Don't be 'most' triathletes! Because 'most' triathletes will tell you they hate swimming and it's their worst leg of the race. But it doesn't have to be. Implementing drills into your swim routine builds the necessary muscle memory and technical precision to increase your speed without simply 'smashing' through the water or feeling like you are just surviving the swim.
The FOHER Gang recently had a great swim skills session organised by FOHER Co Ambassador Kristie Rickman and led by Coach Don from the Yeronga Memorial Park Pool. We could immediately feel an immediate improvement in our stroke after completing these simple drills:
Essential Speed Drills - mix and match but do at least 3!
T-Zone Drill (chest press)
- The Action: Pretend there is a hand between the top of your shoulder blades gently pressing your chest down. This in turn should pivot your hips toward the surface.
- The Benefit: This is pretty much Physics 101: when you push the front end down, the back end goes up. This instantly lifts your hips and legs, moving you from a 'draggy' diagonal position to a flat, sleek and buoyant profile on top of the water.
1. Catch-Up Drill
- The Action: Keep one arm extended in front of you while the other completes a full stroke. The next stroke only begins once the recovering hand 'catches up' and touches the lead hand.
- The Benefit: It teaches patience and timing, preventing you from 'windmilling' your arms. By forcing a longer glide, you improve your body position and streamline, which reduces drag and increases your distance per stroke.
2. Fist Drill (Variable Hands)
- The Action: Swim with both hands tightly closed into fists, then switch to open hands. You can also alternate by having one hand in a fist and the other open. Finally, you can then add a fin to the foot that is opposite the hand with the fist. It's a brain bender but super helpful!
- The Benefit: Closing your fists removes the large surface area of your palms, forcing you to use your forearms to 'catch' the water. This encourages an Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) ; when you reopen your hands, you will feel a massive surge in power as your palms suddenly act like oversized paddles. It feels gumby swimming with fists, but it's a great drill to demonstrate how much you can actually 'feel' of the water once you open your hands again. When you add the fin to the opposite foot, it helps to stretch out the stroke on the non-fin side to match the fin side.
3. Stroke Count per Lap
- The Action: Count the number of individual hand entries it takes to complete a single length of the pool.
- The Benefit: This is a direct measure of your efficiency . A lower stroke count indicates you are moving further with each pull (higher Distance Per Stroke). Tracking this helps you find your 'sweet spot' where you can maintain speed with the least amount of effort.
4. Pulling through the Second Half (The Finish)
- The Action: Focus on accelerating your hand as it moves past your shoulder, ensuring you push the water all the way back past your hip before starting the recovery. Tip - make sure your thumb brushes your thigh as you complete the back half of your stroke.
- The Benefit: Many swimmers exit the water too early, wasting 'free' propulsion. Finishing the stroke fully engages your triceps and adds a final burst of speed, helping you maintain momentum and transition smoothly into the next stroke.
FOHER Co Speed and Efficiency Drill Set (600m)
- Warm-Up: 100m Freestyle (2 Laps) Swim at a relaxed pace to get your heart rate up. Focus on a smooth, consistent breath.
- Drill 1: 100m Catch-Up (2 Laps) Focus: Front-quadrant timing. Action: Wait for your recovering hand to tap your lead hand before starting the next pull.
- Drill 2: 100m Fist Drill (2 Laps) Lap 1: Both hands in fists. Focus on using your forearms to "catch" the water. Open hands. Feel the immediate increase in power as your palms act like paddles.
- Drill 3: 200m Variable Fist and Finish (2 Laps) Lap 1: First 25m Both hands closed into a fist. Focus on a long 'finish' past your hip with both arms. Second 25m open both hands and swim normally. Lap 2: First 25m Right hand fist / Left hand open. Keep that powerful push through the second half of the stroke. Second 25m Repeat the single fist drill, but this time add a fin to the foot opposite the closed fist.
- Main Set: 100m Stroke Count Challenge (2 Laps) Lap 1: Count every stroke. Aim for the lowest number possible by gliding effectively. Lap 2: Try to match or beat (lower) that count while increasing your tempo slightly to finish fast.
We hope this helps! Drills might feel boring but they can make an enormous improvement in your stroke and efficiency. And who doesn't want to get out of their swim feeling energetic and ready to jump onto the bike!
If you love this, share this blog with your friends who might benefit!
x Kylie and the FOHER Team