point your toes.
Engage your core gently so you hold that line instead of wobbling apart.

This tight, arrow-straight shape is the single highest-value habit in your push-off. If you want to drill the position on its own, how to streamline when swimming breaks it down step by step.

Push, aim, and glide

Now put it together in one smooth motion:

Extend your legs firmly to drive yourself straight back along the wall — a strong, controlled push, not a frantic kick.
Aim slightly downward so you settle about a foot below the surface, where the water is calmer and there’s less resistance.
Hold the streamline and let the glide do the work. Stay long and still, and feel yourself carry.
As you naturally slow, angle gently back toward the surface and begin your first strokes or kick.

The magic is in that pause. Resist the urge to start thrashing the moment your feet leave the wall — the glide is faster than your early strokes, so let it run. If gliding feels unfamiliar, how to glide in the water for beginners is the perfect companion.

When to start kicking

Timing your first kick is where a lot of free speed gets lost.

Kick too early and you’re churning your legs while the glide is still faster than you are — you actually slow yourself down and burn energy for nothing.
Wait for the slowdown. Hold the streamline until you feel the glide begin to fade, usually a second or two after the push, then start a light, steady kick from the hips to keep your momentum going.
Ease into your stroke as you approach the surface, rather than snapping your arms apart the instant you leave the wall.

Let the water tell you when — you’ll feel the exact moment the free ride ends. Don’t turn glide practice into a breath-holding contest, though; come up for air whenever you need it.

Common push-off mistakes

A few small leaks cost most swimmers a surprising amount of glide:

Head poking up. If you can see forward, your head is too high and your hips will sink. Tuck it between your arms and look down.
Arms drifting apart. Unstacked hands leave a gap that catches water. Lock them together.
A weak, mushy push. Set your feet and drive with real intent — a firm push carries far, a limp one fizzles.
Kicking immediately. The most common one — trust the glide first.
Pushing off too shallow. Skimming the surface drops you into the chop. Aim just under it.

It works out of every turn too

Here’s the best part: this exact skill applies coming out of a turn. Whether you finish an open turn or a flip turn, the last thing you do is plant your feet on the wall and push off in a tight streamline — the very same move. That means every wall you reach is a fresh chance for a free burst of speed. Once you’ve grooved a clean push, it’s worth carrying into your turns with how to do an open turn in swimming.

The next small step

Your next swim, do five relaxed push-offs and focus on just one thing: holding your streamline and gliding before you kick. Notice how much farther each push carries you when you let the glide run. That single habit — push tight, glide, then kick — turns every wall in the pool into free speed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I push off the wall correctly?: Plant both feet flat on the wall, get your arms into a tight streamline overhead, then extend your legs to push straight back along the surface. Hold the streamline and glide before you start kicking. Aim your push slightly downward so you stay a foot or so under the surface, where there's less resistance.
When should I start kicking after pushing off?: Hold your streamline and let the glide carry you first. Start kicking only when you feel yourself begin to slow down — usually a second or two after the push. Kicking too early wastes energy and actually slows a fast glide rather than adding to it.
How deep should my push off the wall be?: Aim to travel about a foot or so below the surface, not skimming the very top and not diving deep. Just under the surface you escape the churn and chop up top but stay shallow enough to rise smoothly into your first strokes. Angle your push slightly downward to get there.
Does the push off apply to turns too?: Yes. Every time you turn at the wall — an open turn or a flip turn — you finish by planting your feet and pushing off in exactly the same tight streamline. A strong, streamlined push off the wall is a free burst of speed on every single length you swim.

Cite this page

APA

The Editorial Team. (2026). How to Push Off the Wall in Swimming. My Swimming Guide. https://myswimmingguide.com/how-to-push-off-the-wall-in-swimming/

MLA

"How to Push Off the Wall in Swimming." My Swimming Guide, July 6, 2026, https://myswimmingguide.com/how-to-push-off-the-wall-in-swimming/.

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