Tab 1
DRILLS:
NAME | EXPLANATION | PURPOSE |
3 count switch/6 count switch “6K-1P” Freestyle/beginner/all levels | Kick with one arm extended and shoulders and hips at approx 30-45 degree angle for 3 of 6 counts, then rotate and kick with the other arm extended. | Maintain stable body position with hips up while kicking. Generate power for rotation to the opposite side with the hips Spine in line/neutral head position maintains proper body position. Variation: ear on shoulder/head turned to the side with one goggle in the water to practice breath position |
636 freestyle Freestyle/intermediate | Same as 6-count switch, except 3 arm strokes of freestyle are done before kicking on the opposite side. | Use core stabilization to connect hip and shoulders as you rotate through the 3 freestyle strokes. Hold bodyline at the surface of the water. |
Long dog Freestyle/intermediate | Exaggerated dog paddle: Lay on the surface of the water with arms extended at position 11 (superman). Reach forward with one arm & initiate the catch & underwater pull phase with a high elbow, propelling you forward. Pull all the way through with one arm and recover that arm underwater before starting with the opposite arm. | Holding bodyline stable while pulling. Focusing on the catch part of the freestyle pull and a high elbow/vertical forearm pull. Avoiding crossover during underwater pull phase. |
Single-arm freestyle Freestyle/advanced | Use one arm at a time while the inactive arm remains at your side to allow complete rotation. The inactive shoulder should emerge (pop out) of the water. Do this drill slowly! | Allows for focus on a single arm movement at a time while maintaining body position and rotation. Breathing to the side of the inactive arm helps to time the breath before pulling. |
Windmill Freestyle and Back / advanced (only cause I think you need to have a proper stroke first, to then mess with something like arm speed) | Freestyle with a straight arm recovery | Increased stroke rate, balance, and range of motion opening up the armpit and recovering in line with your shoulder |
Hesitation Freestyle /intermediate | Pause briefly on the recovery phase of your freestyle just before your hand enters the water. | Focuses on the entry & glide as well as timing the pull so that you are swimming “out in front” of your body |
Single-arm backstroke Back/intermediate | Use one arm at a time while the inactive arm remains at your side to allow complete rotation. | Focus on one single entry, catch, pull, and recovery at a time while maintaining body position and rotation |
636 backstroke Back/intermediate | 6 counts on your side with one arm extended, 3 full backstroke strokes, and 6 counts on the opposite side | Core stabilization, bodyline, and even rotation |
Double-arm backstroke Back/beginner | Perform backstroke pulls with both arms simultaneously. | Helps straighten out the entry and catch of the backstroke pull for swimmers who cross over their head/midline while swimming regular backstroke. |
2R2L backstroke Back/intermediate | 2 strokes with the right arm, followed by 2 strokes with the left arm | Rotation and maintaining the rhythm in backstroke by connecting the core & hips |
2K 1P breaststroke Breast/beginner | Perform a pull, kick, & glide in regular breaststroke rhythm & then an additional kick while holding your body in streamline. | “Finding your line” and gliding in breaststroke in a streamlined position |
BR with dolphin kick Breast/intermediate | Regular breaststroke pull with a dolphin kick in place of a breaststroke kick | Engagement of core and hips to push forward, high hips on top of the water, and quick hands getting back in line after the breaststroke pull |
BR with flutter kick Breast/intermediate | Regular breaststroke pull with a continuous flutter kick in place of a breaststroke kick | Driving hands/shoulders/head forward in line quickly in the recovery phase of the breaststroke pull Helps avoid the pause caused by pulling too far back towards the hips |
Short axis combo Breast/Fly/advanced | Alternate 2 cycles of butterfly with 2 cycles of breaststroke. Carry the forward momentum of one short-axis stroke into the next. | Develops body awareness and forward undulation of short-axis strokes. “Ride the glide” of each short-axis stroke, maintaining high hips at the surface of the water. |
Single-arm fly Fly/beginner | Regular butterfly kick pattern with a single arm fly (NOT FREESTYLE) pull at a time. If the inactive arm is needed out in front for balance, be sure to avoid rotating the body and mimicking a single-arm freestyle pull. Many variations: 2R, 2L, 2 full strokes of fly 1-1-1, etc . . . | Can be used to help with the timing of the two kicks in fly. Sometimes it helps to think “kick hands in, kick hands out.” |
3K1P fly Fly/advanced | Set up 3-4 dolphin kicks with arms comfortably extended in a “Y” position, then initiate one breath and full pull cycle. Reset with 3-4 dolphin kicks again . . . | Timing of fly kick, breath, and pull |
Flutter fly Fly/?? | Butterfly pull with flutter kick, usually best with fins | Avoids the “deep dive” in fly by keeping hips and head near the surface of the water |
Additional ideas?
Free: Tarzan- head up (since we’re doing OW now)
Free: Catch-up or 11 - I usually have people do 11 or emphasize not crossing over, working on catch. (Can use a kickboard hamburger-style for beginner variation)
Free: 3-elbow-pop (I have no idea what you call it) Posture-style swimming, one arm at a time bend at the elbow/high elbow, and “taps” mid-way down 2 times, the third time you pull all the way through. Catch drill. (I do it a lot, but never knew the official name.)
