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Freestyle swimmers often try to speed up by moving their arms faster through the air,
trying so hard that their strokes actually deteriorate and slow them down. You must
maintain a balance of good technique and strong pulling and kicking in order to move
faster. To get better, you need to practice drills for various aspects of your
stroke.
Here’s a drill to improve your breathing and kicking.
- Put your fins on. Hold a half-size kickboard at the bottom, with fingers on top of the
board and thumb wrapped underneath. Keep the other arm at your side.
- Begin kicking while looking forward with your eyes right at the surface. Hold this
position for a count of three. Be sure to blow a steady stream of bubbles.
- Roll your body to the same side of the arm that is up.
- Rotate at the shoulder of the arm that is holding the board. When you complete your
roll, the other shoulder should be up as high as possible (perpendicular to the surface of
the water) and your body will be on its side.
Rest your head comfortably on the surface of the water so that your ear is just under
the water and the edge of your eye is at the surface. The corner of your mouth will be
just under surface. Inhale.
After inhaling, return to the forward position and repeat the cycle. Be sure to keep
your eyes at the surface.
Some points to focus on:
- Keep your eyes up and at the surface. Resist the temptation to look down—a common
error that will drive your body down in the water and increase drag tremendously, thereby
slowing you and wasting energy.
- Roll the body, not the neck. Lift that shoulder high.
- Control your head position.
- Look across the surface of the pool when you breathe in.
- Practice this drill on both sides so you learn to be comfortable with alternate
breathing.
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