Using drills and focusing on specific aspects of a stroke has made a huge difference in the way the swimmers I'm working with are swimming now, compared to when they began. By breaking it down and showing them both what a certain stroke should feel like and look like, the swimmer is better able to understand what they're doing and make a goal for what they want to do in a meet. Here are some tools I have been using in practice:
Freestyle
Distance per stroke - by having the swimmers count how many strokes they are taking in one lap of swimming freestyle, they are becoming more aware of their actual stroke count and trying to lower it. By getting to a lower stroke count per lap, they are saving energy and ultimately swimming faster.
Breath count - besides having swimmers count strokes, I am having them count the number of breaths they're taking within a lap of freestyle. The less breaths they're taking, the better their performance. I'm expecially focusing on having them not breath between the flags and the walls in a lap (beginning and end of the race).
Shark Fin - the swimmers turn on their sides, drag their thumbs up to their armpits, and then drag them back down to their sides; then repeat on the opposite side, going back and forth, for the entire lap. This drill not only reinforces having longer strokes and gliding, it also demonstrates the type of rotation the swimmers should have throughout their freestyle.
Backstroke
Stroke Count - similar to freestyle, I am having the swimmers count the number of strokes they are taking throughout a lap of backstroke.
Swimming with One Arm - during a lap of backstroke, the swimmers are swimming with one arm for 6 strokes, swimming with the other arm for 6 strokes, and then both arms for 6 strokes. In this way they can focus on their rotation during backstroke and also the exact way they should be pulling (not just winding their arms in circles, but actually pushing the water away from them when bringing their arms through the water and back out again).
Butterfly
Swimming with One Arm - the swimmers complete 3 strokes with one arm, 3 strokes with the other arm, and then 3 full strokes with both arms; repeating this for the lap. Ultimately, the swimmers need to feel the way butterfly is supposed to happen: two kicks per pull, kicking from the hips (not knees), and not only rotating arms all the way out of the pool, but also resisting the water to bring their arms out again. The difficulties I am finding with demonstrating butterfly are with the swimmers doing 2 kicks before completing 1 pull and kicking from their hips. By using one arm for part of the lap, they can truly "feel" the stroke and how it is supposed to happen when using both arms.
Breaststroke
Sculling - the swimmers complete a lap of sculling with the arms out in front, on the side, or down by their hips/legs. They're propelling themselves forward only using the "sculling" with their arms (no kick).
Pulling - the swimmers complete a lap of pulling (using a buoy to keep them from sinking) without their legs. The focus here is to understand "the shrug" that needs to happen during breaststroke. While swimming, the swimmers shrug their shoulders to bring their arms up and propel them forward. After the arms come up, they're propelling their arms forward to keep the stroke going.
Kicking - the swimmers complete a lap of breaststroke kick using a kickboard. The breaststroke kick has been the most difficult aspect (out of all the strokes and parts of swimming) for me to teach the swimmers. Most have been doing some kind of butterfly undulation or have been "scissor-kicking." While the swimmers are kicking, I get in the pool with them to physically show them what the breaststroke kick should look and feel like. This is probably the area where we've had the most disqualifications in meets because it is being done incorrectly. Ultimately, I'm trying to explain that while it might feel "weird" at first, it is the correct way the kick should be done. Some are starting to get it and so the challenge of breaststroke kick continues...
