Swimming is an excellent way to stay fit and healthy, but learning the proper techniques and breathing patterns can feel overwhelming for beginners.
To help you build confidence and develop the right skills, we’ve compiled 15 swimming drills, including specific breathing exercises. These drills are designed to create a strong foundation in the water, making it easier to progress and enjoy swimming more efficiently.
1. Streamline Drill
One of the most fundamental skills in swimming is maintaining a streamlined body position to reduce drag and improve efficiency.
The streamlined drill is handy for beginners because it teaches how to maintain proper body alignment in the water. When performed correctly, it allows you to glide through the water with minimal resistance, using less energy to swim longer distances.
- How to do it: Start by pushing off from the wall with your arms extended above your head, keeping your hands together and overlapping.
Ensure your body is straight from your fingertips to your toes, with your legs close together. Engage your core to keep your hips high and kick gently to maintain forward movement. - Tip: Keep your core tight and your body flat on the water’s surface. This will reduce drag and help you glide more smoothly through the water.
2. Kickboard Drill
The kickboard drill is perfect for beginners who need to improve their kicking technique. It isolates the leg movement, allowing swimmers to build leg strength and work on their kick rhythm without the distraction of coordinating arm movements.
- How to do it: Hold a kickboard with your arms extended before you, and keep your head above the water. Use a flutter kick from the hips, keeping your legs straight with a slight knee bend. Your legs should be close to the surface of the water.
- Tip: Make sure your kicks are steady and controlled. Avoid bending your knees too much or kicking from the knees. The power should come from your hips, and your legs should remain close to the surface to reduce drag.
3. Catch-Up Freestyle Drill
The catch-up freestyle drill is designed to help beginners develop full-stroke mechanics by ensuring that each arm stroke is completed before starting the next. This drill encourages swimmers to focus on the timing of their strokes and helps improve balance in the water.
- How to do it: Begin swimming freestyle, but instead of alternating your arms with each stroke, let your lead arm remain extended in front of you until the trailing arm “catches up.” Only once your hands touch should you start the next stroke.
- Tip: Pay attention to your body rotation during each stroke. A smooth, controlled rotation from your hips will help maintain balance and ensure that each stroke is efficient.
4. One-Arm Freestyle Drill
The one-arm freestyle drill helps swimmers isolate and perfect their arm stroke technique. By using only one arm at a time, beginners can focus on proper stroke mechanics and body rotation, which are crucial for an effective freestyle.
- How to do it: Swim freestyle using only one arm while extending the other in front of you. Alternate arms every 25 metres. Maintain a steady kick to keep your body moving forward.
- Tip: Keep your body rotating with each stroke. The one-arm drill is an excellent opportunity to practise using your core to drive your body rotation and maintain an efficient stroke.
5. Side-Kick Drill
The side-kick drill is ideal for beginners who want to improve their balance in the water and practise side breathing, which is essential for freestyle. This drill teaches swimmers how to maintain a streamlined position while breathing comfortably.
- How to do it: Swim on your side with one arm extended in front and the other arm resting along your side. Kick gently to move forward and rotate your head slightly to breathe.
- Tip: Keep your body as straight as possible, and focus on a smooth, rhythmic kick. Maintain a relaxed breathing pattern to avoid disrupting your balance.
6. Sculling Drill
Sculling is an advanced drill that teaches swimmers how to feel and control the water with their hands. It helps swimmers understand how to use the pressure of the water to improve propulsion and stroke efficiency. It’s a great way for beginners to develop a better feel for the water and enhance hand positioning.
- How to do it: In a prone position with your face in the water, extend your arms in front of you and move your hands in a figure-eight motion. Your wrists and hands should be soft, and you should feel the water’s resistance.
- Tip: Keep a steady flutter kick to help keep your body afloat. This drill isn’t about speed but developing a better connection with the water.
7. Vertical Kicking Drill
The vertical kicking drill is excellent for building leg strength and improving your kicking technique. By practising in a vertical position, swimmers can focus entirely on their legs, which leads to more efficient kicking when swimming horizontally.
- How to do it: Tread water vertically, using only your legs. Keep your arms crossed over your chest and focus on small, quick kicks. Perform the drill for 30 seconds to a minute at a time.
- Tip: The power of your kick should come from your hips, not your knees. Keep your kicks quick and controlled to avoid tiring too quickly.
8. Bilateral Breathing Drill
Bilateral breathing is an essential skill that teaches swimmers to breathe on both sides, promoting better stroke balance and body rotation. By learning to alternate breathing sides, you’ll develop a more symmetrical stroke, which is critical for endurance swimming.
- How to do it: Swim freestyle and take a breath every three strokes, alternating the side you breathe on. This will help you become more comfortable breathing on both sides.
- Tip: When breathing, aim to keep one goggle in the water and avoid lifting your head too much, as this can disrupt your body position.
9. Sink Down Drill
The sink-down drill is a great way to practise breath control and get comfortable exhaling underwater. It’s beneficial for beginners who might struggle with holding their breath too long or panic when submerged.