Free: Fists. Boom. (Works on catch / feel for water)
A different short axis combo: R-arm fly, L-arm fly, Double-Arm fly, Breaststroke pull/kick
Undulation drill!
Fly: No-arms (Again, title?) Fly body position with kick, arms down by your side, work on chest pressing
Fly: Similar to above, only add in the underwater portion of the catch/pull- still no arms come up over the water
Fly: Good ol’ Dolphin Dives- obviously only works in shallow water.
Back: High-Five the Water. During your catch / elbow bend your hand comes up out of the water and “high-fives” the water making a splash emphasizing the follow through.
Back: Push and Rotate: No arms overhead, just work on the last part of your follow-through…push and rotate through the water.
Back: Row Your Boat: On your back use a kickboard to “row” your boat. Works on rotation and obliques.
Back: Catch and Throw: I think it could be an advanced variation of 6k-1p where you emphasize the catch and throw the water, popping yourself out of the water.
Breast and Free: Paddles at your forearm / reverse hold on paddles
Breast: 2up-2down: Two extremely high strokes, high shoulders, followed by two extremely low strokes with long streamline.
Print Version_ Erin
NAME | EXPLANATION | PURPOSE |
636 freestyle | Same as 6 count switch, except 3 arm strokes of freestyle are done before kicking on the opposite side. | Use core stabilization to connect hip and shoulders as you rotate through the 3 freestyle strokes. Hold bodyline at the surface of the water. |
Long dog | Exaggerated dog paddle: Lay on the surface of the water with arms extended at position 11 (superman). Reach forward with one arm & initiate the catch & underwater pull phase with a high elbow, propelling you forward. Pull all the way through with one arm and recover that arm underwater before starting with the opposite arm. | Holding bodyline stable while pulling. Focusing on the catch part of the freestyle pull and a high elbow/vertical forearm pull. Avoiding crossover during underwater pull phase. |
Single-arm freestyle | Use one arm at a time while the inactive arm remains at your side to allow complete rotation. The inactive shoulder should emerge (pop out) of the water. Do this drill slowly! | Allows for focus on a single arm movement at a time while maintaining body position and rotation. Breathing to the side of the inactive arm helps to time the breath before pulling. |
Windmill | Freestyle with a straight arm recovery | Increased stroke rate, balance, and range of motion opening up the armpit and recovering in line with your shoulder |
Hesitation | Pause briefly on the recovery phase of your freestyle just before your hand enters the water. | Focuses on the entry & glide as well as timing the pull so that you are swimming “out in front” of your body |
Single-arm backstroke | Use one arm at a time while the inactive arm remains at your side to allow complete rotation. | Focus on one single entry, catch, pull, and recovery at a time while maintaining body position and rotation |
636 backstroke | 6 counts on your side with one arm extended, 3 full backstroke strokes, and 6 counts on the opposite side | Core stabilization, bodyline, and even rotation |
Double-arm backstroke | Perform backstroke pulls with both arms simultaneously. | Helps straighten out the entry and catch of the backstroke pull for swimmers who cross over their head/midline while swimming regular backstroke. |
2R2L backstroke | 2 strokes with the right arm followed by 2 strokes with the left arm | Rotation and maintaining the rhythm in backstroke by connecting core & hips |
2K 1P breaststroke | Perform a pull, kick, & glide in regular breaststroke rhythm & then an additional kick while holding your body in streamline. | “Finding your line” and gliding in breaststroke in a streamlined position |
BR with dolphin kick | Regular breaststroke pull with a dolphin kick in place of a breaststroke kick | Engagement of core and hips to push forward, high hips on top of the water, and quick hands getting back in line after the breaststroke pull |
BR with flutter kick | Regular breaststroke pull with a continuous flutter kick in place of a breaststroke kick | Driving hands/shoulders/head forward in line quickly in the recovery phase of the breaststroke pull Helps avoid the pause caused by pulling too far back towards hips |
Short axis combo | Alternate 2 cycles of butterfly with 2 cycles of breaststroke. Carry the forward momentum of one short-axis stroke into the next. | Develops body awareness and forward undulation of short-axis strokes. “Ride the glide” of each short-axis stroke, maintaining high hips at the surface of the water. |
Single-arm fly | Regular butterfly kick pattern with a single arm fly (NOT FREESTYLE) pull at a time. If the inactive arm is needed out in front for balance, be sure to avoid rotating the body and mimicking a single-arm freestyle pull. Many variations: 2R, 2L, 2 full strokes of fly 1-1-1, etc . . . | Can be used to help with the timing of the two kicks in fly. Sometimes it helps to think “kick hands in, kick hands out.” |
3K1P fly | Set up 3-4 dolphin kicks with arms comfortably extended in a “Y” position, then initiate one breath and full pull cycle. Reset with 3-4 dolphin kicks again . . . | Timing of fly kick, breath, and pull |
Flutter fly | Butterfly pull with flutter kick, usually best with fins | Avoids the “deep dive” in fly by keeping hips and head near the surface of the water |