All Strokes - Drills

Important Note to the Viewer

LESSONS: 88 VIDEOS

2020 Japan Olympics

A personal message to all the athletes impacted by the cancellation of their 2020 season and the 2020 Japan Olympics.

Turns - Practice Underwater Dolphins

For more videos on underwater dolphins, click here. The only way to eventually have great underwater dolphins off your walls is by building consistency in practice. Understanding the steps helps young swimmers learn that consistency. Why do it: We think by now, we all know why you should work on your underwater dolphins every day. It’s faster than swimming! How to do it: 1 - Start with the end in mind, the breakout. 2 - Have the swimmer push off shallow immediately initiating the flutter kick then swimming 3-4 fast strokes without breathing. 3 - Have them repeat that a few times until they get a good feeling of carrying that speed into the breakout. 4 - Now have them add a couple of dolphin kicks, but making sure they transition to flutter PRIOR to initiating the first freestyle stroke. 5 - Gradually have them merge the initiation of flutter kick to the first arm stroke. How to do it really well (the fine points): Finding the right breakout point for the right age will be important. Consistency in practice is more important than how far you can go once. Practice with various numbers of kicks, and then make sure the one you pick is one you can do off every wall, every day.

Learning Stability with Weights

This week we look at using waterproof weights to add a bit of challenge to holding the bodyline. To see more videos focused on core stability, follow this link

Intro to Strapless Sculling

Sculling is a great way to gain feel between seasons, or at any time. There are some specific details you should keep in mind with strapless sculling, so we hope to point out just a few. We're also producing some fun strapless sculling progressions for the website. Sign-up to watch them all.

Tow Rope Core Stability

Find MANY more lessons teaching Core Stability here. Teaching the importance of core stability at a young age can open up a new world of opportunities for your swimmers. Making it fun certainly helps. Why do it: A stable body line, and the awareness of what a stable body line is, means that the swimmers will create less resistance as they swim which allows the kick and pull to be more productive. How to do it: 1 - Use a thin, lightweight piece of surgical tubing. Tie a loop at both ends of the tube. 2 - With safety in mind, instruct the swimmer to ALWAYS keep the cord underwater. 3 - Have them grab the cord, and in a streamline position, fall into a flat body line directly on the surface. 4 - Now, they just have to lay there and focus on achieving the most slippery line in the water How to do it really well (the fine points): OK, this is where the coach gets a bit of a workout too. Again, with safety in mind. Notice how the coach holds the cord to the side and underwater while kicking back. When the swimmer releases the wall and starts to glide, the coach reels them in, keeping just enough tension on the cord until the swimmer reaches the wall. If a swimmer or the coach drops the cord, as long as it’s underwater, it will lose all of its energy upon release and nobody gets hurt. Notice how the coach holds the cord to the side and underwater while kicking back. When the swimmer releases the wall and starts to glide, the coach reels them in, keeping just enough tension on the cord until the swimmer reaches the wall. The swimmer then releases the cord, and swims back, focusing on the body line they just created. Watching swimmers adjust and search for the line is what you want to see. Also, be very aware of the use of the feet as stabilizers. Have them focus on pointing the toes so the stability comes solely from the body, and not from adjustments from the feet.

All-Strokes - Stroke Count

Counting strokes is a simple way to check your technique in the middle of a set. Why do it: The simple combination of the number of strokes, combined with your time, gives you an idea if you're holding proper technique when things get tough. Some strokes are easier to manage than others. How to do it: 1 - First, this isn't about more or less being better, you have to find the optimum count at the optimum rate that gives you the best chance of going to optimum speed based on your goals. 2 - This is about how to adjust your count and where to focus if your stroke count starts to vary too much. 3 - Breaststroke and freestyle are the simplest. Both strokes offer the opportunity to GLIDE more, or change rate more simply by adding addition in the front of the stroke. 4 - Backstroke and butterfly typically have pretty set stroke rates and lengths, which means you'll need to make adjustments to stroke count off the walls. How to do it really well (the fine points): If you want to adjust your stroke counts on freestyle and breaststroke, try to breakout at the same spot, and either lengthen or shorten the amount of time you spend in extension. If you want to adjust your stroke counts for backstroke and butterfly, count the number of underwater dolphins off each wall, and either add or subtract from that number to impact the overall number of strokes per length. Remember, everything you do will have an impact. The further you go off the wall, the less strokes you take, the less air you'll get. Less air can have a harsh impact on the overall swim... so be careful to not just focus on LESS, but rather, discovering that perfect balance for each stroke... that allows you to go the speed you need to. Then check every few lengths to make sure you're sticking to the plan.

