Swimming Drills for Teaching Freestyle

Swimming is an important safety skill and can provide an excellent form of exercise. The freestyle stroke is very effective in that it propels the swimmer farther with less effort than other strokes, like the butterfly. The freestyle stroke can be broken down into four aspects for new students, with swimming drills for each section. These drills increase students' proficiency and confidence in the water and allow them to focus on and master the components of the stroke individually.

  1. Freestyle Kick

    • Freestyle uses the flutter kick, which is a swift up-and-down movement, alternating legs. Legs should be straight at all times. The first time students are introduced to the flutter kick should be at the side of the pool. Students should begin by holding onto the side in a prone position with their faces out of the water. They can then practice the flutter kick while breathing at their own rate. Once students master the correct movement, they can progress to drills with flotation devices. Students should hold flotation devices in their hands, preferably kickboards, and use the flutter kick to travel several lengths of the pool. Students should then try the flutter kick without the aid of flotation devices for a few lengths of the pool.

    Balanced Position

    • The correct freestyle technique requires swimmers to be facedown in the water with the head and spine in a straight alignment. Students should begin by hanging onto the side of the pool and pushing off with their legs toward the middle of the pool. They should keep their arms at their sides for the first drill. Once they have achieved a streamlined horizontal position, they should add the arm movement. Just before pushing off, they should take a deep breath and extend their arms straight over their heads. While gliding they should try to achieve a balanced horizontal position. Once students are comfortable with this drill, add a few kicks at the end of the glide. This will help them ease into incorporating multiple aspects of the stroke at once.

    Arms

    • Students should begin the arm drills facedown in the water, coming up for air at their own rate. Begin with the right arm extended out in front and the left arm at the side. The left arm should move along the body towards the right arm. Switch the arms once the left palm is in line with the nose. The left arm should extend forward and the right should push back until it is in line with the hips. The entire movement should occur underwater. Continue the motion with the opposite arms. Once this drill has been mastered, students should practice bringing the arms out of the water. When the left arm is moving forward to replace the right arm, it should be brought out of the water once it is in line with the nose. Continue to practice the movement with opposite arms.

    Breathing

    • Breathing should be synchronized with arm movements. Students should begin by standing in waist-deep water. They should bend at the waist so that their torsos are horizontal in the water. While performing the correct arm movements, students should exhale into the water continuously and turn their heads to inhale. Students should turn their heads towards whichever arm is moving forward out of the water. Once they inhale, they should exhale back into the water and repeat the motion on the other side. This exchange should occur for the entire time students are swimming freestyle. When this skill has been mastered, students are ready to incorporate the legs and flutter kick.