Are there any drills I can do in order to improve my freestyle stroke?

Question

I have trouble managing my breathing while swimming, and also going forward at a good pace. I want to swim more gracefully. What will help me boost the efficiency of my stroke?

Answer 1

it helps if you take it one step at a time, kicking, then arm strokes. use a kickboard to help improve your kick and make it smooth. then use pullboys, which you put between the legs so you cant kick, to work on your arms. then once you put it all together, practice on gliding through the water and not bobbing up and down.

Answer 2

Fingertip drill and catch up

Answer 3

On my team we do 100's with a pull buoy working on our distance per stroke, you count how many strokes you take per 25 and try to maintain it or lower it.

Answer 4

I really like catch up drill to improve lengthening a stroke and working on breathing.  You need a strong kick to help keep you balanced in the water, but doing catch up and breathing to both sides keeping your head on the lead arm works on your balance while breathing.  Make sure to keep your elbow high and hand pitched to the wall you are swimming away from to make sure you are pushing water away from you not  pushing you up.  Rotate your hips on this drill so you are on your side as much as possible.

Answer 5

this one drill is called tarzan you swim a 25 50 whatever with your head out of the water and you dont move it at all try to look forward it helps alot. also do the breathing set of 3,5,7 you breathe every three strokes then every five dtrokes then every seven strokes. work on distance per pull. stretch out your arms while doing your pull and dont slap the water. keep your hands cuppd and kick. remember streamline and under water pull out. i hope this helps you and good luck!

Answer 6

The catch-up drill should help your stroke be more graceful and you will be able to glide through the water better,

If you dont know what that is, you have to touch your other hand before it goes under instead of having it be an ongoing movement.