What's the Best Way to Get Started with Swimming Drills?

Technique and Training Forum
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I’m looking to get back into swimming and need some advice. A few years ago, I used to swim casually but never really focused on any specific drills. Now that I want to improve my technique and endurance, I’m curious about what swimming drills are best for beginners.

What do you recommend starting with? Any tips or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

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Begin with basic ones like the “kickboard drill” for improving your kick, “catch-up drill” for freestyle stroke coordination, and “fist drill” to enhance your feel for the water.

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Getting started with swimming drills can be both enjoyable and beneficial! Here are some tips and drills often recommended for beginners on Swimdialogue and similar platforms:

  1. Warm-Up
    Begin with a light warm-up: Swim a few laps at a slow pace to prepare your body. This helps prevent injuries and gets your muscles ready for more challenging drills.

  2. Basic Drills

  • Kickboard Drills: Use a kickboard to focus on your leg strength and kicking technique. Practice flutter kicks and breaststroke kicks.
  • Catch-Up Drill: Swim freestyle, starting the next stroke only when your hands meet in front of you. This improves stroke timing and coordination.
  • Fist Drill: Swim with your fists closed to enhance your water feel when you open your hands again.
  1. Breathing Drills
  • Side Breathing: Practice breathing on both sides to balance your stroke and refine your technique.
  • Bilateral Breathing: Breathe every three strokes to create a more symmetrical stroke.
  1. Technique Focus
  • Body Position: Work on maintaining a streamlined position with your head down and body flat in the water.
  • Rotation Drills: Focus on rotating from the hips rather than just the shoulders for better efficiency and power.
  1. Endurance Building
  • Interval Training: Swim sets of 50m or 100m with short rest breaks in between, gradually increasing the distance as your endurance builds.
  • Pyramid Sets: Start with a short distance, increase, and then decrease (e.g., 50m, 100m, 150m, 100m, 50m).
  1. Cool Down
  • Gentle Swim: End your session with a few easy laps to cool down and relax your muscles.

Additional Tips

  • Consistency: Regular practice is crucial. Aim to swim at least 2-3 times a week.
  • Variety: Mix up your drills to keep your workouts interesting and address different aspects of your technique.
  • Feedback: If possible, seek feedback from a coach or experienced swimmer to help you improve.
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I wouldn’t worry too much about drills right now, as many can feel like chores and might take away from the enjoyment of swimming. The only two drills I’d recommend at this stage are the zip drill (where you swim front crawl and, with your arm out of the water, lightly drag your finger on the surface, mimicking a zipper movement) and the catch-release drill (where you hold an object very close in front of you without dropping it, focusing on fully completing each arm movement before switching). You can even combine both drills.

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It largely depends on your goals. The most effective way to improve your swimming is by taking a class. Solo research or YouTube videos alone might not be very effective.

If your legs are tired after swimming 50 meters while your arms feel fine, you’re probably kicking too much. This is a common issue for beginners.

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This might come across as blunt, but I’ll put it as gently as I can. Swimming 50 meters is just one lap in an Olympic-size pool or two laps in a gym pool. If you’re feeling this exhausted and need several minutes to recover after such a short distance, it’s important to focus on improving your cardio and conditioning.

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Alternatively, holding a kickboard in front gives your arms something to hold onto, but it can cause your feet to sink more, especially if your head is out of the water with the board. Using a noodle placed at waist level for buoyancy can help your feet stay afloat, allowing you to concentrate on your technique. You can use both tools simultaneously, keeping your face in the water and only taking a stroke when you need to breathe. However, I find it easier to breathe and maintain proper form without the kickboard. You can either move your arms normally and breathe to the side or extend both arms forward and take a stroke only when you need to breathe.

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Alternatively, focus on mastering your basic body position by simply floating face down. It’s important to understand which muscles to engage and how much to engage them ensuring you’re neither too tense nor too relaxed. Learning proper buoyancy is crucial; once you have that down, swimming will become significantly easier.

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I recommend starting with total immersion drills, which are ideal for beginners.

Mastering the position, line, and balance, what TI refers to as the “sweetspot”, will help you understand that swimming the crawl (freestyle) involves more than just moving your arms and legs.