How to Become a Faster Swimmer: Pro Drills That Actually Work

César Cielo blazed through 50 meters of water in just 20.9 seconds back in 2009, setting a world record that still stands today. Think that’s impressive? Olympic champion Alexander Popov could kick a 50-meter long course pool in 27 seconds – using only his legs.

Here’s what separates elite swimmers from everyone else: they’ve mastered the four pillars of freestyle technique. Body position keeps them slicing through water like a torpedo. Leg mechanics provide the foundation for speed. Arm mechanics generate the power. Breathing timing keeps everything working together.

Don’t worry – you don’t need Olympic genes to dramatically improve your swimming speed.

The Tabata protocol proves this point perfectly. Just 20 seconds of all-out effort followed by 10 seconds of rest can boost your VO2 max by 15% in two months. That’s a game-changing improvement from a simple training method anyone can use.

Every fast swimmer develops what coaches call “feel for the water” – that ability to grab and pull water instead of just slicing through it. Regular practice with the right drills builds this crucial skill.

You’re about to discover the exact pro-level drills that create real speed improvements. Whether you’re chasing personal records or simply want to glide through the water more efficiently, these techniques will get you there.

Mastering the Basics Before Speed

Have you ever wondered why some swimmers seem to glide effortlessly while others struggle to stay afloat despite working twice as hard? The difference isn’t talent or strength – it’s mastering the fundamentals first.

Most swimmers make the same mistake. They chase advanced techniques before nailing the basics. Swimming speed isn’t built on fancy drills – it’s built on a rock-solid foundation.

Why body position matters

Your body position determines everything in the water. Think of it this way: water is 800 times denser than air. Even tiny positioning errors create massive resistance that kills your speed.

Elite swimmers create a torpedo-like alignment from head to toe. Head, hips, and heels stay aligned at the surface. Coaches call this “swimming downhill” – that balanced, sliding sensation where you’re working with the water instead of fighting it.

Remember that moment when swimming felt easy? You were probably in perfect position without realizing it. When your body alignment is right, your legs won’t sink. No sinking legs means no drag anchor slowing you down.

A high, horizontal body position transforms your swimming by letting you:

• Glide through water with minimal effort
• Maintain momentum between strokes
• Convert every bit of power into forward movement

Here’s the reality: small improvements in body position create dramatic speed gains. Position yourself correctly and you’ll stop wasting energy fighting unnecessary resistance.

The role of balance and core control

Your core isn’t just about looking good on the pool deck. Core strength acts as your power transmission system in the water.

Every muscle around your abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis works to stabilize your spine while swimming. Without this stability, power “leaks” from your stroke. You end up with weak kicks and decreased overall power.

Think of your core as the foundation that keeps everything connected. When engaged, it prevents your hips from dropping and maintains that crucial streamlined position. Better alignment equals less resistance and cleaner hydrodynamics with every stroke.

Elite swimmers maintain what coaches describe as a “taut line” through their entire body. This engaged core keeps them elevated in the water, minimizing resistance even during powerful kick phases.

Don’t worry if core engagement feels challenging at first – most swimmers struggle with this initially.

How breathing technique affects speed

Most swimmers sabotage their speed the moment they take a breath. Breathing technique impacts everything from muscle development to stroke mechanics.

Bilateral breathing – breathing to both sides during freestyle – prevents the muscle imbalances that plague many swimmers. Breathing to only one side creates a dominant side and a weak side, making you vulnerable to injury while reducing overall power.

Here’s something that might surprise you: the most efficient freestyle technique involves no breathing at all. Obviously, that only works for very short distances. For longer swims, bilateral breathing offers these advantages:

• Balanced stroke development on both sides
• Improved body rotation for maximum thrust
• Straighter swimming lines instead of veering sideways
• Better oxygen control during races

The critical mistake happens when swimmers lift their heads too high for air. This drops your hips and destroys your streamlined position. Focus on rotating just enough to breathe with one goggle still underwater.

Master these fundamentals and you’ll have the foundation needed for real speed development.

5 Pro-Level Drills to Swim Faster

Have you ever watched an elite swimmer glide effortlessly through the water while you feel like you’re fighting every stroke? The difference isn’t just talent – it’s technique built through specific drills that most swimmers never learn properly.

These five drills target the exact movement patterns that separate fast swimmers from everyone else. Each one addresses a specific weakness that holds back your speed.

1. Catch-Up Drill

Most swimmers rush their strokes, creating choppy, inefficient movements that waste energy. The Catch-Up drill forces you to slow down and perfect each stroke component.

Start with both hands extended in front of you. Pull with one arm while the other stays extended. Wait for the recovering arm to “catch up” and touch the extended hand before starting the next stroke.

