Individual Medley Training: An Introduction

In this article, we’ll provide advice, drills, hacks and tips as an introduction to individual medley training.

We have also included some individual medley training drills.

Many swimming training programmes focus on freestyle as their main training stroke.

Some attention is usually given to the swimmer’s ‘favourite or choice stroke’.
However, this leaves little time for the development of the other competitive strokes.

Many national swimming associations recommend that all ‘age group’ swimmer’s training programmes should be individual medley based.

In order to meet these recommendations, it’s important that a swimmer is introduced to a training programme based on the individual medley, at an early part of their swimming development.

The benefits of an individual medley training programme

An individual medley-based training programme has many benefits, which includes,

Individual medley training develops the technique of all four competitive strokes.

This often results in the development of many multi-event competitive swimmers.

The changing of the strokes and tempo, during individual medley training, further develops a swimmer’s aerobic capacity and general conditioning.

Individual medley training adds a variety and balance to any training programme.

Individual medley training tips

Listed below are some training tips to help develop a swimmer’s individual medley.

Train for an individual medley in the correct order

Ensure when training for an individual medley, that swimmers always practice sets and drills that are in the correct stroke order.

Namely, butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.
This is important to enable a swimmer to additionally practise their turns.

Work on weaker strokes

Top individual medley swimmers have four good competitive strokes.

During training, whenever a swimmer gets the opportunity to perform sets of their own choosing.
They should use this as an opportunity to work on their weaker strokes. Working on weaker strokes should occur at least once or twice a week

Change strokes regularly

During training, whenever a swimmer gets the opportunity, they should change their stroke.

This will ensure, that they continue to develop all four competitive strokes as much as possible.

Stroke rate

Individual medley requires swimming at a high stroke rate. Swimmer’s should practice the pacing of their individual medley race in training.

This can be effectively achieved by developing both their stroke count and stroke rate.

Swimmers need to guard against using all their energy on their weaker strokes, but at the same time trying to ensure they don’t fall too far behind in a race.

Stroke Count

Counting strokes is a great way to help individual medley swimmers achieve a consistent and effective stroke.

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

Turns and transitions

Swimmers should regularly practice their turns and transitions. A lot of time is lost by swimmers slowing down coming into a turn, and poorly executing the turn itself. Swimmers need to pay particular attention to the backstroke to breaststroke turn. (see below)

Many younger and less experienced swimmers find the backstroke to breaststroke turn difficult to master. It requires a high level of swimming skill and coordination to perfect, and therefore, requires regular practice.

There are two main types of backstroke to breaststroke turns used by top competitive swimmers. These are the bucket or somersault turn, and the crossover turn

To execute the bucket or somersault turn:

As the swimmer is about to finish their backstroke leg.
They touch the pool wall with one hand
They must ensure that they are still on their back.
The swimmer then performs a quick backstroke flip (tumble) turn
This enables the swimmer to plant both of their feet on the wall
As soon as their feet are planted on the wall. The swimmer should push off and corkscrew into a streamlined prone position
The swimmer then performs a long powerful breaststroke breakout/pull-out.

To execute the crossover turn:

As the swimmer is about to finish their backstroke leg.
The swimmer touches the pool wall with an extended hand, whilst slightly dropping their non-touching side’s shoulder, whilst ensuring they still are on their back.
Then, the swimmer will push on the wall behind them, facilitating a full turn on their side, whilst tucking their forehead to their knees.
The swimmer rotates fully on their side until their feet are planted on the wall.
This is followed by a powerful push off the wall while corkscrewing into a streamlined prone position.
The swimmer then performs a long powerful breaststroke breakout/pull-out.

Underwater dolphin kicking

Underwater dolphin kicking has become an increasingly important swimming skill, playing a key part in the development of butterfly, backstroke and freestyle starts and turns. Therefore, it has many benefits to the individual medley swimmer and should be a regular part of any training programme.

We have produced a related article, on underwater dolphin kicking. Which you can view by clicking this link: Underwater dolphin kicking

Individual medley training drills

Listed below are a series of introductory training drills to help develop a swimmer’s individual medley.

Half individual medley

Purpose: This is a great introductory drill for the individual medley.

How to Perform This Drill: Swimmers are required to complete an individual medley by performing the competitive four strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) but for only half a length/lap per stroke.

Coaching Point: Place a rubber brick or ‘sinker’ at half-way down each lane and a cone or other marker on the poolside, to assist the swimmer in locating the pool’s halfway mark, where they need to change strokes.

Individual medley as kick

Purpose: This is a great drill for strengthening the leg kick for the individual medley.

How to Perform This Drill: Swimmers are required to complete an individual medley by kicking only, performing the leg kick for all the four strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle).

Coaching Point: Swimmers can use a kickboard while completing this drill.

Variations: Streamlined kicking for all strokes.

Individual medley as catch-up

Purpose: This is a great drill for strengthening both the arm stroke and leg kick for the individual medley.

How to Perform This Drill: Swimmers are required to complete an individual medley, performing the catch-up drill for the four competitive strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle).

