Improving the Freestyle Pull

In this article, we will provide advice, drills, hacks and tips on improving the freestyle pull.

To help develop a more effective and powerful freestyle arm stroke.
The freestyle arm pull is often referred to as the propulsive phase.

What are the benefits of an improved freestyle pull?

An improved freestyle pull helps the swimmer to place their arm, wrist and hand in the correct position, during the main propulsive phase of the freestyle stroke.

This enables them to correctly apply increased force on the water, to help facilitate a more effective and powerful arm stroke.

What is the freestyle pull

The freestyle pull is a part of the freestyle arm stroke,

It follows the catch and the downsweep phases.
Where the swimmer’s forearm pivots at the elbow, which remains high.
Whilst positioning their fingers vertically pointing towards the bottom of the pool.

We have produced a related article improving the freestyle catch. Which you can view by clicking this link: improving the freestyle catch

How to perform the freestyle pull

The freestyle pull consists of two phases, the pull and the push.

The pull

The pull phase is performed immediately after the swimmer has completed the downsweep during the catch phase.

Whilst keeping their elbow high and their fingers pointing vertically towards the bottom of the pool.
Ensuring that they apply force to as much water as possible.
With a bend at the elbow of usually between 45 and 90 degrees
The swimmer continues to move their hand and forearm.
Backwards and close to the centre line of their body.
Although there will be some slight movement of the hand and forearm’s trajectory due to the rotation of the swimmer’s body during the stroke.
Until their upper arm is level and vertical to their shoulder.

We have produced a related article on freestyle body rotation. Which you can view by clicking this link: freestyle body rotation: an introduction

The push

The push is the major propulsive phase of the freestyle stroke.

It is performed immediately after the pull phase,
As soon as the swimmer’s upper arm passes from being level and vertical with their shoulder,
The swimmer should then push their hand backwards past their elbow towards their hip,
Ending in a full extension of their arm and hand before they begin the exit phase of the stroke.
Swimmers should ensure that their hand is still in the vertical position, with their finger pointing towards the bottom of the poo, throughout the push phase.
Ensuring that they apply force to as much water as possible,

Many competitive swimmers perform a short freestyle push phase.
Resulting in them not applying force to as much water as possible,
And therefore their stroke loses much of its propulsive power.
This is especially common when swimmers try to increase their stroke rate.
Tip: Many top competitive swimmers practice maintaining an effective push phase, by ensuring that they brush their thumb on their hip and the end of each push.

We have produced related articles, on both how to use stroke count and stroke rate and stroke count and stroke rate drills. Which you can view by clicking these links: how to use stroke count and stroke rate | stroke count and stroke rate drills.

Drills to help improve the freestyle pull

Listed below are two simple but effective drills to help improve the freestyle pull

Doggy paddle drill

In a previous article, we have detailed how the doggy paddle can help improve the freestyle catch.

Introduction: However doggy paddle is an undervalued drill, for developing and maintaining the swimmers catch, pull, push and feel for the water.

We have highlighted below the techniques required to improve the swimmer’s push and pull phases, whilst performing doggy paddle.

How to perform this drill:

From a push and glide from the wall at the end of the pool.
The swimmer starts this drill in the horizontal/prone position.
The swimmer’s head should be out of the water.
The swimmer proceeds with a series of alternate arm sculls.
They should ensure they extend their arms with their palms face down, fully into the catch position.
They should continue the sculling motion with their elbow high, wrists up and their fingers pointing down to the bottom of the pool, in a straight line, back to their hip.
Ensuring that they apply force to as much water as possible,
Swimmers should recover their hands and arms back into the catch position, underwater.
They should ensure they rotate at the hips during each pull
They should also ensure they are performing a strong and steady flutter kick. To help raise their hips.
The swimmer’s feet should be pointed in a plantar flexion position. (see diagram above)
Complete this progression for one length of the pool (25m)
Ideally, swimmers should look at and feel their hands and arms throughout this drill, to ensure that they are performing the catch, pull and push correctly.
Swimmers may also benefit from using a snorkel, a pull buoy, hand paddles or swim fins.
Younger and less experienced swimmers may benefit from using a noodle across their chest and under their armpits for extra support.

Prone Mid-point Scull

Introduction: The prone mid-point scull is an excellent drill to help to develop a swimmer’s mid-point scull action.

Used for developing the push and pull during both the freestyle and butterfly strokes.

How to perform this drill: The swimmer should start this drill with a push and glide from the end of the pool.

Their elbows should be positioned and held against their sides, throughout this drill.
Starting with their forearms and hands positioned forwards,
With their hands level with their shoulder and just under the surface,
See start position on diagram
The swimmer should then perform a double-armed scull
See mid position on diagram
Finishing with the forearms and hands positioned backwards,
See end position on diagram
Ideally with their thumb brushing against their thigh
The swimmer should ensure that they are pushing the water backwards towards their feet
With their hands vertical and their fingers pointing towards the pool floor
Ensuring that they apply force to as much water as possible,
The swimmers head should be faced down in the water
Raising their head with their chin on the surface whilst breathing.
Performing a slow flutter kick to help keep their legs raised.
Some younger or less experienced swimmers may prefer to use a pull buoy
Variations: Once mastered, swimmers may perform this drill by using an alternate sculling action.

We have produced a related article a guide to swimming sculling. Which you can view it by clicking this link: freestyle body rotation: a guide to swimming sculling

Takeaways

The freestyle arm pull is often referred to as the propulsive phase.

It follows the catch and the downsweep of the swimmer’s forearm at the elbow, which remains high, positioning their fingers vertically pointing towards the bottom of the pool.
This enables the swimmer to correctly apply increased force on the water correctly, to help facilitate a more effective and powerful arm stroke.

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>>Improving the Backstroke Arm Stroke: An Introduction

>>Improving the Freestyle Catch