Best Swimming Drills to Improve Your Freestyle Stroke

Freestyle is the fastest and most commonly used stroke in swimming, but even small technique errors can slow you down or cause unnecessary fatigue. Whether you are a beginner refining your basics or an experienced swimmer trying to improve efficiency and speed, incorporating targeted drills is one of the most effective ways to enhance your freestyle performance.

This guide covers the best swimming drills to improve your freestyle stroke, focusing on body position, breathing, rotation, pull technique, and kick efficiency.

Why Drills Matter in Freestyle Training

Drills break down the freestyle stroke into manageable components.They help swimmers:

• correct bad habits

• improve water feel

• increase distance per stroke

• swim with better alignment and timing

• build long-term efficiency

Freestyle stroke improvement does not come from swimming harder; it comes from swimming smarter. Drills help you do exactly that.

1. Catch-Up Drill

Purpose

To improve timing, streamline, and front-end extension.

How It Works

Swim freestyle but wait for one hand to “catch up” with the other before starting the next pull. Your hands meet in front before beginning the next stroke.

Benefits

• Promotes full extension

• Encourages balanced body rotation

• Corrects rushed and overlapping arm strokes

• Helps swimmers lengthen their stroke for better efficiency

This is one of the most popular freestyle technique drills for beginners and intermediate swimmers.

2. Fingertip Drag Drill

Purpose

To improve high-elbow recovery and promote relaxed arm movement.

How It Works

After the underwater pull, drag your fingertips along the water’s surface during the recovery phase. Keep elbows high and lead the arm movement with shoulder rotation.

Benefits

• Improves shoulder rotation

• Encourages high-elbow recovery

• Reduces tension in arm recovery

• Helps refine freestyle rhythm

This drill is excellent for swimmers who tend to swing their arms wide or over-rotate.

3. Side-Kicking Drill

Purpose

To improve body alignment and rotation.

How It Works

Kick on your side with one arm extended in front and the other by your side. Keep your head in the water and rotate slightly to breathe.

Benefits

• Teaches proper body rotation

• Improves balance in the water

• Strengthens core stability

• Reinforces streamlined body position

Body position is one of the most important fundamentals in freestyle stroke improvement.

4. 6-3-6 Drill

Purpose

To coordinate rotation, kicking, and arm movement.

How It Works

Kick on your right side for six kicks, take three freestyle strokes, then kick on your left side for six kicks. Repeat along the length of the pool.

Benefits

• Builds smooth body rotation

• Helps integrate rotation into full-stroke swimming

• Improves breathing rhythm

• Strengthens kick-to-stroke connection

This drill is ideal for swimmers who struggle with timing or feel off-balance during freestyle.

5. Sculling Drill (Front Scull)

Purpose

To improve the feel of the water and strengthen the catch phase.

How It Works

Extend both arms in front of you, face in the water, and perform small outward and inward sculling motions with your hands. Maintain a tight core and steady kick.

Benefits

• Enhances water feel

• Improves hand placement during the catch

• Strengthens forearm and wrist control

• Builds awareness of pressure and propulsion

Sculling is used by competitive swimmers to refine the early pull phase.

6. Single-Arm Freestyle Drill

Purpose

To isolate and strengthen each arm’s stroke mechanics.

How It Works

Swim freestyle using only one arm while the other remains extended forward or at your side. Breathe to the opposite side of the pulling arm for better balance.

Benefits

• Corrects asymmetry in stroke

• Improves breathing technique

• Reinforces proper pull path

• Enhances rotation timing

This drill is especially helpful for swimmers whose left and right arms differ in strength or technique.

7. Freestyle Kick-on-Back Drill

Purpose

To improve kick efficiency and hip-driven movement.

How It Works

Lie on your back with arms at your side or extended overhead. Kick using freestyle flutter kick while maintaining a straight bodyline.

Benefits

• Strengthens hip-driven kick

• Prevents excessive knee bending

• Builds endurance in the legs

• Improves kick rhythm for overall speed

Efficient kicking is essential for swimmers seeking to swim freestyle faster.

8. Breathing Rollover Drill

Purpose

To improve breathing mechanics and reduce head lift.

How It Works

Begin in a prone kicking position with arms extended. Roll your body gently to the side to inhale, then return to face-down kicking. Focus on rotation—not lifting the head.

Benefits

• Builds smooth breathing rhythm

• Encourages low, quick breaths

• Reduces drag caused by lifting the head

• Promotes stronger body rotation

This drill is ideal for swimmers who struggle with breath timing or lose balance when inhaling.

How to Add These Freestyle Drills to Your Workout

To see improvement, integrate drills strategically rather than performing them randomly.

A typical session may include:

• Warm-up

• Two or three technique drills

• Short drill-focused sets

• Main set combining technique and endurance

• Cool-down

Consistency matters more than intensity. The more frequently you practise drills, the faster you will experience noticeable freestyle stroke improvement.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Freestyle Drills

• Focus on quality over speed.

• Keep the body long and streamlined.

• Use fins occasionally to reinforce correct form.

• Track progress through stroke count and efficiency.

• Seek feedback from a coach when possible.

• Combine drills with regular full-stroke swimming.

Drills improve technique, but translating technique into speed requires combining drills with endurance and strength training.

Final Thoughts in Improving Your Swimming Freestyle Stroke

Improving your freestyle stroke requires a combination of good mechanics, consistent practice, and purposeful drill work. These best swimming drills for freestyle target all major components of efficient front crawl: body position, kick timing, rotation, pull technique, and breathing.

Whether you are refining your basics or aiming to swim freestyle faster, incorporating these drills into your training will help you move through the water with more speed, efficiency, and confidence.

If you want a custom drill progression or a full freestyle training plan, just let me know.