6 Proven Drills to Improve Your Freestyle Stroke

Freestyle is the most commonly used swimming stroke for fitness, competition, and triathlon, but simply swimming more laps isn't always the fastest way to improve. The best swimmers regularly practice freestyle drills to refine their body position, stroke mechanics, breathing, and overall swimming efficiency in the water.

Whether you're new to freestyle swimming or preparing for your next competitive swimming event, incorporating targeted freestyle swimming drills into your training can help you develop a smoother freestyle stroke, reduce wasted energy, and swim faster with greater confidence. If you're wondering how to improve freestyle stroke mechanics, practicing the right drills consistently is one of the most effective approaches.

In this guide, you'll learn six proven freestyle drills, what each one improves, how to perform it correctly, and common mistakes to avoid so you can get the most out of every training session.

Key Takeaways

• Freestyle drills improve body position, stroke timing, breathing, and overall swimming efficiency.
• Each drill targets a specific part of the freestyle stroke, making these some of the best freestyle drills for improving technique one skill at a time.
• Practicing drills consistently helps swimmers become faster while using less energy.
• Combining drills with proper equipment and regular training supports long-term improvement.
• Small technique improvements often have a greater impact than simply swimming more laps.

Why Freestyle Drills Matter

Freestyle, also known as the front crawl, is built on timing, coordination, and efficiency. While swimming continuous laps improves endurance, swimming drills allow you to isolate specific parts of your stroke and correct technique errors before they become habits. These swim drills help develop better movement patterns, making your freestyle stroke smoother, more efficient, and easier to maintain over longer distances.

For example, improving your body rotation can reduce drag, while refining your arm recovery helps create a smoother, more relaxed stroke. Even small adjustments to your catch or freestyle kick can make swimming feel easier and more efficient over longer distances.

Instead of focusing only on speed, think of drills as a way to refine your swimming technique. Once proper technique becomes natural, swimming faster often requires less effort.

1. Catch-Up Drill

What It Improves

The Catch-Up Drill develops better stroke timing, body position, and a longer reach through the water. It's one of the best freestyle drills for swimmers who tend to rush their strokes or shorten their arm extension.

How to Perform It

Begin swimming freestyle using one arm at a time. Keep one arm fully extended in front while the opposite arm completes the stroke. Only begin the next pull once both hands meet in front of your body.

Focus on maintaining a streamlined position, extending forward with each stroke, and rotating your body naturally instead of swimming flat across the water.

Common Mistake

Avoid completely pausing between strokes. The goal is to improve timing and extension while maintaining smooth forward momentum.

3. 6-3-6 Drill

What It Improves

The 6-3-6 Drill is excellent for improving body rotation, balance, core stability, and overall swimming efficiency.

Many swimmers rotate only through the shoulders. This drill teaches proper rotation from the hips, helping create a smoother and more efficient freestyle stroke.

How to Perform It

Kick on one side for six kicks while keeping your lower arm extended in front and your upper arm resting comfortably against your side.

After six kicks, take three freestyle strokes before rotating onto the opposite side and repeating the sequence.

Maintain a long body line, engage your core, and keep your head in a neutral position throughout the drill.

Common Mistake

Many swimmers rotate only their shoulders instead of their entire bodies. Rotate from the hips while keeping your head stable and maintaining balance throughout the drill.

4. One-Arm Freestyle Drill

What It Improves

The One-Arm Freestyle Drill helps improve stroke symmetry, catch mechanics, freestyle breathing, body rotation, and overall stroke control. It's especially useful for identifying differences between your left and right sides, allowing you to build a more balanced freestyle stroke.

How to Perform It

Swim freestyle using only one arm while keeping the opposite arm extended in front or resting comfortably at your side. Alternate arms every 25 to 50 meters or after several stroke cycles.

Focus on maintaining a streamlined body position and rotating naturally with each stroke. Breathe toward the working arm whenever possible to reinforce proper timing and develop a more consistent breathing pattern.

Common Mistake

Avoid allowing your hips to sink or twisting your body excessively. The drill should feel controlled, balanced, and relaxed from start to finish.

5. Kicking with a Board

What It Improves

A strong freestyle kick supports better body position, propulsion, and endurance during freestyle swimming. Kickboard drills help isolate the legs so you can develop a more efficient freestyle kick and a stronger, more consistent flutter kick.

How to Perform It

Hold a kickboard with both hands while extending your arms comfortably in front of you. Keep your head in a neutral position and kick from your hips rather than your knees.

Aim for quick, controlled kicks while keeping your legs relatively straight and your ankles relaxed. Maintaining flexible ankles helps maximize propulsion while reducing unnecessary resistance in the water.

Common Mistake

Many swimmers kick only from the knees, which reduces efficiency and wastes energy. Instead, generate the movement from your hips while keeping your ankles loose and relaxed throughout the drill.

6. Train with the Right Equipment

What It Improves

The right equipment won't replace good technique, but it can help you practice more effectively. When you aren't distracted by leaking goggles or poor visibility, it's easier to concentrate on body position, breathing, stroke mechanics, and overall swimming technique throughout your workout.

How to Train More Comfortably

During drill-focused sessions, every movement matters. Comfortable swim goggles that stay securely in place allow you to focus on refining your freestyle technique instead of stopping to make adjustments after every lap.

THEMAGIC5 custom-fit swimming goggles are designed using a facial scan to provide a personalized fit that helps reduce leaks and improve comfort during training. Whether you're practicing drills, preparing for a race, or swimming for fitness, dependable gear helps you stay focused from the first lap to the last.

Common Freestyle Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced swimmers develop habits that reduce efficiency. Paying attention to these common mistakes can help you get more value from every freestyle drill.

• Looking forward instead of down, causing the hips and legs to sink.
• Crossing your hands over the centerline during entry instead of reaching straight ahead.
• Dropping your elbow during the catch reduces pulling power.
• Kicking from the knees instead of generating movement from the hips.
• Holding your breath instead of maintaining a relaxed breathing rhythm.
• Swimming every practice lap at full speed instead of slowing down to focus on technique.

Correcting these small mistakes consistently often leads to smoother strokes, better endurance, and faster swimming while using less energy.

Keep Improving Your Freestyle Technique

Improving your freestyle stroke doesn't stop with learning a few freestyle drills. Combining effective swimming drills, strength development, and quality equipment will help you continue improving over time.

If you're looking to build your swimming skills even further, explore our Custom-Fit Swim Goggles, Best Sellers, Mirrored Swim Goggles, Non-Mirror Swim Goggles, and Anti-Fog Spray to support your training sessions.

You may also enjoy these related guides:

• How to Get a Swimmer's Body
• What Muscles Are Used in Breaststroke?
• What Does Heat Mean in Swimming?
• How Many People Can Swim?

Together, these resources can help you improve your swimming technique, increase swimming efficiency, and gain greater confidence in the water.

Conclusion

Improving your freestyle stroke isn't about swimming harder. It's about swimming smarter. By practicing these six proven freestyle drills consistently, you'll develop better body position, smoother body rotation, more effective freestyle breathing, and greater swimming efficiency.

Whether your goal is swimming for fitness, preparing for competitive swimming, or simply becoming more confident in the water, focusing on proper swimming technique will help you get more from every workout. With consistent practice, quality coaching, and the right equipment, you'll build a faster, stronger, and more enjoyable freestyle stroke over time.