We recomend that the first 10 minutes of any swim workout should be swim drill focused. It is best to pick 2 drills from the list below and then practice them every week in your swim sets.
1. Catch-Up Drill
This swim drill focuses on improving stroke length, body position, and proper arm technique. It helps develop a smoother, more efficient stroke by isolating each arm and preventing overreaching or underreaching.
How to do it:
- Swim freestyle but only take one arm stroke at a time.
- As one arm completes a full stroke, the other arm remains extended forward.
- Only begin your next stroke when your recovering hand ‘catches up’ with the arm in the front position.
Benefits: Helps refine body rotation and ensures proper hand entry.
2. Single Arm Drill
Single arm swimming drill allows you to focus on one arm at a time, ensuring a strong pull and reducing drag. This drill also encourages better body rotation and balance in the water.
How to do it:
- Swim freestyle but use one arm while keeping the other arm at your side.
- Alternate arms every 25 metres or after a set number of strokes.
- Keep your body aligned and avoid crossing your midline with the arm stroke.
Benefits: Builds strength in each arm and improves your body position.
3. 3-3-5 Drill
This is a great drill for improving body rotation, breathing technique, and timing. It combines single-arm swimming with a specific focus on rotation.
How to do it:
- Swim three strokes with the right arm, followed by three strokes with the left arm, then five full strokes with both arms.
- Keep the rotation smooth and ensure you’re breathing correctly while rotating.
Benefits: Teaches proper body rotation and helps with timing and stroke rhythm.
4. Pull Buoy Drill – No Video Needed
Using a pull buoy between your legs isolates your arms and helps you focus on your upper body technique. It’s a fantastic drill for building arm strength and improving the catch phase of your stroke.
How to do it:
- Place a pull buoy between your thighs to prevent your legs from sinking.
- Swim freestyle, focusing on your arm stroke and hand entry, while your legs are buoyed up.
Benefits: Builds upper body strength and helps improve stroke efficiency.
5. Sculling Drill
Sculling teaches you to develop a feel for the water, improving your hand entry and catch phase. This drill is essential for developing proper propulsion and increasing efficiency.
How to do it:
- Position yourself in a horizontal position in the water.
- With your arms extended in front, make small, circular movements with your hands—fingers remain together, and palms face outwards.
- Focus on the feeling of the water as you scull with small, controlled movements.
Benefits: Improves your catch phase and feel for the water, promoting better stroke technique.
6. Kickboard Drill – No Video Needed
Using a kickboard helps improve your kick technique, builds leg strength, and helps you focus on body position and balance in the water.
How to do it:
- Hold a kickboard in front of you with your arms extended and focus on a steady, rhythmic flutter kick.
- Keep your core engaged and try to maintain a straight, horizontal body position.
Benefits: Strengthens legs and improves body position while focusing on your kick mechanics.
7. Zip Drill
This drill is excellent for focusing on hand entry, body position, and streamlining. It also helps triathletes develop better rotation and balance.
How to do it:
- Swim freestyle but, as your hand enters the water, “zip it” along your body, making sure it stays in close contact with your side.
- Your hand should glide in a straight line along your torso before extending fully in front of you.
Benefits: Encourages a streamlined body position, better body rotation, and reduces drag.
8. Fist Drill
The fist drill helps develop a stronger and more effective catch phase by encouraging proper hand positioning and focus on the forearm’s role in propulsion.
How to do it:
- Swim freestyle but make a fist with both hands.
- Perform your stroke as usual, but focus on feeling the water with your forearms rather than your hands.
Benefits: Improves your forearm and catch technique, making your pull stronger and more efficient.
9. Progressive Swim Drill – No Video Needed
This drill combines speed and endurance, teaching you to increase stroke rate and power while maintaining efficiency.
How to do it:
- Swim a set distance (e.g., 100 metres) and gradually increase your stroke rate every 25 metres.
- Start with a comfortable pace and build up to a sprint towards the end of the set.
Benefits: Builds stamina, teaches pacing, and increases stroke rate while maintaining form.
