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Freestyle - 1-2-3 Drill

Posted by Glenn Mills on Apr 21, 2009 08:00AM (14,841 views)

A consistent kick is a skill most freestylers desire; however, most of us weren't born with it. Learning how to incorporate the ultimate kick, a 6-beat kick, into your swimming initially seems like a very daunting task. The 1-2-3 Drill can help you learn this skill.

Why Do It:
Learning to incorporate a 6-beat kick (three kicks per armstroke) into all of your freestyle swimming COULD allow you to maintain your momentum throughout your stroke cycle, even if you're trying to maximize efficiency. We stress COULD as it's going to take some practice.

How to Do It:
1.  This is a pretty tough drill that takes a lot of thought, so practice it a little bit at a time... and slow down!
2.  Start by swimming normal freestyle, but initiate some musician tactics into your swimming... COUNT your kicks per stroke as if you were in 3/3 time... 1-2-3, 1-2-3. 1-2-3... etc.
3.  While that may sound easy, it's a LOT more difficult than it sounds. Try to set the rhythm with your arms first, and then work your kick into the armstroke rhythm.
4.  Don't over kick. You're going to need to keep your kick small, and flowing... or you'll end up working so hard you won't be able to maintain this for very long.
5.  Swim for very short stints... mainly 25s until you get the hang of it.
6.  The final step will be to breathe every 3rd stroke to keep all the counting consistent. You can even start talking to yourself while you're counting your kicks... Breathe-2-3, Breathe-2-3, Breathe-2-3, Breathe-2-3... etc.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
Extend your freestyle swims while maintaining a consistent 1-2-3 rhythm in your kick. Continue to remind yourself that you have to keep the kick small and steady enough to maintain for the duration of your swim, whether that's for a 25... or 1500.

