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Browse through our thousands of Lessons to gain a deeper understanding of swimming. Use our search bar located above or, if you're new to the site, use the Guided View to help narrow down the Lessons presented to you. If you use the Guided View, you’ll also be able to add your Expertise Level as an additional filter.

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Sep. 28, 2021 - Double-Arm Back

Our Zoom meeting on Double Arm Backstroke drill.

May 18, 2021 - Position-11 Freestyle

A Zoom meeting focusing on teaching with Position-11 for Freestyle.

Breaststroke - Forced Hand Speed

Many young breaststrokers search for power rather than finess when trying to go fast. Sometimes forcing them into a rate above what's comfortable can help them keep the hands quick, and where they should be. Why do it: Pulling back too far can get many swimmers stuck in breaststroke. If the hands are too far back, and the breath takes too long, many swimmers pause or stop in this position. How to do it: 1) You're going to need a few tools for this. A) Finis Tempo Trainer, B) Big paddles, C) Fast fins. 2) Set the Tempo Trainer to a relatively slow speed, we'll say 1.50 for this exercise. 3) The swimmer pushes off and gets used to the pace. Take a single dolphin kick underwater on each beep. 4) Initiate a stroke of breaststroke on every other beep. Do this so the swimmer can start to feel how to get the hands forward. 5) Move to taking a stroke, with a dolphin kick on every beep. This should be a fairly quick pace, maybe even just a bit above what the swimmer's normal pace is. 6) Decrease the time by .10 on the Tempo Trainer and repeat. How to do it really well (the fine points): Keep pushing the time down until it's nearly impossible for the swimmer to keep up with the pace. We pushed this down to 1:00 on the Tempo Trainer. While not easy to keep up, it certainly should keep the hands a bit further out. Also, if you tuck up the legs for a dolphin kick, you'll create too much restance to keep this higher rate up.

Breaststroke - Band Kick - Knees

Here's a quick and easy way to improve your breaststroke kick. Why do it: By narrowing the recovery of the legs in your breaststroke kick, you're create less resistance in setting up the kick which can help you maintain more speed. How to do it: 1) Take a rubber band, we're using the FINIS strap, and place it just above your knees. 2) Swim breaststroke like you normally would, the band will do the trick in keeping your knees narrow. 3) Continue to try to grab as much water as possible with your feet when kicking back. How to do it really well (the fine points) Swim for more than just a few lengths with the legs restricted like this. When you remove the band, do your best to keep your knees as close as they were just held. Focus your attention on the resistance your thighs create while recovering, and if needed... put the band back on and swim some more. Understand that you don't want your knees SO close that you can't grab any water, so make sure you use a band that allows your legs to separate just enough to get a good grab on the water with your feet.

Apr 26, 2022 - Butterfly Drills Zoom

Monday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3165-single-arm-butterfly> From beginning Build rhythm - Hand hits Hips pop Breathing to the side for more accurate orientation with full stroke Kick hand in Kick hand out :17 - slowing down and using fins :24 - extend the lead arm and drive it forward :39 - minimize leverage on the lead hand 1:02 - try to stay shallow and don’t dive too deep Tuesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2348-single-arm-butterfly> From beginning Same as the previous video Kick hand in Kick hand out Hand hit Hips pop Breathe to the side :17 - drive lead hand forward :18 - land flat :20 - eyes slightly up :34 - feet follow the flow :52 - breathing every other stroke 1:14 - hands above chest - hips above chest Focus on precision in your drills Wednesday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/165-drills-alternating-arms> :16 - 2 right :20 - breath to the right :22 - land flat into the transition :26 - 2 left :27 - breath to the left :29 - flat to transition :32 - 2 full stroke - breath on 2nd stroke :37 - back to single arm :51 - set the rhythm and maintain through all strokes Thursday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2349-3-left-3-right-3-whole-stroke-butterfly> From beginning - like last drill only 3 of each :13 - flat breakout :20 - flat transition :26 - transition to full :35 - breath to the side has the arms in a fly orientation :38 - hand hit hips pop :45 - teach young swimmers to maintain rhythm… :54 - Kelsi increases rhythm slightly Friday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2044-butterfly-single-arm-straight-arm> :13 - breath to the side - fly orientation :23 - hand hit hips pop :25 - kick hand in kick hand out :39 - enter with wrist flexed :41 - breath to the side :45 - feet flow with the body :52 - single arm free :59 - straight forward breath 1:08 - best image of the arms opposing 1:19 - land flat Hands higher than chest 1:22 - GoSwim Logo Saturday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/192-karla-drill> :05 - one right - one left - three breast no breath :14 - right with breath :15 - left with breath :18 - 3 breast no breath :32 - focus on hips :37 - hips pop :39 - hips pop :41 - hips pop on breast :50 - hip pop :52 - hip pop :54 - hips slightly higher than the chest 1:03 - BIG recovery 1:05 - breaststroke hips Sunday <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/193-butterfly-breaststroke-combo> :05 - one stroke fly one stroke breast :24 - flow the hips from fly to breast :32 - follow the rhythm of the body Watch the hips flow :52 - Staciana takes a breath on fly - but lets focus on Breathe on breast not on fly Try to maintain a similar rhythm on fly and breast Let the arms and legs flow with the body <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2864-hip-life-iso-heel-drive> <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/174-head-lead-flow> Sandra - Please go over the timing of the kicks, the undulation and the arms. I am struggling with butterfly and breaststroke. Also any dry land exercises that we can do, would be much appreciated. I can’t get my arms out of the water. Mulegwa - I have had a challenge teaching Butterfly especially to younger swimmers. They tend to wiggle and miss the bit and the kicks coordination. What’s the easiest way to tackle this?