Coaching Point: To perform the catch-up drill: The swimmer has one arm extended in front, while they perform a complete single arm stroke with the other arm until it ‘catches up’ with the extended arm (returning to the extended position)

This drill is repeated over a given distance using alternate arms.

Individual medley as single arm pull

Purpose: This is a great drill for strengthening the arm pull for the Individual Medley.

How to Perform This Drill: Swimmers are required to complete an Individual Medley, performing the single arm pull drill for the four competitive strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle). Changing arms either every half or full length/lap.

Individual medley training relays

Listed below are a couple of examples of the types of individual medley relays that can be performed during training.

That the stroke order changes for individual medley relays, namely backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.

Individual medley relay

Teams of swimmers race one another while performing an individual medley relay.

This will be performed as a number of repeats to ensure all the swimmers swim all the different strokes.

Two teams or more, of four to six swimmers, of roughly the same combined ability and speed.

The coach chooses the distance of each leg. i.e. 25m, 50m or 100m.
Teams swim in individual medley relay order, namely, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
Swimmers in each team choose a leg of the individual medley relay, they wish to swim.
If there are five swimmers, a team should select two butterfly swimmers
If there are six swimmers, a team should select two butterfly and two breaststroke swimmers
The winning team is that which completes the swim the quickest
This process is repeated with every swimmer ‘moving up’ one stroke, each time this relay is repeated. i.e. backstroke to breaststroke, breaststroke to butterfly and butterfly to freestyle and freestyle to backstroke.

Overlapping Individual medley relay

That although this is an individual medley team relay, it is swum in the order of an individual competition, namely butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke & freestyle.

To provide swimmers with the opportunity to practice their individual medley turns, under the pressure of competition.

Teams of swimmers race one another, while each swimmer performs an overlapping individual medley relay leg.

This relay will be repeated a number of times to ensure all the swimmers have performed all the strokes.

Two teams or more, of three to six swimmers, of roughly the same combined ability and speed.

The coach chooses the distance of each leg. i.e. 50m or 100m.
Teams swim overlapping individual medley legs, namely, butterfly to backstroke, backstroke to breaststroke and breaststroke to freestyle.
Swimmers in each team choose a leg of the individual medley relay, they wish to swim.
If there are four swimmers, a team should select two, backstroke to breaststroke swimmers
If there are five swimmers, a team should select two, butterfly to backstroke and two, backstroke to breaststroke swimmers.
The winning team is that which completes the swim the quickest
This process is repeated with every swimmer ‘moving up’ one leg. For example, i.e. butterfly to backstroke, to backstroke to breaststroke, backstroke to breaststroke, to breaststroke to freestyle and breaststroke to freestyle, to butterfly to backstroke.

Please ensure that backstroke swimmers, who are starting in the water, position themselves to one side of the lane and do not use the starting blocks.

Those incoming swimmers on the butterfly to backstroke leg also need to ensure that they are swimming to the other side of the lane.

Individual Medley competition tips

Listed below are some individual medley tips to help swimmers during competition.

The first leg of an individual medley is the butterfly leg.
As the 2^nd fastest and the most strenuous stroke, swimmers should try to establish a regular stroke rhythm. Swimmers should ensure that doesn’t expend too much energy, while at the same time staying in contention with the leading swimmers.
Therefore, their objective is to perform the butterfly leg with a long, smooth and controlled stroke, focusing on a regular breathing pattern and a great technique.

After the rigours of completing the butterfly leg, it’s important that the swimmer doesn’t ‘switch off’ and mentally relax too much on the backstroke leg.
Swimmers need to maintain a high arm stroke rate. This can be difficult after the butterfly leg as they need to conserve their kick for the breaststroke and freestyle legs.
This may require the swimmer to focus on developing their butterfly and backstroke arm actions during training.
A medley swimmer should pay particular attention and develop an effective backstroke to breaststroke turn. (see above)

Swimmers should focus on performing a long powerful breaststroke pull-out/breakout, from the backstroke to breaststroke turn.
Breaststroke is the slowest but most important leg of any individual medley, where there is usually the most change in race position.
Swimmers need to maintain a high stroke tempo.

The freestyle leg is where the swimmer ‘brings it home’ by performing a quick swim by using all of their existing energy.
It’s important that during the breakout from the breaststroke to freestyle turn, the swimmer quickly performs a vigorous flutter kick.
This helps to quickly increase their tempo from the slowest stroke (breaststroke) to the quickest stroke (freestyle)
Swimmers need to focus on maintaining a strong leg kick, which will naturally result in a higher arm speed.

Takeaway

Most national swimming associations recommend that all ‘age group’ swimmer’s training programmes should be individual medley based.

In order to meet these recommendations, it’s important that a swimmer is introduced to a training programme based on the individual medley, at an early part of their swimming development.

An individual medley training programme has many benefits, which includes,

Individual medley training develops all four competitive strokes technique. This often results in many multi-event competitive swimmers.

The changing of strokes and tempo, during individual medley training further develops a swimmer’s aerobic capacity and general conditioning.

Individual medley training develops adds the variety, balance and fun to any training programme.

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