All-Strokes - Dolphin Glides

This very simple activity helps swimmers establish a more solid streamline as well as identifying resistance and propulsion in their underwater dolphin. Why do it: First, never go farther than you're comfortable when swimming underwater. Learning a better bodyline while balancing the impact of the resistance of setting up the kick and the propulsion the kick delivers, adds to the swimming knowledge of the athlete. How to do it: 1 - Start by letting the swimmer slowly dolphin kick to a point they're comfortable with. Count the kicks the swimmer took to reach that point. 2 - Have the swimmer repeat kicking to that set point, but reduce the number of dolphin kicks they take until they can't reduce any more and still make it to that spot. How to do it really well (the fine points): Each dolphin kick comes with a set up. Have the athlete experiment with the size of the kick, understanding that it's not always in the best interest of productivity to use a BIG kick as the set up may cancel out the propulsion that's about to happen. Experiment with your count, and keep your body VERY tight during the streamline glide. It's a very relaxing and feel good sort of exercise.

All Strokes - Why Drill?

Not all coaches or swimmers like drills, nor should they. Coaches should coach the way they want to, and if a drill is in the mix, then do it correctly. Why do it: A drill should make you MORE aware of a specific point in your stroke. If you’re not feeling that specific point, you’re probably not doing it right, or aren’t thinking enough about it. How to do it: 1 - Take this drill for instance… double kick breaststroke. If your head isn’t in line, if your arms and legs are loose, if you’re NOT trying to get as much out of each sequence and feel what it’s really like to RIDE between the strokes… then you’re not doing it right. 2 - All drills will have specifics to help you, this specific drill tries to teach your correct head position, correctly body line, correct timing as the hands sweep out and the chin lifts for the breath, correct draw of the legs without too much tuck. Take each part and focus on it independently. How to do it really well (the fine points): Well this entire thing is about a fine point isn’t it? If your coach uses drills, and if you’re being asked to perform a drill, make sure you know the specific point you need to be thinking about, or indeed… Why Drill? Just start swimming, and focus while you’re doing that instead.

All Strokes - Backyard Balance

So it’s summertime, and you’re playing in the backyard pool. Here’s a couple ways to incorporate good technique into your play. Why do it: When you’re in the water, your body is learning how to interact with the water. Have fun, but make the fun productive. How to do it: 1 - Like the Toypedo, create a balanced bodyline on the surface of the water. Have your friend (brother), grab your feet and push you down the pool. Hold you’re line until you get to the other end. This is great for core stability and streamline practice. 2 - Tuck up into as small a ball as possible, and have your friend start to roll you around in circles. This is great to teach that tight tuck for your flip turns. Any small lift of the head, and it becomes MUCH tougher to spin. How to do it really well (the fine points): Combining these two little games can be challenging. Have your friend spin you, and then slowly open up into a balanced, streamline bodyline. Move to the next level, spin, extend to a balanced body line, and then rotate 180° to your back, trying to not allow your legs to drop. Enjoy, and don’t forget the sunscreen.

Turns - Pencil Push Kick Swim

Working with young swimmers, it's incredibly important to set up the foundation of every pushoff. Why do it: The pushoff and breakout are the foundations of every length of swimming. No detail is too small to focus on, or repeat, repeat, repeat. How to do it: 1 - Set targets for the push offs to make sure the swimmers don't try to overdo it and go too far. 2 - Have the swimmers perform a "pencil" push off to the first target. 3 - Then, have them initiate a Position 11 flutter kick to the second target. 4 - Finally, have them take 4 arm swings while focusing on maintaining a constant kick to the third marker.... then stop. How to do it really well (the fine points): The markers not only give reasonable targets, but they also help to make sure the swimmers aren't going to be gliding ineffectively for too far. The additional benefit of the markers are to make sure the swimmers aren't going too far without air. Remember, repeat repeat repeat. Don't rush to move to the next step, teach the importance of foundations!

Turns - Delayed Dolphins

You're working everyday on your underwater dolphin kicks, so make sure you start them at the best time to gain the most advantage from them. Why do it: Getting too aggressive too soon in the underwater dolphins, can actually create resistance by breaking that great line you set up on the push off. A slight delay and get you to the right speed to merge the kick into the velocity. How to do it: 1 - Push off, and glide. You can start with a 4 count, or 3 count... just keep it consistent. 2 - After the glide count is done, initiate 3-4 dolphin kicks, while still in streamline. 3 - After the pre-determined number of kicks, initiate your flutter kick and breakout. How to do it really well (the fine points): Stay consistent. If you start your count at 4, and it feels like you've slowed down too much, change the count to 3, or 2. Try to also discover if you need 2, or 3, or 4 dolphins prior to moving to flutter kick. Daily experimentation and consistent study will eventually lead you to the perfect timing of your push off, glide, dolphin, flutter kick, breakout. Just saying it reminds us that great push-offs aren't just about pushing off!

Conveyor Belt

I'm a BIG believer in "workout structure", making sure the swimmers know how to push off, finish, read the clock, and listen to the set. This quick drill is something we've done pretty consistently since the beginning of this short season with our youngest swimmers. It's simple, fun, and keeps the swimmers moving and alert... and teaches them a basic skill they'll need for the rest of their swimming career.