freestyle, kick

Responses

isobel	Responded Apr 21, 2009 04:29PM This seems like a great drill. I am wondering, should the swimmer be bending his knees so much in the kick? Also, for the guy, is his elbow in the right position for a good catch? It seems to drop (versus the woman swimmer)? I am trying to understand what I see, not be critical of it.
Glenn Mills	Responded Apr 21, 2009 04:43PM First, don't worry about the arms. When doing a drill, it's important to focus on the part of the body the drill is about. As a teacher, if I tell someone to focus on something, and then focus on something else they're doing wrong, I'm going to overload the swimmer with too many things to think about. Since everyone is always learning, and since we're normal swimmers, there will be things within the drills that aren't perfect. We've learned after 7 years of doing drills, and working with some of the best athletes on the planet... everyone does something that isn't text book perfect. As far as bending the legs, you'll need to have some bend to get the snap out of the toes that can give you some push. You're also going to see that too straight of a leg is very difficult to move quickly enough to achieve the rhythm you'll need for this drill. The key is making sure you don't bend the leg so much that you create resistance with the thigh. Keep things small, quick, and in rhythm and you'll be fine. Hope that helps.
mbswimchick	Responded Apr 21, 2009 05:53PM Hi Glenn, Is that you in the video??? I like this!
Glenn Mills	Responded Apr 21, 2009 06:02PM Maybe. Does it look bad? I'm working on it, I'm working on it. This 6-beat kick is foreign stuff for a breaststroker. :)
Halberhai	Responded Apr 22, 2009 04:52PM hey glenn, very good drill, lerned this many years before. to keep the rhythm is not easy for starters. i use a song with my special kick rhythm :-)
Micaela	Responded Apr 22, 2009 07:54PM This is the best drill yet for me to keep from being lazy with my legs. It also improves my rhythym overall. My turnover adapts to how quickly I do the 3 beat kick. It also keeps me kicking right to the wall instead of gliding in. Another great tip and one I am going to sell to anyone who will listen. Thanks!
James Stuart	Responded Apr 22, 2009 11:22PM I did try this and I got problem with it cos my left ankle is more flexible than my right one so my right ankle is a BIG problem. Its was so annoying - I did exercise on ankles by Barbara Hummel's exercise six times a week and kicking drill by using kickboard about 4-6 times a week, its improves flexible only slightly nothing special at all. I was strugged ALOT while doing kicking drill using kickboard with other - I was last by FAR away. Its was so embarrassing. Maybe I got problem with right ankle cos I broke my right leg when I was 15 during football match (soccer as you call it) - man, its was really bad one as its was a clear break. Its was in middle my leg of biggest bone on called Tibia which its broke ALTHROUGH which why its was serious. I spent a FULL cast of plastic on my right leg for months and when its getting better, I wear a half plastic just feet and below knee. I was recovering full by using physio etc as its took me about 1 year to recover. When I exercise both ankle, I felt different as right felt more tension than left. When I was in water, and starts kicking, left foot goes kicking as vertically normal but right one are not doing properly as how hard I try its still not working properly as its goes "mini kick" also felt holding back like bend (its so hard to describe) other thing is, when I use egyptian kick drill, left leg kicking is ALOT easier than right leg cos of those right ankle, I was strugged abit over balance while doing on 25m pool. So I need help, any options?
Glenn Mills	Responded Apr 23, 2009 10:23AM Hey James, remember, you don't have to master EVERY drill to make it as a swimmer. A 6-beat kick isn't perfect for everyone, it's just something to work on. If it's too difficult, especially because of flexibility or injury problems, then just ignore it and move on to something else. Each drill is another idea of things to try... not a requirement. Hope that helps a bit.
Deborah	Responded Apr 23, 2009 03:18PM Oh my... I did this drill yesterday. I was whipped after 50 metres! Wow! My kick must be non-existance when I swim. Thanks this really helped me to see how I really need to work on my kick.
James Stuart	Responded Apr 23, 2009 05:35PM Yeah Glenn but I need to improve this cos I am doing 50m and 100m freestyle at meet in July so I need six beat kick cos its important at sprinting and one of my biggest weakness which I willing work hard to sort it out
BillySwims	Responded Apr 23, 2009 07:32PM Hey James, where are you swimming (in July)?
BillySwims	Responded Apr 23, 2009 07:33PM Glenn, this is one of those drills where that good-old Tempo Trainer can be your best friend...:)
Barbara Hummel	Responded Apr 23, 2009 08:09PM I tried this drill today, but while using a pull buoy (I'm the coach so no one can yell at me for kicking when I'm supposed to be pulling:)) The pull buoy helped because it let me focus on the kick/arm timing without worrying about anything else. It also kept the kick fairly small.
James Stuart	Responded Apr 23, 2009 11:20PM BillySwims - I am going to meet in Blackpool
BillySwims	Responded Apr 24, 2009 08:57AM The Masters meet? I'm thinking of doing that - just need to see how Scarborough goes in three weeks first! Which events are you doing? I'll be 50, 100 FR and Fly and possibly one other...
Alx	Responded Apr 25, 2009 09:32PM what's the point of a six beat kick versus a 2 beat? Kicking (even small) comsumes a lot of oxygen so why six beat kick?
JZ	Responded Apr 26, 2009 01:11AM I need a drill for the two-beat kick shown at the begining of the video.
Glenn Mills	Responded Apr 27, 2009 01:11PM Alx, the question really comes down to what race are you swimming? If you're swimming a sprint, a 6-beat kick can add more speed. If you're swimming a distance race, it can add more speed. If you're using more oxygen, and you want to use a 6-beat kick, then you're just going to have to get in better shape. If you're swimming a triathlon, then you'd want to rest your legs. It's finding out what works best for your situation, your fitness level, and your overall goals.
James Stuart	Responded Apr 27, 2009 08:27PM How I get in better shape Glenn? cos I am sprinter - I has problem with six beat kick as I comment this few days ago.....
assaf758	Responded Apr 29, 2009 11:22PM Trying this drill I was asking myself what should be the "correct" synchronization between kicks and strokes.. Specifically, when the left arm enters the water, should I be kicking with the left or right leg?
Glenn Mills	Responded Apr 30, 2009 01:34PM James. Conditioning for sprinting takes time. It's not going to happen over night, but rather it's going to take a couple years if you really want to go fast. You're going to have to build a base of fitness, and then after you're very fit, you can start working on more quickness oriented drills and try to build more speed. It takes a long time to go REALLY fast. Assaf. Try not to think so much about which foot is doing what during this drill... I've tried to think about that too, and it's just confusing. I've found that the best thing I can do is to continue counting and almost forcing my legs to keep up with the count. I've been doing it for a few weeks now and it's getting easier... but EVERY TIME I swim freestyle, fast, slow, warming up, or cooling down... I'm counting. It's not easy, but it's getting easier.
James Stuart	Responded May 15, 2009 10:19AM Urgghh sound like bad news cos I am aimed to be fast swimmer at year 2010
James Stuart	Responded May 15, 2009 05:53PM "You're going to have to build a base of fitness" what you mean Glenn? I am already fit as I went to gym five times a week and swam 8 sessions a week. Yeah conditioning is one thing I need improve on
tmc	Responded May 23, 2009 06:12AM Thanks for the tip. Really has helped me focus on doing more than just pulling.
Juliette	Responded May 23, 2009 06:28AM worked for me!!!!!....also with bakstroke.....!!!!

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