- How to do it: In shallow water, take a deep breath and submerge yourself while exhaling slowly through your nose and mouth. Rise to the surface when you’re out of breath, then repeat the process.
- Tip: Stay relaxed throughout the drill and focus on controlled exhalation. This will help reduce any anxiety about being underwater.
10. Bubble Bubble Breathe Drill
This drill focuses on establishing a smooth and rhythmic breathing pattern in freestyle. By practising exhalation underwater and inhalation at the surface, swimmers can develop a more natural breathing rhythm that doesn’t interrupt their stroke.
- How to do it: Swim freestyle and exhale through your nose for two strokes (blowing bubbles), then take a breath on the third stroke.
- Tip: Make sure you fully exhale before taking your next breath. Holding your breath underwater can lead to fatigue and disrupt your swimming rhythm.
11. Fins Drill
Fins are an excellent tool for beginners as they provide extra propulsion. This allows swimmers to focus on specific aspects of their technique, such as breathing, without worrying about losing speed.
- How to do it: Attach fins and swim freestyle, focusing on breathing every two or three strokes. The fins will help you maintain speed and body position while practising your breathing.
- Tip: Keep your body streamlined and use the fins to help you focus on breathing and body rotation rather than speed alone.
12. Freestyle Breathing Drill
The freestyle breathing drill helps swimmers coordinate their breathing with their stroke, ensuring that their rhythm remains smooth and uninterrupted.
- How to do it: Swim freestyle, breathing every two or three strokes. Focus on turning your head just enough to take a breath while keeping your body aligned.
- Tip: Breathe quickly and exhale entirely underwater to avoid interrupting your stroke.
13. Freestyle Finger Drag Drill
The finger drag drill helps swimmers improve their hand positioning during the freestyle stroke and encourages a high elbow recovery. This drill also promotes smooth body rotation and efficient arm movement.
- How to do it: Swim freestyle, but lightly drag your fingertips along the water’s surface during the recovery phase of each stroke.
- Tip: Keep your elbow high and rotate your body with each stroke to ensure efficient movement.
14. Zipper Drill
The zipper drill is excellent for improving freestyle arm mechanics and body rotation. By adding the “zip” motion, swimmers can focus on keeping their elbows high and promoting smooth, controlled arm recovery.
- How to do it: Swim freestyle and drag your thumb along the side of your body as if you are zipping up a jacket as your arm exits the water. This will help you maintain proper form and body rotation.
- Tip: Keep your movements smooth and controlled, focusing on efficient transitions between strokes.
15. Three-stroke And Glide Drill
The three-stroke and glide drill teaches swimmers to use momentum efficiently by gliding between strokes. This not only conserves energy but also helps swimmers focus on maintaining a streamlined position.
- How to do it: Swim freestyle, take three strokes and then glide for three seconds before continuing. Focus on maintaining momentum during the glide phase.
- Tip: Keep your body streamlined during the glide, and use your core to maintain balance and direction.
Why Swimming Drills Are Important
Swimming drills are important because they help swimmers focus on specific parts of their technique. Whether you’re improving your stroke, kick, or breathing, drills break down these movements so you can practise them separately.
Drills are handy for beginners. Swimming involves many movements happening at once, which can be overwhelming. By focusing on one thing at a time, like kicking or breathing, you can learn more easily and gain control in the water.
Drills also help improve endurance. Repeating these exercises strengthens your muscles and improves your breathing, allowing you to swim longer distances without getting tired as quickly.
In the long run, practising drills helps prevent bad habits and sets you up for success, whether swimming for fun or training to compete.
Conclusion About Breathings Drills For Swimming
Swimming drills are a powerful tool for improving technique, building confidence, and developing endurance in the water. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced swimmer, drills allow you to focus on key areas like stroke efficiency, kicking, and breathing.
Regular practice helps you build muscle memory, making proper technique feel natural and automatic over time. With a solid foundation built through swimming drills, you’ll swim more efficiently and enjoyably, setting yourself up for long-term success.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Breathings Drills For Swimming
Do I Need Any Equipment For Swimming Drills?
Some drills may require equipment like kickboards, fins, or pull buoys. These tools help isolate specific parts of your stroke and improve technique, but you can still perform many drills without any equipment.
Can Swimming Drills Help Me Swim Faster?
Yes, swimming drills focus on improving your technique, which leads to more efficient swimming. With better form and reduced drag, you’ll be able to swim faster with less effort over time.
How Do I Know If I’m Performing A Drill Correctly?
Watching instructional videos, working with a coach, or getting feedback from a more experienced swimmer can help ensure you’re doing drills correctly. Focus on quality over quantity; performing drills properly is more important than speed.
Are Swimming Drills Suitable For All Swim Strokes?
Swimming drills can be adapted for all strokes, including freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Different drills target specific techniques for each stroke to help you improve your overall swimming ability.
How Long Does It Take To See Improvement From Swimming Drills?
Improvement varies from person to person, but with consistent practice, you may notice better technique and increased confidence within a few weeks. Patience is key; the more you practise, the faster you progress.
