We have already mentioned cycling as cross-training when preparing for running and trail running goals. Additionally, there is another sport that runners appreciate when they want to increase their training volume, recover from injuries, or prepare for a triathlon. That sport is swimming! Here are 12 technical drills to improve your swimming skills:
Swimming is a technical sport and there are many different exercises that can be done in a training session. This article introduces the 12 technical exercises in your RunMotion Coach training plan. We will explain how to perform them, what purpose they serve and what variations there are!
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The shoulder-tap drill
How to perform correctly? With each arm pull, touch your shoulder with your hand as you return over your head, keeping your elbow high. To do this, you need to take the shoulder out of the water and keep the other shoulder low. This is known as rolling. At the end of the movement, the hand is stretched far forward.
The aim of this exercise is to train shoulder mobility and rolling, but also to raise awareness of the need to bring the hand back into line with the axis when returning to the water so that it remains as aligned as possible.
A simpler variation can be to touch the head instead of the shoulder.
Shark Fin drill
How to perform it correctly? The opposition is a classic movement in which a pause is made when the arms are in front/behind. The aim is to accelerate the movement underwater as much as possible and then glide in front and behind you with your arms outstretched when you stop.
The aim of this exercise is to work on the amplitude of the movement and to feel the glide and displacement on the water.
A variation can be to stop every 3 strokes and breathe quickly instead of with each stroke.
Floppy Hand drill
How to perform it correctly? The aim is to perform a return from the air, keeping the forearm and hand below the elbow very relaxed. The tips of the toes should touch the water during the entire backswing.
The aim of this exercise is to improve relaxation and the return to the air.
A variation can be to hold the elbow up overhead during the backstroke, with a distinct pause when the elbow is up.
Closed-fist drill
How to perform it correctly? This is a classic closed fist exercise. As the support surface is smaller with closed fists, you need to make sure you keep your arm in line and pull under the water with your forearm.
The aim of this exercise is to feel a different grip during the pullingand pushing phases and to become aware of the path the arm should take under water.
A variation can be to swim with only the index finger extended, or with the open hand and fingers spread wide apart.
Catch up drill
How to do it correctly? The catch-up drill consists of performing classic movements with one arm at a time, always with one hand in front of the body. Make sure that your shoulder, arm and hand remain well above the surface of the water and that you bring as much water as possible up to your thigh with the driving arm.
The aim of the exercise is to train core strength and alignment. You will learn how to keep the shoulder and arm well above the surface of the water when standing in front.
A more complicated variation is to perform the same exercise with your hands reversed on your back. This is called the ‘thigh catch-up’.
The sculling (not the one from the ski…) drill
How to perform it correctly? Hold two arms in front of the surface of the water and bend your elbows slightly. You move back and forth to the left/right as if you were repeating the beginning of a looping movement.
The aim of the exercise is to warm up the shoulder and arm muscles and work on the efficiency of the supports.
There are 2 variations of rowing: rowing under the shoulder with the elbows at a 90° angle (where the pulling movement ends) and rowing sideways with the hands at thigh level.
Two-arm-propulsion drill
How to perform it correctly? Align your body on the surface of the water with two arms in front of you and then perform a simultaneous pull/propulsion movement with two arms, breaking the elbow at the beginning and reaching far back. During the exercise, the body must remain in line with the surface of the water.
The aim of the exercise is to train the pull/propulsion and body alignment.
A variation could be to perform some rowing movements before pulling with both arms.
Single-arm-swim drill
How to do it correctly? Hold one arm in front of the other and perform classic strokes with the other arm. This exercise requires you to keep your shoulder, arm and hand fixed in front of you and on the surface of the water. To breathe, turn your head to the side of the active arm.
The aim of the exercise is to train core strength, alignment and shoulder roll.
A variation can be to hold the arm at thigh level.
The dog-paddle drill
How to perform it correctly? The dog paddle consists of a classic pull/propulsion motion followed by an underwater return of the arm. It is also a crawl without the return over the head. The head remains in the water and breathing takes place sideways.
The aim of the exercise is to train strength and pull/propulsion with greater resistance.
A variation can be the short-stroke dog paddle, which, like the dog paddle, consists of performing the classic movement only up to chest height and then bringing the arm back under water. In short-stroke dog paddling, the head remains fixed outside the water.
The water-polo crawl drill
How to perform it correctly? In the water polo crawl drill, you swim with your head out of the water and imagine that you are looking at a fixed point in front of you. Even though we tend to use more frequency in this exercise to balance ourselves, you should aim for a wide range of motion and go far forward and backward.
The aim of this exercise is to strengthen the muscles, train the core muscles and learn to orient yourself if you want to swim in a lake (e.g. in a triathlon).
A variation can be the crawl swim with breathing forwards, keeping the head facing forwards.
Hypoxia swimming drill
How to perform it correctly? Hypoxia refers to a lack of oxygen in the body. In this exercise, you swim normally, breathe every 3/5/7 strokes in succession and do not try to speed up your arm movements.
The aim of this exercise is to increase endurance and learn to breathe less frequently while swimming.
A variation can be to vary the repetitions by breathing every 3/3/5 or 5/5/7 or 5/7/9 strokes.
The kicks drill
How to perform it correctly? With or without a plank, support yourself with your arms in front of you and push your legs out from the hips with a slight bend in the knee with one foot on top. Be careful not to bend the knee and start the movement from the hips, keeping the legs level with the floor.
The aim of the exercise is to improve the leg press.
A variation can be to perform other types of swimming from the legs, such as wave swimming (butterfly), breaststroke or back kicks.
Now that you have all the information you need to perform these technical swimming drills, you can add swimming sessions to your training plan to prepare for your objective with RunMotion Coach.