Freestyle - Flutter Kick Focus

To really sprint in freestyle, you're going to have to develop a strong kick. Focusing on how much you use your legs can really help this. Why do it: Learning to drive your stroke from your kick is one option to really swimming fast. Because many swimmers focus so much on the pull, switching your focus during sprints to the kick can help you develop a new tool. How to do it: 1) Start with a length or two of freestyle using very little kick. 2) Just as with any descending set, as the lengths go by, start to increase the intensity of the legs. 3) Continue to drive the stroke from the legs and allow the arms to match whatever rhythm that develops. 4) On the fastest swim, rather than focusing on the arms, shift your attention to over-kicking to drive you forward. How to do it really well (the fine points): This is really a mental drill as much as a physical drill. Pinpointing all your attention to your legs during fast swimming will help you increase the effectiveness of your kick. If you spend most of your time thinking about your pull, switch the focus to the legs every once in a while to make sure you're leaving nothing to chance.

Wall Kick - Davo Stacianna

Wall Kick helps you develop a narrow, efficient recovery. Start by holding your body flat against the wall. Then simply kick breaststroke, but keep your body flat against the wall. If your knees hit the wall, or if your belly pulls away from the wall, you’re bringing the knees up too high. Try not to lift up too much with your hands, as Dave is doing here. By holding your body close to the wall, your knees automatically stay in line with your shoulders, chest, and hips – and the kick happens behind your body. Let’s slow that down. Start with your body flat against the wall. Keep the feet together as you bring the heels up behind the body. Then, turn the ankles out and sweep the feet out, around, and down to finish the kick. Keep your body as close to the wall as you can. Delete this clip of Dave kicking into the wall. His knees come up too high. You can also practice this drill by kicking directly IN to the wall. Keep your hands, head, and body below the surface and kick straight into the wall. Notice that Staciana keeps her knees in line with her thighs…and that her kick happens behind the body. Dave’s body is too far out of the water here, and he’s not learning to kick straight. By correcting his position – hands under water and head down -- he’s learning to kick himself forward, just as he would if he were swimming.

Learning the Underwater Dolphin - Step 4

Continuing our series in learning the underwater dolphin, it's time to make things dynamic. Why Do It: Learning the underwater dolphin will help make you faster at the start of every race, and off every turn. Learning the underwater dolphin in every position ...on the front, back, or side... will give you an even greater advantage because you'll be able to adjust to every angle of pushoff and you'll be able to check out your competition. How to Do It: 1. Start by rehearsing the underwater dolphin in the positions you're most comfortable with, flat on your stomach, or flat on your back. 2. Next, push off on your stomach and kick for a few cycles, then rotate to your side. Maintain the same rhythm of the kick. 3. Repeat but rotate to your other side. 4. Now pick a side, start on that side, and rotate to your back. 5. Repeat to the other side. 6. Spend some time kicking specifically on your side. This is a bit more challenging, but is a great teacher of bodyline and balance in this drill. How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points): Put all the directions together. This revisits and old drill called 360 Dolphin Rotation that we posted a few years ago, but is now a bit more integrated into the sequence. Do your best to always driv the fingers forward, and not up and down. We've also received many emails about the fins we're using during this drill. They are the Alpha fins by Aqua Sphere.

