For whoever asked, here are some drills to practice Freestyle technique, I can post some for other strokes if anyone wants them:
Kicking;
1. Side - kick: Hold k/board out in one hand at one end, lay on side. Keep face out of water. This gives the swimmer a good feel for the kick. It also gives the coach an indication of how a swimmer is kicking.
2. Deep - kicking: Swimmer pushes upper body high on the kickboard, dropping the legs deeper. This again gives the swimmer a good feel for the kick.
3. Board - up: Swimmer turns k/board sideways, holding each end with k/board held vertically half in and half out of the water. Good for strengthening legs.
4. Underwater - kick: No k/board, arms to front or side. the swimmer comes up for breath and dives down again. Good feel for kick.
5. Normal kick: Hold k/board over the top.
6. As above but with no k/board.
NB. Kick should be fast but with feet only breaking the surface, not lifting right out. Drills can be done with or without fins.
Entry:
1. Head - up: Swimmer lifts the head up out of the water, keeping face looking forwards to watch entry outstretched in front of the nose and with middle finger entry first.
2. As above but done as catch - up.
These drills are hard without fins when done by younger or less proficient swimmers.
Catch - up:
1. Normal: The swimmer goes through a whole arm cycle with one arm, starting with outstretched arms. When the starting position is reached again the opposite arm pulls through. When the swimmer is first introduced to this drill he/she should be told to touch the opposite outstretched hand before pulling through.
2. Flicking- fleas: As normal catch-up but as recovering arm moves through the thumb touches under the arm pit (need for a smooth action and good stretch for entry). This drill helps emphasize high elbow recovery.
N.B. Make sure swimmers do not shorten the push phase of their pull.
3.Trailing fingers: As flicking fleas but on arm recovery fingertips are trailed through the water to reach out for entry. The recovery should move down a straight line close to the body.
4. Touch-overs: As the arm comes out of the water, move the hand over the back to dip the fingers into the water at the opposite side by the hips.
5. Fingers-over: As trailing fingers but with fingers just over the water.
6. Catch-up to top of hand: As normal catch-up but the recovering hand is placed on top of the outstretched hand.
Catch-up drills need to be performed with great care and with precision. They are of great value if executed with control. They help to create a good recovery and help attain an efficient entry. The recovery should be slow, the body stable and the kick fast so that the swimmer concentrates on the recovering and pulling. The drills are very counter productive without a strong kick.
Pause drills:
These are designed to get a good rhythmic kick into the stroke. The swimmer stretches out the right arm in front, making sure it is down the centre line; with the left arm to the side of the body. This position is held for a period decided by the coach, e.g.. 6 kicks. The normal progression of the stroke continues until the left arm is extended and is held for the same period. progressive shortening of the pause is a valuable exercise until the full stroke is reached. 6 kicks> 4> 2> full stroke. This will hope fully help the swimmer to develop or improve a fast sprint leg kick. It also helps lengthen the stroke and isolates each arm pull.
Pulling:
1. Thumb-push: During the push phase of the propulsion the thumb is run down the leg as far as it will go before exit from the water.
2. Fists: Pulling is done with closed fists, this is done in order that the swimmer gets the feel of the water on the wrist and the forearm, which means the elbow is kept up during the propulsive part of the stroke.
3. Watch-it: The swimmer watches the pull to check the fingertips are running down the centre line of the body. This drill is best done breathing every 5-7 strokes. The pull is made more effective in this drill and the elbows are prevented from bending to the wrong angle. The elbow is kept wide of the body during the pull.
4. Single-arm
ulling by isolating each arm can be done in a variety of ways (a) with the non pulling arm outstretched in front, (b) with the non pulling arm by the side of the body (c) drill executed over a certain distance e.g. 25m (d) drill executed over a certain number of strokes e.g. 6 pulls left, 6 pulls right.
Head-up:
Keep the head out of the water and looking directly to the front to swim in order to watch that the elbows are kept narrow to the bodyline and the entry of the hand goes in outstretched down the centreline. This drill is best done as catch-up and with fins on. This drill requires the swimmer to kick hard to keep the body and head up.
Breathing:
1. Vary the number of strokes between breaths: 3>5>7.
2. One ear /one eye: Keep one ear, one eye and the corner of the mouth in the water when the head is turned to take the breath.
Make sure the swimmer breathes out into the water getting rid of all air just before turning the head. The head is turned by using the neck not the shoulders.
Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
