Index of Swim Drills

[Mike Hussle]

Different Swim Mechanics Drills:

Kicking Drills
Catch Up Drills
Four Count
Three Strokes and Stop
Triple Scoop
Touch Back
Right/Left Arm
Closed Fist
Fingertip Drag
Zipper Drill (shark fin or raise the flag)
Freestyle/Backstroke combo
Straight Arm Swim

Kicking Drills
Kicking drills done without the use of a kick board will improve overall skill level and allow a flatter body position in the water.
1. T-press kick: kicking on your belly, arms at the side. Keep the head low and the body balanced in the water. Purpose: to learn good body position.
2. Streamline kick: similar to the T-press kick, except the hands and arms are in front above the head in the streamlined position.
3. Kick on side: one arm at your side resting on the hip (it should remain dry), the other arm out front, head face down in the water looking at the bottom of the pool. Purpose: to learn body position and balancing on the your side.
4. Six-kick switch: flutter kick on side with one arm at side and one out front. On six count give hard pull, extending other arm and roll to opposite side, six count and repeat. Purpose: to learn body position and roll.

Catch-up Drills
1. Basic: with one arm extended out front, give an explosive pull with the other arm (continue body roll and flutter kicking as in regular Freestyle) and recover to the streamlined position. Give a two count. Breathe every stroke, thus accentuating body roll. Purpose: develop both arm pulls equally.
2. Head touch: same as above, but touching your head with each stroke, thus keeping the elbows high. Purpose: develop both arm pulls and keep recovering elbow high; heightens awareness of where the hand enters the water.
3. Catch-up with a board: Just like regular catch-up, only your front hand is holding a kick board.As the arms trade places, they hand off the board to each other.
You can substitute a pencil - or anything else that won't make you sink.

Four Count
As you stroke with your right arm, rotate and hold that position for a count of four (making sure to look straight down to the bottom of the pool). Extend the bottom arm forward while the top arm rests on your hip (remaining dry) during the pause. When you need to breathe, allow the bottom arm to begin the stroke so the head rotates as your hips and shoulders roll. Purpose: to help you get the feel of full extension and body roll.

Three Strokes and Stop
Swim three strokes Freestyle and stop. During the stop, make sure you continue to kick and that you are on your side, your face is in the water, and the back arm is dry with the body well balanced. Do not proceed with the next three strokes until you are balanced.

Triple Scoop
Swimming Freestyle, take three scoops of water with one hand, making sure to be on your side with full extension of the arm. Rotate arms and body on the fourth stroke. Purpose: to concentrate on the catch phase of the stroke.

Touch Back
At the completion of each stroke when your hand exits the water, roll body and slap the water on the other side of your hip. Keep your head in proper Freestyle position. Purpose: to heighten your awareness of the completion of the stroke and body roll.

Right/Left Arm
Swim Freestyle with only one arm, the other to remain at your side. Remember to continue body roll, kick and breath to the non-stroking side. Purpose: arm conditioning and body roll.

Closed Fist
Swim Freestyle but with the hands closed into fists. Purpose: to heighten the hand position and the catch phase of the stroke and feel the water on the forearm.

Fingertip Drag:
to promote a high elbow recovery and to make you aware of your hand position during recovery.Swum like regular freestyle, except your fingertips never leave the water as your arm moves forward during the stroke recovery.
You drag your fingers forward through the water, slightly off to the side of your body, focusing on good body roll and keeping your elbows pointed up.
Change how much of your hand stays in the water: fingertips, hand, wrist, even your whole forearm.

Zipper Drill (shark fin or raising the flag)
Swimming Freestyle, during the recovery drag thumb along side of your body from thigh to arm pit and back down again, then complete a stroke. Purpose: to heighten the recovery phase of the stroke and keep elbows high.

Freestyle/Backstroke Combo
Swim three strokes Freestyle, stopping on your side. Do not proceed until the back arm is dry and the body is balanced with the face in the water. Once balanced, rotate the head to a nose up position going into Backstroke. Take four strokes Backstroke, again stopping on your side. Keep repeating, making sure to stop between strokes only on your side. Purpose: learn the need to rotate the hips in both Freestyle and Backstroke

Straight Arm Swim:

Swim like normal freestyle, but keep your arms straight through entire stroke. This "wheel-like" motion with your arms helps prevent reaching inwards instead of straight forward with your stroke, as well as teaching your arm to extend to outside the hip instead of inside.