Learning the Underwater Dolphin - Step 3

In Step 3 to learning the underwater dolphin, it's finally time to take it under water. Add to Cart View Cart - Pick up the Margaret Hoelzer DVD and watch dolphin for backstroke! Why Do It: In Steps 1 and 2, you learned the dolphin movement while on the surface of the water. In Step 3, you'll go through the same learning sequence, but you want to stay away from the surface. How to Do It: 1. Review and rehearse all 4 steps leading up to this point. Head-lead dolphin on your front. Head-lead dolphin on your back. Hand-lead dolphin on your front. Hand-lead dolphin on your back. 2. Now, simply go through the same sequence while completely under water. Start with head lead on your stomach, and make sure you focus on sending the top of your head on a direct path through the water. Don't push the face down, but use the body to drive the head forward. 3. Flip over on your back, and try again. This is much tougher with the hands behind, and try your best to NOT tuck the chin, but lay your head back. This gives the water a MUCH better chance to get up your nose, so practice this for short distances, with air constantly coming out of the nose. 4. NOW it's time for the perfect streamline. Push off on your stomach with your hands in streamline and lock your head between your arms. Drive the hands forward, not up and down, by using the body from the abs, to the hips, and allowing the legs to follow the movement but adding the snap. 5. Flip over on your back and stay in streamline. With your head locked between your arms, remember to allow air to come out through your nose. Continue to focus on your body movement, rather than powering too much from the legs. How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points): When you get to streamline, locking tightly with the hands encourages the body to do the work. If you allow the hands to do the work...letting them go up and down too much... you'll weaken the snap through the legs. Start to experiment with angles, as we'll be addressing that, and WHERE to use the underwater dolphin, in the next segment.

Learning the Underwater Dolphin - Step 2

Last week we started a simple progression for learning the underwater dolphin. This week we'll progress to the next part of the sequence. Why Do It: The underwater dolphin is the single most important skill for all swimmers to master. It should be used in every event in competitive swimming. Simply put, if you're not great at this skill, you limit your potential as a competitive swimmer. How to Do It: 1. Review the head-lead dolphin movement from last week. 2. To advance to the next stage, simply move your hands to a streamline position in front. While streamline is the most effective position when executing this move in a race or in practice, it's OK to to use locked thumbs (instead of perfect streamline) in the learning stage. This will allow you a bit more freedom of movement through your chest and torso. 3. Start on your stomach, and focus on keeping the hands about 6" below the surface of the water. Think about pushing the fingertips directly forward. 4. Use the abs and hips to generate the undulating movement that travels through to the feet. Do your best not to bend the knees too much, but allow the knees and feet to react to the movement of the hips. 5. Flip over on your back and continue the same movement. 6. While on your back, be careful not to allow your hands to travel out of the water. Keep them below the surface. This will stretch out your abs, and keep your back flatter. 7. With your legs, try to allow just the knees and a bit of the thighs to touch the surface of the water. How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points): Think about staying fairly rigid from the fingers to the head, but allow the body to start flowing from the head/shoulder area. Be careful not to brace with your palms at any point of this drill, but spear with the fingertips. Also try not to let your hips sink while you're on your back, which will require you to KICK and BEND your legs too much. If you're struggling for air while learning the underwater dolphin, use a centermount snorkel to allow you to practice this drill for a longer period of time.

Freestyle - Discovering Efficiency Step 2

In Step 1 of our series on discovering efficiency, we counted strokes. In Step 2, we'll add a simple focus point... speed. When you've had a chance to experiment with your stroke count, and you've discovered a count that lets you swim comfortably for 50s, or 100s, or 1000s, then it's time to add time to your equation. You want to see how fast can you swim at that given stroke rate. Why Do It: Learning to swim faster without adding strokes will teach you how to get more out of each stroke. It will also clean up your walls, extend your breathing, activate your kick, and teach you a lot about your stroke count as well. How to Do It: 1. This drill is generally accomplished in a "set". The set we'll use is 4 rounds of 4 x 50 meters. You must use the exact same stroke count through the entire set, but each 50 in each series of 4 MUST get faster. We used a stroke count of 13 strokes on the way down, and 14 strokes on the way back. 2. One the first 50, take it easy and make your stroke count. Get your time and take the prescribed amount of rest. This 50 was 35 seconds. 3. One the second 50, push off with a bit more integrity, and try to grab just a bit more water with each pull. You can also start to use the kick just a bit more, but remember... use the same number of strokes. This 50 was :34. 4. One the third 50, everything gets more intense. Pull with more force, kick with more intensity, but make sure you're doing your best to keep your stroke count exactly the same and to reach full extension on each stroke. This 50 was :31. 5. One the forth 50, swim as fast as you can without adding any strokes. Because you're working for ultimate speed on this, you may want to add a dolphin kick to maintain speed off the wall, but don't cheat by adding too many. You'll find it's tough enough to go very fast without adding strokes, and if you're not great at dolphin kicks, staying under too long will make it even more difficult to descend your time. How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points) At the end of the 4th 50, allow your time to go back up to the original time, and start the set of 4 x 50s all over again. By the time you get through all 4 sets, if done correctly, you'll not only know more about your freestyle, but also be a bit tired. You may even notice that when you're adding a stronger pushoff, a stronger pull, and a stronger kick, that your stroke rate may try to go DOWN as your velocity increases. Again, try to maintain the exact stroke count. You may also find that if you try to go too fast, your body will want to add a stroke. Try to avoid this at all costs. Next week, we add heart rate to the equation.

