MISCELLANEOUS DRILLS

These are some miscellaneous drills for swimmers to work on to help improve all areas - strokes, streamlines, turns.  

(1.)  DISTANCE PER STROKE DRILL – Have your swimmers do a set of 30 x 25s on 30 seconds.  They should descend their times in sets of three.  The first 25 should be easy and the swimmers should count their strokes.  The second 25 should be a little faster, but have the swimmers try to hold the same stroke count.  The third 25 is still faster and they should try to hold the same number of strokes.  Then they start over on the fourth 25 with an easy pace.  (Dick Bower)

(2.)  PUSH DRILL – The swimmers should drive off the bottom of the pool in deep water.  Have them hold a tight streamline position, kick, and stretch to the backstroke flags.  They should attempt to pop out of the water as far as possible.  This drill will help swimmers get a strong push off of each turn.

(3.)  STREAMLINE KICK – The swimmers should streamline and kick 12.5 yards underwater.  Have them concentrate on a fast kick.

(4.)  STREAMLINE DRILL – This drill is done while the swimmers are lying on their backs on the floor.  Their arms should be extended, hand over hand, elbows squeezed in against the back of their ears.   Their stomach and buttocks should be pulled in.  Be sure they keep their knees straight and their toes pointed.

(5.)  TORPEDO DRILL – Have the swimmers push off the wall underwater and glide as far as they can.  Stress to them that the push and the glide are fundamental.  Establish a standard for distance for each swimmer.

Butterfly Drills

Here are some new butterfly drills for swimmers to try during practice - each drill concentrates on one area of swimming butterfly - breathing, kicking, timing, underwater pull.

Breathing
(1.)  BREATHING DRILL – The swimmers swim 100s breathing every other stroke on the first length, every third stroke on the second and  third lengths, and every other on the fourth length.  Do not allow for variations with the pattern during the drill.  

Kicking

(2.)  ONE UP DRILL – The swimmers kick on their sides with one arm up and the other arm at their side.  They should concentrate on kicking both ways and moving their feet quickly.  This drill helps to get the hips into the kick.  

Timing

(3.)  BROKEN 100s – This drill is done as a set of 4 x 100s.  The first one is 25 right arm only and 75 full stroke.  The second 100 is 25 left arm only and 75 full stroke.  The third 100 is 75 right arm only and 25 full stroke.  And the fourth 100 is 75 left arm only and 25 full stroke.  The swimmers should concentrate on a clean entry at shoulder width, arms slightly flexed at entry, and a good underwater stretch. 

Underwater Pull

(4.)  FIST SWIM FLY – Swimming butterfly with the fist closed forces the swimmer to “grab the barrel” with the entire arm and helps with the high elbow catch.

Freestyle Drills

Here are four freestyle drills that concentrate on the 4 areas of freestyle - Breathing, Kicking and streamlining, Recovery and Entry, and Underwater Pulling.  

(1.)  BILATERAL BREATHING – Have the swimmers breathe every three or every five strokes.  This provides for stroke balance, promotes shoulder roll, and is a good lead-up to hypoxic training.

(2.)  6 – 6 TURNS – The swimmers do a turn, then push off on their back for six kicks.  They then turn to their side for six kicks before doing a bottom arm pull.  They must stay streamlined past the flags during all the kicking. 

 

(3.)  ARMPIT DRILL – The swimmers should touch their armpit during recovery.  They should concentrate on keeping their elbows up and sliding their hands close to the body.  

 

(4.)  CATCH-UP STROKE – The swimmers pull with one arm while the other arm remains outstretched in front.  They should recover with a high elbow until both hands touch together in front.  This is continued one arm, then the other.  The swimmers need to have a steady kick and breathe every three strokes throughout the drill.  This drill also helps to establish smoothness and hand acceleration at the back part of the stroke.  

Freestyle Video Clips

1.  David Marsh - Swimming Faster - Proper Body Position

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldBUIozuTuA&feature=relmfu

2. Richard Quick - Championship Winning Walls - Turns for all strokes - Freestyle Flip Turn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d3y-Ah_xp8&feature=relmfu