An Introduction to Swimming Sculling

In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks, tips and drills as an introduction to swimming sculling.

Helping to improve a swimmer’s technique and propulsion.

What is swimming sculling?

Swimming sculling is often overlooked and is an undervalued key set of swimming skills.

Sculling is a series of swimming techniques, which focuses on the pitch and position of the swimmer’s hands and forearms in the water.

The benefits of swimming sculling

The benefits of swimming sculling are that it teaches the swimmer to place their hands and forearms in the water in the correct position and at the correct pitch.

This develops the swimmer’s sense of the pressure in the water and increases their ability to ‘feel the water’. This enables the swimmer to correctly adjust the pitch and position of their hands and forearms.
Which, in turn, enables them to gain maximum purchase of the water. This results in them obtaining increased propulsion and lift through the water.

Types of swimming sculling

Sculling drills can be used to improve all of the competitive swimming strokes.

There are sculls for the different parts of each of the stroke phases. For example:

Front end sculls are those which focus on the catch phase of the stroke, which is the first phase of a stroke, as the hand or hands enter the water.

Mid-point sculls are those which focus on either the pulling or propulsive phase of the stroke or the start of the exit phase.

Backend sculls are those which focus on the exit phase of the stroke.

Sculling in training

It’s important that the swimmer is introduced to sculling as an early part of their swimming development.

A swimmer should regularly practise and develop their sculling techniques as a part of their on-going training routine.

Coach Arthur says: “Sculling can be practised as a part of a stroke technique set, as part of a recovery swim or as a part of a warm-up/cool-down”.

The key components for effective sculling are

Swimmers should perform sculling at a slow drill pace and focus on the correct technique.

Swimmers should focus on sculling with both their hands and forearms and ensure they are positioned correctly.

Swimmers should focus on a sculling action and should not stroke or pull with their arms.

Swimmers should ensure their hands are in the correct sculling shape (see below).

Body position:

Swimmers should focus on the correct body position, to make each scull effective.

Reduce leg kick:

Whilst sculling, swimmers should only use their leg kick for buoyancy, to ensure they are in the correct body position and not for propulsion.

Use swimming equipment to help:

When first learning a new scull, swimmers may benefit from extra buoyancy, by using a pull buoy or noodle/woggle.

They may also find the use of a snorkel useful when first practising any sculling in a prone (face down) position.

Practise consistently and persistently:

To master the many sculling techniques, like most of the other key swimming skills, it takes time and should be practised consistently and persistently

The sculling handshape

The most effective hand position for sculling is for the swimmer to have their fingers very slightly apart and their hands slightly cupped.

Swimmers should place their hands on the cheeks on their face, ensuring that their fingers are very slightly apart.

Now the swimmers should remove their hands from their face, whilst keeping their fingers very slightly apart and their hands slightly cupped. Their hands are now in the correct hand shape for effective sculling.

Introductory swimming sculling drills

There are a large variety of sculling drills for all strokes.

Listed below are some introductory sculling drills and progressions.

Please note These drills were originally devised for a 25m (short course) pool. However, they can easily be adapted for use in a 50m (long course) pool.

Headfirst supine scull

Introduction: This drill is a great introduction to basic sculling techniques.

How to perform this scull: The swimmer begins this scull by floating on their back in a horizontal/supine position, and with their head in the water, at one end of the pool.

The swimmer’s feet are in a pointed plantar flexion position.
The swimmer’s arms are outstretched, perpendicular to their body (90 degrees) with a slight bend at the elbow
The swimmer sculls headfirst.
Complete this drill for one length of the pool (25m)

Feet first supine scull

Introduction: This scull further develops the swimmer’s basic sculling techniques

How to perform this scull: As above, the swimmer begins this progression, at one end of the pool, by floating on their back and with their head in the water (horizontal/supine position).

The swimmer’s feet are in a pointed plantar flexion position.
The swimmer’s arms are outstretched, perpendicular to their body (90 degrees) with a slight bend at the elbow
The swimmer sculls feet first.
Complete this progression for one length of the pool (25m)

Headfirst prone scull

Introduction: This scull introduces the swimmer to further basic sculling, in a face down in a horizontal/prone position.

How to perform this scull: The swimmer begins this scull by floating, at one end of the pool, on their front in a streamlined prone position with their head in the water, lifting their head only to breathe.

The swimmer’s feet are in a pointed plantar flexion position.
The swimmer moves their outstretched arms to a position slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with their palms down.
The swimmer sculls by moving their hands from side to side, with a thumbs up scull on the in sweep and with a thumbs down scull on the out sweep. (see diagram below)
Ensure the swimmer is also performing a strong and steady freestyle kick.
Complete this progression for one length of the pool (25m)

Doggy Paddle

Introduction: An undervalued scull, the doggy paddle is great for developing and maintaining the swimmers sculling skills and feel for the water, during the pull phase of the freestyle stroke.

How to perform this scull:

Starting with the swimmer in the horizontal/prone position, with their head out of the water.

The swimmer proceeds with a series of alternate arm sculls, by extending their arm fully into the catch position, and continuing the sculling motion with their wrists up and their fingers pointing down to the bottom of the pool, in a straight line, back to their chest.
Ensure the swimmer is also performing a strong and steady flutter kick.
The swimmer’s feet are in a pointed in a plantar flexion position.
Complete this progression for one length of the pool (25m)

‘Tucked’ feet first scull

Introduction: An advanced sculling technique, which adds resistance and fun.

How to perform this scull: The swimmer performs the scull in a ‘tucked’ (semi-recumbent), position.

Raising their knees and trunk into a semi-recumbent sitting position, with their body at approximately 45 degrees, although some swimmers may find it easier to sit in a more upright position.
With arms outstretched perpendicular to the swimmer’s body (90 degrees) and bent at the elbow, the swimmer sculls feet first.
Complete this progression for one length of the pool (25m) (See diagram below)

Takeaways

In this article, we’ll provide advice, hacks, tips and drills on the benefits of swimming sculling and how it can improve swimming technique and performance.

Sculling is often overlooked and undervalued key swimming skill.

Sculling is a swimming technique, which focuses on the pitch and position of the swimmer’s hands and forearms in the water.

The benefits of correct swimming sculling are that it teaches the swimmer to place their hands and forearms in the water in the correct position with the correct pitch, for all strokes.

This develops the swimmer’s sense of the water pressure and their ability to ‘feel the water’.

This enables the swimmer to adjust their hands and forearms pitch and position, enabling them to gain maximum purchase and thus increase their propulsion and lift through the water.

We have produced a related article, on 20 ways to improve your competitive swimming. Which you can view by clicking this link: 20 ways to improve your competitive swimming

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