I’ve been swimming since earlier this year. I’ve been under the impression that drills are critical to improve and maintain technique, hence even olympic swimmers do them.
However, I can’t help but notice that very few lane swimmers in my pool (at 6-7am) actually do any drills, despite many of them swimming incredible distances without stopping. One guy never even puts his face underwater during his crawl yet swims further than I can!
Do drills stop being relevant at a certain ability level? Or do swimmers just decide they don’t want to improve, and the fitness benefit is enough?
Many adult swimmers lack formal instruction, so they miss out on effective drills. I grew up competitively swimming and coaching juniors, knowing many drills to improve technique. Without a coach, it’s tough to grasp their benefits. Drills can feel boring, and I prefer to just swim and get my Ks in. I believe high-effort barefoot kicksets would benefit more people than leisurely fin kicks.
Start with 8 x 50s: sprint to 25, recover to 50, aiming for 10s rest. Use a fixed time instead of resting once touching the wall to maintain effort. As fitness builds, do timed 50s at 70-80% effort, ensuring no relaxation at the wall. You can also alternate strokes, doing 2 x 50 of one before switching. Kick with fins first to help with technique, then switch to barefoot for a challenge. Watch for knee bend; use resistance bands under knees if needed to improve form.