Swimflowstate

I have been a swimmer for 21 years, and as of now, I can officially name my three favorite freestyle drills.

Why do we do drills? We do drills because they help with our stroke technique. They help us become more efficient in the water and learn how to get faster at the desired stroke. When focusing on freestyle technique, the main things you want to work on—and the drills you choose should target—are your catch, rhythm, and pull.

These three drills that I picked aren’t just ones I personally enjoy. When I do these drills, I can instantly feel how much better my freestyle becomes. I’ll do a drill, and then when I go back to normal freestyle swimming, I feel an automatic difference in my stroke. Anytime I do a stroke-specific practice, or a freestyle-focused day, I will always include these drills in my warm-up.

I truly believe you should feel good when you’re swimming. You should feel smooth— as smooth as you possibly can. Practices are a lot more enjoyable when you feel good in the water.

Without further ado, here are my three favorite freestyle drills:

1. Single Arm Freestyle

The first drill I’m going to talk about is single arm swimming.

What is single arm swimming? It’s exactly what it sounds like—swimming with one arm. For freestyle, you pick one arm at a time. For example, if you’re doing 2 laps, you would go right arm only on the first lap and left arm only on the second lap.

How does this look?

The arm that is working performs a normal freestyle stroke. The arm that is not moving stays down at your side—not extended in front, but resting at your side. However, the shoulder of the non-moving arm should still rotate, so you maintain the natural freestyle rhythm and body rotation.

What to focus on:

• A strong, steady kick (you’re missing the power of a second arm, so your legs must help more)
• Proper hand entry and catch position
• Keeping your arm straight out in front—not crossing over your head, and not too wide
• Staying in line with your shoulder
• A clean, controlled pull (not crossing under your body or going too wide)

A good visual for your pull is imagining you’re wrapping your arm around a barrel.

What you’ll feel after:
When you switch back to normal freestyle, your kick will feel more connected and rhythmic. You’ll also feel stronger in your upper body since you now have both arms working. The contrast is huge—you’ll feel more in control of the water, and your catch and pull will feel much more natural.

2. Underwater Recovery Drill

The second drill on my list is the underwater recovery drill.

This is a fun one. It’s a combination of catch-up drill and doggy paddle.

How it works:
You start with both arms extended in the catch position. You perform a freestyle pull with one arm while the other stays out front. But instead of recovering your arm over the water like normal freestyle, you keep your arm underwater and bring it back to the front (catch position) under your body.

You don’t start the next stroke until both arms are back in the catch position.

Using a snorkel can really help with this drill so you can keep your head down and focus purely on technique.

What to focus on:

• Your pull (this is the main focus)
• Strong, controlled catch position
• Keeping everything in line and efficient
• Minimizing drag in the water
• A strong kick to support your body position

This is a slower, more controlled drill—really focus on feeling the water and maximizing each stroke.

What you’ll feel after:
When you switch back to normal freestyle, your pull will feel much stronger and more effective. You’ll also feel faster and more efficient because you’re no longer fighting resistance during recovery—your arm is now moving through the air instead of the water.

3. Fingertip Drag + Catch-Up Drill

The last drill on my list is a combination of fingertip drag and catch-up drill.

This one is the closest to normal freestyle.

How it works:
Like catch-up drill, you don’t begin your next stroke until both arms meet in the catch position out front. While one arm is extended, the other completes a stroke.

The fingertip drag comes in during recovery—when your arm comes out of the water, you lightly drag your fingertips along the surface until your hand returns to the front.

Then you repeat on the other side.

What to focus on:

• Staying controlled and patient with each stroke
• Feeling the water with your fingertips during recovery
• Reaching full catch position before starting the next stroke
• Feeling the glide after each stroke

What you’ll feel after:
This drill improves your catch, pull, and overall rhythm. It reinforces the idea that every stroke should be powerful and efficient. Each stroke should move you forward and bring you closer to the wall.

If you’ve read up to this point, thank you—I really appreciate it. I highly recommend trying out these drills in your next practice. They’ve made a huge difference in my freestyle, and I know they can help you too.