Backstroke Body Position Sets

Set 1

(2-3 rounds through)

Take about 10-15 seconds rest between each repetition

Purpose and Focus Points

This set helps you learn to float more effectively and manage your body position during backstroke. In addition, you'll begin to learn how to optimally time your rotation during your pull.

You'll perform a series of floating exercises prior to each backstroke repetition and then work to maintain effective body position throughout each 50 swim. During the rotational drills, the purpose is to learn to stay on your side for longer during your pull and begin to incorporate these skills into your backstroke swimming.

This set should be done smooth and under control.

Set 2

(2-3 rounds through)

Take about 15-20 seconds rest between each repetition

Take about 60 seconds rest between rounds

Purpose and Focus Points

In this set, you'll begin to learn how to alter your head position to influence your body position in the water. You'll use floating drills to help you continue to become aware of the impact of your lungs on alignment and body position.

During the second half of each round, your focus shifts toward rotation. You'll work on delaying your rotation during your pull with three drills and then transferring these skills into swimming regular backstroke.

This set includes a small amount of intensity so that you can begin to learn these skills at faster speeds.

Set 3

Take about 15-20 seconds rest between each repetition

Take about 60 seconds rest between segments

Purpose and Focus Points

The purpose of this set is to continue to develop your rotational timing while swimming more backstroke over longer distances at increasing effort levels.

A lot of drill work is interspersed throughout the set to provide consistent learning opportunities and reminders for what you want to accomplish while swimming backstroke. Each backstroke swim is a test to see if you can execute great rotation timing. The backstroke swims get shorter throughout the set, but you should be increasing your intensity to challenge yourself to see if you can maintain your skills with the added speed.

Within each segment, the drills build in complexity, getting closer to backstroke, which should help you transfer what you learn into swimming backstroke.

Set 4

(4 rounds through)

Take about 30 seconds rest between repetitions

Take about 60 seconds rest between rounds

Before each set, perform 10 seconds of floating exercises:

Round 1: ball float

Round 2: inner tube float

Round 3: X float

Round 4: I float

Purpose and Focus Points

This set gives you the opportunity to work on your backstroke body position skills at speed. Each round incorporates drills and faster backstroke swimming.

The elevator swim drill helps you determine the head position that will be best for you.

Before each set, perform a floating exercise to help you stay in touch with the support provided by your lungs and their influence on your body position. You'll also practice changing speeds during backstroke swimming, both within each repetition and on a repetition-to-repetition basis. Changing speeds is great for learning.

Set 5

(2-4 rounds through)

Take about 30 seconds rest between repetitions

Take about 60 seconds rest between rounds

For the drills, the odd rounds are build to fast and the even rounds are split so that the first swim is at 80% effort and the second is fast.

Purpose and Focus Points

This set helps you learn to improve your rotation timing while swimming fast.

You'll perform four rotation drills, and more important, you'll perform them with speed. This will help you learn to execute these skills while swimming quickly. The different speed challenges by round enhances your learning.

After each series of drills, you'll practice fast backstroke to see if you can execute great rotation timing while swimming backstroke. Throughout the set, your focus should be on swimming as fast you can while swimming well. Your goal is to execute great skills while swimming fast, not just swimming fast.