March 14, 2023 - Mantras Keywords for Breaststroke Zoom

Using Mantras, Key Words, and Imagery to Teach Breaststroke Pull When teaching complex movements, you can simplify the learning process by using mantras, key words, and imagery. This week we explore key words used by Steve Haufler, Dave Denniston, Roque Santos and Amanda Beard to imprint a powerful breaststroke pull. Monday Steve Haufler Breaststroke: Step 1 <https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1465-breaststroke-teaching-progression-step-1> :24 - Missile Position :34 - Missile Position :44 - arms fully extended :47 - shoulders cover the ears :50 - chin off the chest and head in a neutral position :52 - eyes looking straight forward :55 - the belly button is pressed in :56 - hips are tucked under 1:00 - engage the core and flatten the lower back 1:04 - now go to the water 1:12 - let them fly like a missile 1:33 - position the swimmer as on land Tuesday Steve Haufler Breaststroke: Step 3 https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1471-step-3-teach-breaststroke-pull :15 - start out of the water again :25 - or have the arms over a noodle :31 - thumb lock :35 - the “I” position :49 - move the hands outward :56 - the “Y” position 1:10 - move the hands toward the wall 1:39 - the “Scoop” 2:00 - keep the hands off the wall - have them watch the Scoop 2:14 - the “Shoot” 2:17 - Shoot into the missile 2:25 - practice until it feels natural 2:35 - in the water start in Missile 2:43 - assist to the Y 2:57 - guide to EVF 3:04 - guide to Scoop and Shoot 3:18 - try on her own without breathing 3:20 - pause at Y and EVF 3:28 - try without pausing except in Missile 3:35 - mirrors Wednesday Dave Denniston Drills: Mini Pull https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/195-mini-pull :09 - Mini-Pull :16 - elbows in front of shoulders :29 - can be wide, but doesn’t come back :38 - elbows in front of shoulders :42 - high hands on recovery :51 - elbows in front of shoulders :52 - high hands on recovery :56 - missile position 1:02 - play at slow speed Thursday Roque Santos: Arm Pull – Hands https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/486-arm-pull-hands :16 - Streamline position = Missile :30 - Eyes below the arms :37 - squeezing over the ears :46 - point-to-point 1:01 - Start position & End Position 1:07 - Slow to fast - speed up and STOP 1:26 - don’t stop in prayer 1:34 - accelerate your hands 1:54 - circle your hands 2:11 - constant pressure Friday Dave Denniston Drills: Fast Hands https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/199-fast-hands :11 - Fast hands :22 - be streamlined before the kick :38 - spinning the hands :43 - forcefully :59 - get maximum power from the kick 1:09 - glide 1:20 - attack to streamline 1:29 - breaking through boards 1:53 - skinny arms in front 2:15 - accelerate the hands forward Saturday Amanda Beard: Skinny Arms in Front https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/528-skinny-arms-in-front :14 - Skinny arms in front :22 - stay as narrow as possible :45 - hold elbows close to the body :45 - shrug the shoulders toward the ears :58 - hands out of water on recovery 1:20 - reduce drag and get more power from the kick 1:38 - minimize resistance 1:46 - fully streamline before kick 2:05 - arms in streamline before kick 2:36 - great position Sunday Dave Denniston Drills: Cobra https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/189-cobra :11 - Cobra :16 - Strikes! :20 - Attack :36 - arms out hips up :42 - CONNECTED :45 - draw the hips 1:02 - CONNECTED 1:05 - pull the hips The entire focus of the drill - don’t think about anything else 1:17 - land forward Chat from meeting - 10:00:09 From Louise Blignaut to Everyone: Louise from South Africa. Hi all 10:00:18 From Dan Jimar to Everyone: fairly well. 10:01:03 From Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): DM: Any thoughts on 1 vs 2 pm? 10:03:19 From Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): DM: Sent an article. Still no groups showing up in the App (restarted the Ipad). 10:03:37 From Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): okay 10:04:59 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Go Blue great swimming this weekend underwater backstroke finish Maggie MCNeil 10:10:44 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): I wonder how much fly and back will be under water 10:28:56 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Kick to top of next stroke 10:29:22 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Continue always move forward 10:29:34 From Monty Krieger to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): does he begin to bend the knees as the hands are recovering? 