Focus on these key points:

• Keep your head down with steady kick throughout
• Maintain high elbows with fingertips pointing down during the pull
• Pull directly under your shoulder and finish past your hip
• Be patient between strokes – add extra kicks if needed

This drill fixes timing issues and builds the coordination needed for powerful, efficient strokes. You’ll immediately notice improved stroke length and better body position.

2. Zipper Drill

Poor recovery mechanics plague most swimmers, creating unnecessary drag and shoulder strain. The Zipper drill teaches proper high-elbow recovery while maintaining body alignment.

As your hand exits the water, drag your thumb up along your torso from hip to armpit – like zipping up a jacket.

Master these technique elements:

• Lead with your elbow during recovery, keeping it higher than your hand
• Maintain a stable body line throughout the movement
• Rotate fully from one side to the other between strokes

Use this drill sparingly. While valuable for developing recovery mechanics, overuse can potentially cause shoulder impingement. Quality trumps quantity every time.

3. One-Arm Freestyle Drill

This isolation drill reveals exactly what each arm contributes to your stroke. Swim with one arm performing complete strokes while the other arm remains extended forward.

Here’s how to execute it properly:

• Focus intensely on the catch phase, underwater pull, and recovery
• Breathe to the side of the working arm
• Reach and rotate to the opposite side before pulling
• Coordinate your catch with the downward kick

Olympic champion Nathan Adrian emphasizes that this drill should engage your core and lats more than your forearms and triceps. Wear fins for better balance and use a snorkel if available to maintain consistent breathing patterns.

4. 3-Second Glide Drill

Many swimmers struggle with flat, unrotated strokes that kill their speed. The 3-Second Glide drill (also called “6-Kick Switch”) builds the rotation and balance that elite swimmers rely on.

Begin in streamlined position, then rotate to one side with one arm extended forward and the other at your side.

Follow these steps:

• Hold this side position while kicking for six counts (about 3 seconds)
• Complete the stroke and rotate to the opposite side
• Repeat the glide and kick sequence

This drill addresses three common problems: flat stroke technique, improper rotation, and weak core engagement. Focus on maintaining strong body position throughout each glide phase.

5. Shark Fin Drill

The high-elbow recovery position separates good swimmers from great ones. The Shark Fin drill develops this critical skill without straining your shoulders.

Swimming on your side with one arm extended forward:

• Lift your elbow toward the sky as fingers move toward your armpit
• Pause with fingers at your armpit for 1-2 seconds
• Keep your elbow high and armpit open above water surface
• Return your arm to your side

This drill teaches you to rely on your hips and core for balance rather than your arms, creating a more efficient stroke pattern.

Remember – these drills work only when performed with precision. Focus on quality over quantity, and you’ll develop the muscle memory that transforms your swimming speed.

How These Swim Drills Improve Technique and Speed

Ever wonder why elite swimmers make difficult movements look effortless? The secret lies in what happens inside your nervous system during drill practice. Your brain doesn’t just learn movements—it rewires itself to make those movements automatic.

Building muscle memory

Your nervous system craves repetition. Every time you practice the catch-up drill, neural pathways strengthen between your brain and spinal cord. Soon, proper stroke mechanics become as natural as walking.

Here’s the fascinating part: your muscles actually grow extra nuclei during training. These cellular additions stick around even after you take time off from swimming. That’s why returning to the pool after a break feels easier than starting from scratch.

Smart drill practice creates three game-changing advantages:

• Flawless technique when you’re exhausted during races
• Consistent form under high-intensity pressure
• Faster skill recovery after training breaks

The one-arm freestyle drill excels at building this muscle memory. When you isolate each arm’s movement, your nervous system learns precise motor patterns without the distraction of coordinating both sides simultaneously.

Improving stroke efficiency

Most swimmers chase speed by trying to stroke faster. Elite athletes know better—they focus on moving more water with each stroke.

The zipper and shark fin drills teach your hands to grip water instead of slipping through it. This “feel for the water” develops slowly through deliberate practice. You’re literally training your nervous system to detect subtle pressure changes that indicate effective propulsion.

Research proves that resistance-based training forces swimmers to engage larger muscle groups. When you practice with closed fists or drag equipment, your body compensates by using more surface area to generate power. This adaptation carries over to normal swimming, making every stroke more effective.

Nathan Adrian emphasizes taking adequate rest between drill sets. Fatigue destroys technique, and practicing sloppy movements reinforces bad habits. Quality trumps quantity every time.

Enhancing body rotation and alignment

Your shoulders need rotation to access their full range of motion. Without proper body roll, you’re swimming with one arm tied behind your back.

The 3-second glide drill targets this critical skill by forcing you to hold balanced positions. You learn to engage your core muscles to prevent hip sinking while maintaining that torpedo-like alignment through the water.

