Drills are used to isolate the problem
Swimming is a very complex series of movements. For the novice swimmer, it is overwhelming to have to consider the position of the feet, bending the elbows, swinging the arms and rotating the hips all while remembering to exhale. Being overwhelmed, many novices are driven into panic mode and cannot then focus on correct swimming form.
The easiest method of dissipating the overwhelm is to break the swim stroke down into easier, “bite-sized” chunks. Isolating each part of the stroke and concentrating on that in the form of a drill.
Drills are used to help correct the problem
Practice makes perfect. People are lazy and will more often than not choose the path of least resistance. Once the poor technique is learned, it is extremely challenging to unlearn it. Even when we understand the right thing to do, we tend to gravitate back to old bad “comfortable” habits. The new stroke or body will always feel “awkward” and “uncomfortable” at first.
To reinforce the correct habit you have been learning by doing the isolation drill, you should swim a length practising the exact technique you have just drilled.
Drills are used to help keep the problem corrected
Devoting one extra swim session per week to just doing drills and drill/swims is a way to get faster. We usually mark these sessions as recovery swims.
While getting fitter is an important component to swimming faster, spending a few minutes at the beginning of each practice working on specific drills to help correct your weak points will help you become a better swimmer.
Drills for the Novice swimmer/triathlete.
The novice swimmers’ stroke generally displays the same problems:
- they bend at the hips dragging their feet
- they kick from the knees
- their shoulders are flat with no rotation and a short reach
- their pull is led by the elbow; they do not catch
The best “fixes” for a novice are:
- teaching them how to catch, and
- correcting the body position
One-Arm Drill
One of the best ways to learn to pull with a high elbow underwater is by doing one-arm drills. Holding one arm in front, swim with one arm only, rotating from side to stomach, but focusing on the high elbow position as the single-arm pulls through. It is much easier to grasp the concept of swimming with high elbows, after practising with each arm alone.
One arm drills will help you:
- work the “catch”, “pull-through” and “recovery” phases of your stroke, as well as
- help you understand the important part your core plays in developing an efficient freestyle
An easier method for the novice is to learn this drill is to do 5x 1-arm strokes with the left arm, 5x 1-arm strokes with the right arm, then do 5x full strokes.
As you become better at the drill, do 7 strokes, then 9 ….until you can complete a full length with just 1 arm.
Remember, as with ALL drills, master the technique and don’t race to the other end of the pool.
Catch-Up Freestyle Drill
One of the classic freestyle drills and one of our favourites, it is a little more advanced than the one-arm drill. Once the One-Arm drill can be comfortably practised, it is time to include the Catch-Up drill.
We use the Catch-Up drill for swimmers and triathletes from novice age-groupers to advanced Ironman athletes.
Like the one-arm drill, holding the left arm in front, swim with the right arm only, rotating from side to stomach, but focusing on the high elbow position as the right arm pulls through. On the recovery, place the right hand on top of the left hand, then repeat the process with the left arm.
Catch-up freestyle helps isolate the arm movement, which makes it easier to teach novice swimmers, proper mechanics. It helps with distance per stroke while also promoting a good hand entry that doesn’t cross-over the midline.
The Catch-Up drill also encourages the swimmers to use a fuller and more balanced flutter kick in order to sustain propulsion and maintain a good, low drag body position.
“If you can’t do it slow, you can’t do it fast.”
– my first girlfriend –