10:32:11 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Open the curtains n clean the bowl 10:32:47 From Dan Jimar to Everyone: Open the curtain and ? 10:32:49 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Go Blue 10:32:53 From Timothy Mak to Everyone: Thoughts on locking out before kick finishes or timing the lock out with the kick finishing? What’s ideal? 10:34:03 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): No pause 10:34:25 From Gale Vineyard to Everyone: Make a pizza, cut the pizza 10:35:08 From Kimberly Goodell to Everyone: one of my kiddos taught me the pizza reference, it's been a game changer with the young ones 10:35:09 From Randy Parker to Everyone: Locate said “around the cake - cut it” 10:35:22 From Barbara Hummel to Everyone: breaking boards 10:36:56 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Hands will be as fast as you get your legs through to the back of kick 10:37:57 From Randy Parker to Everyone: Urbancheck told me to get arms into the “aero bar” position on a bike 10:41:37 From Berrin Yavuzer to Everyone: Elbows 10:42:45 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Anne Ottenbrite got dq for over water recovery 10:49:21 From Monty Krieger to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): key differences between cobra drill and regular swim? 10:52:32 From Mark Hesse to Everyone: Glenn mentioned Daniel Coyle's Little Book of Talent last week. Here are links to two videos in which Coyle talks about images and key words <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r0JtjasYCU> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSqsQbk1_38> 10:52:33 From Berrin Yavuzer to Everyone: Also speaking the same language to your groups as coaches will help them to follow and understand :) 10:52:53 From Mark Hesse to Everyone: Reacted to "Also speaking the sa..." with ❤️ 10:53:51 From Mark Hesse to Everyone: Key words are also awesome to give feedback and reminders during training sets when kids are on the wall for just a short time. 10:54:50 From Dan Jimar to Everyone: hard to see elbows 10:57:17 From Monty Krieger to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): is there any reason to NOT have the hands recover over the water? 10:57:41 From Barbara Hummel to Everyone: Mark I agree. When your brain is fried from fatigue, you want to hear SHORT key words in your head — not paragraphs! 10:59:05 From Randy Parker to Everyone: Scoop ice cream to your mouth 11:03:59 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): Go Blue amazing teaching thank you 11:05:50 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): No relaxing in breast stroke 11:06:35 From William Park ChPC to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): It’s all inclusive 11:07:19 From Randy Parker to Everyone: Tennessee coach uses boxing gloves punch with both arms to illustrate the lunge. Not as powerful to just extend the arms, need to use the full body lunge forward. 11:07:48 From Dan Jimar to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): 200 br https://pac-12.com/videos/asus-leon-marchand-sets-all-time-record-200-breast-pac-12-swim-and-dive-championship 11:09:00 From Dan Jimar to Everyone: <https://pac-12.com/videos/asus-leon-marchand-sets-all-time-record-200-breast-pac-12-swim-and-dive-championship> 11:09:17 From Beth Baker to Everyone: To make them not pause on the breath, I use the image of the autobahn and that there’s no “stop sign at the end of the on ramp onto the autobahn” 11:10:24 From Beth Baker to Everyone: super valuable, thank you! 11:11:17 From Nancy Schley to Everyone: Great stuff, thanks a ton! 11:11:24 From Berrin Yavuzer to Everyone: Yeahhhhhhhhh 11:11:33 From Camy Gitwenty to Everyone: Thanks, bye 11:11:41 From Brad German to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): thank you! 11:11:42 From Monty Krieger to Glenn Mills(Direct Message): thank you. 11:11:43 From John McGowan to Everyone: Thanks 11:11:50 From Beth Baker to Everyone: Go Hoos! 11:11:50 From Linda Mueller to Everyone: thanks, it was great