Image: @MIKE2SWIM
Freestyle Evolution Drill Progression
Solidify your muscle memory for faster freestyle
Freestyle is the fundamental stroke that’s typically the first one taught to those learning to swim. It’s also the fastest, most efficient stroke, which is why it’s used in triathlon and open water swim races.
But freestyle swimming technique can be difficult to master, and it takes a lot of practice to find the right body alignment, catch, and arm movements to swim fast.
This drill progression can help. Work on these drills in progression regularly to solidify your muscle memory for faster freestyle.
Stage 1: Forward Scull
The evolution drill progression starts with the most basic component of freestyle – a scull drill that can help you feel the water and learn correct hand placement. This drill helps develop the early catch that’s necessary to achieve the early vertical forearm prevalent in freestyle swimming.
To do this drill:
- Push off the wall on your stomach with your head above water and arms extended in front of you.
- While keeping the arms mostly straight ahead (some flexion in the elbow is good), move them away from each other and back together in a sculling motion.
- Keep your fingers pointed down and elbows high.
- The in-sweep and out-sweep are both propulsive movements, like a windshield wiper blade and specifically NOT like a breaststroke pull.
- Keep your head still throughout the movement.
Stage 2: Short Dog Paddle
This drill also works on the early catch but adds the early vertical forearm. To do this drill,
- Push off the wall in the same position as you did for the previous drill.
- Then, reach your hands forward one at a time while underwater in doggy paddle stroke.
- Reach your hands forward as far as possible before the catch.
- Point your fingers down to initiate the catch of each stroke.
- Keep your hands just outside of shoulder width, with your elbows high.
- Keep your head still throughout the drill.
Stage 3: Long Dog Paddle
The long dog paddle builds on the previous two drills. It’s similar to regular freestyle but features an underwater recovery. The aim of the drill is to further develop an early catch and the early vertical forearm.
To do this drill:
- Push off in the same position as in the previous drill.
- Swim a strong dog paddle stroke – keep your recovery underwater and use a long, strong stroke to reach forward to grab the water on each arm stroke.
- Your arm should reach full extension, which will require your hips and shoulders to rotate with each stroke, much as they do when swimming regular freestyle.
- Keep your hands pitched down with your fingers pointing toward the bottom of the pool.
- Continue the pull-through phase as if you're going over a barrel.
- The pull-through should remain just outside of shoulder width.
- Keep your head still throughout the whole stroke.
Stage 4: Tarzan Drill
This drill continues to develop the early catch and early vertical forearm and adds regular freestyle stroke to the mix.
To do this drill:
- Push off in the same position as in the previous three drills.
- Begin swimming with your head up and arms recovering over the water, as though you’re Tarzan swimming across a river.
- Complete 10 fast head-up strokes.
- Watch your hands spear the water just outside shoulder width.
- Keep your head still with your eyes forward.
- Then put your head and swim easy freestyle to the other end of the pool.