10. Broken Arrow Swim Drill
The Broken Arrow Drill can be used to work on numerous aspects of your swim stroke, including timing, hand entry and alignment. This swimming drill is done from a single arm leading position. Then, slowly move the non leading recovery arm up over your side until your hand is at your ear. Keep your hand there for a few seconds or kicks. Then slowly put your hand in the pool in front of you. Repeat this several times across the pool.
How to do it:
- Bring the recovery arm up high out of the water.
- Slowly bring the hand down to the ear
- Pause for 2 seconds
- Allow the hand to enter in front on you as normal.
Benefits: Reduces tension in Neck and Shoulders
11. Long Dog Drill for Triathletes
The Long Dog swim drill is a technique-focused exercise that helps swimmers develop better stroke mechanics and body position. It involves swimming with one arm extended forward while the other arm is in a relaxed recovery position, mimicking the movement of a dog paddling through the water.
How to do it:
- Start by floating on your stomach, one arm fully extended in front of you, and the other arm resting in a recovery position.
- Kick gently to maintain balance, keeping your body flat and aligned in the water.
- Pull with the extended arm, focusing on long, controlled strokes.
- As the arm comes back to the recovery position, switch arms and repeat.
- Keep a steady rhythm, alternating arms every few strokes.
12. Tarzan Drill for Triathletes
The Tarzan swim drill is a technique drill aimed at improving head position, breathing technique, and body alignment. It involves swimming with a freestyle stroke but with your head above the water at all times, mimicking a “Tarzan” style. This drill helps develop a more effective breathing pattern and better body posture in the water.
How to do it:
- Begin swimming with a standard freestyle stroke.
- Keep your head above the water at all times, looking straight ahead.
- Perform a high elbow catch and pull with each stroke, ensuring your body stays horizontal.
- Use a steady kick to maintain balance while focusing on your stroke mechanics.
- Breathe every stroke or as needed, maintaining a smooth, rhythmic movement throughout the drill.
13.Distance Per Stroke Drill – No Video Needed
How to do it:
Swim freestyle with a focus on increasing the distance covered with each stroke. To do this, consciously lengthen your reach and slow down your stroke rate, aiming for more efficient, powerful pulls. Count the number of strokes it takes to cover a set distance (e.g., 25 or 50 metres) and work to reduce the number of strokes per length over time.
Benefits:
- Improves stroke efficiency by encouraging longer, smoother strokes.
- Enhances body position and streamlining in the water.
- Builds strength in the arms and shoulders through controlled, powerful pulls.
- Teaches pacing and encourages a more sustainable, endurance-focused swim.
14. Head Position Drill – No Video Needed
How to do it:
Swim freestyle while consciously focusing on keeping your head in a neutral position, aligned with your spine. Your gaze should be directed straight down, not forward, with the water line at eye level. Avoid lifting your head too high out of the water, as this can cause your body to sink and increase drag.
Benefits:
- Improves body alignment and reduces drag by maintaining a streamlined position.
- Promotes proper breathing by ensuring that head movements remain minimal and efficient.
- Enhances stroke technique by helping to keep your body in a straight line, encouraging smoother, more balanced swimming.
- Reduces neck strain by encouraging a natural head position and avoiding unnecessary head lifting.
15. Breathing Drills – Breath Every 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,
How to do it:
Swim freestyle, varying your breathing pattern to gradually increase the number of strokes between breaths. Start by breathing every 2 strokes (bilateral breathing), then progress to 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 strokes. Focus on maintaining a steady rhythm, proper body position, and relaxed breathing throughout. Return to a shorter breathing cycle if you start to feel fatigued.
Benefits:
- Improves breathing control and the ability to manage breath over longer distances.
- Enhances endurance by building lung capacity and teaching you to swim with limited breaths.
- Develops bilateral breathing for improved symmetry and balance in your stroke.
- Builds mental toughness and helps maintain technique under fatigue, simulating race conditions.
Final Thoughts
Incorporating these swimming drills into your training can help you become a more efficient, powerful swimmer. By targeting specific aspects of your stroke, from the catch to the kick, you can build strength, improve technique, and ultimately shave time off your triathlon swim leg. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced triathlete, there’s always room for improvement, and these drills can make a significant difference in your performance.
Remember, consistency is key. Keep practising these drills, and over time, you’ll notice improvements in your technique, speed, and overall swim efficiency. Happy swimming!