Water’s density means small improvements yield big results. When you rotate toward your pulling arm during the catch phase, you increase your reach and power simultaneously. This improved body position converts more energy into forward movement instead of wasting it fighting drag.

Think of rotation as your secret weapon for effortless speed. Master it, and swimming transforms from a struggle against resistance into a smooth glide through liquid.

Integrating Drills into Your Swim Routine

Knowing the right drills is only half the battle. Most swimmers practice inconsistently, jumping between different techniques without a clear plan. Sound familiar?

Here’s the truth: random drill practice won’t make you faster. You need a system that turns occasional technique work into consistent improvement.

Creating a weekly drill schedule

Start with 2–4 swimming sessions per week. Each session should blend technique work with endurance training. Remember this: consistency beats intensity every time when you’re building proper technique.

New to swimming? Begin with twice-weekly sessions. This builds your water feel while giving your body adequate recovery time.

Ready for more structure? Try this proven weekly approach:

1. Monday: Technique-focused session with 2-3 drills
2. Wednesday: Endurance with integrated technique reminders
3. Friday: Speed work with drill reinforcement
4. Weekend: Optional recovery swim with drill focus

Quality always trumps quantity. Perfect your form before you worry about adding distance. Many swimmers make the mistake of chasing yardage while their technique falls apart.

Balancing drills with endurance sets

Every effective swim session follows a basic structure. You can adjust the percentages, but the framework remains the same:

• Warm-up (10-20% of workout): Build in basic technique drills
• Drill/technique focus (5-20%): Work on specific skills before fatigue hits
• Main set (40-70%): Your primary training focus
• Cool-down (10-20%): Bring your heart rate down gradually

Think of drills as bookends for your main training. Start with technique reinforcement during warm-up. End with technique refinement during cool-down. This keeps your form sharp even when you’re pushing hard.

Tracking progress over time

Are you measuring what matters? Document your workouts in a swim log. Note distance, time, and which specific drills you practiced.

Set milestone checkpoints every few weeks. Test your ability to swim certain distances or complete specific sets. Before making major changes to your routine, establish a baseline of your current capabilities.

Here’s what many swimmers don’t realize: the movement patterns you’re trying to fix took months or years to develop. They won’t disappear overnight. Build your focus drills into weekly recovery workouts to steadily reinforce new movement patterns.

Patience pays off in the pool. Trust the process.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Have you ever felt frustrated watching your times plateau despite hours of pool work? You’re not alone. Even experienced swimmers sabotage their progress by falling into predictable training traps.

Recognizing these pitfalls is your first step toward real improvement in the water.

Overtraining one drill

Here’s a mistake I see constantly: swimmers become obsessed with a single drill, thinking more repetition automatically equals better results.

Wrong.

Going through the motions without purpose reinforces poor technique rather than fixing it. Your nervous system learns whatever pattern you repeat most – whether it’s correct or not.

The fix: Quality trumps quantity every single time. Swimming mindfully during each session creates technique that sticks. Try light resistance tools like DragSox or a swim parachute at 50-60% effort. These force better body position and help you feel every part of your stroke.

Ignoring breathing rhythm

Your breathing pattern affects everything – stroke alignment, body position, even your kick timing. Yet swimmers consistently make these breathing errors:

• Lifting their head too high when breathing
• Taking shallow breaths or holding their breath
• Over-rotating during breaths (“sky breathing”)
• Breathing irregularly during races

When you pick your head up to breathe, your alignment falls apart. Your head moves out of line with your spine and core, your kick suffers, and drag increases.

The fix: Pick a breathing pattern – every 2, 3, or 4 strokes – and stick with it throughout your workouts. Want to check your technique? Look at the lane line while breathing. If you can see the ceiling, you’re rotating too much.

Skipping warm-ups and cooldowns

“I’ll just jump in and start swimming hard.”

Sound familiar? Proper warm-ups and cooldowns might seem like extra work, but skipping them undermines your training effectiveness and increases injury risk.

The fix: Dedicate 5-15 minutes to cooling down after intense sessions. This clears lactic acid buildup, speeds recovery, and prevents muscle soreness. The best time to stretch? Right after swimming when your muscles are warm and pliable. Cool down at lower intensity, focusing on the muscle groups you worked hardest.

Conclusion

Your swimming speed comes down to one thing: building the right habits and sticking with them. The fundamentals matter more than fancy techniques or expensive gear. Body position, core control, and breathing rhythm create the foundation every fast swimmer needs.

Those five drills – Catch-Up, Zipper, One-Arm Freestyle, 3-Second Glide, and Shark Fin – aren’t just exercises. They’re your pathway to developing muscle memory that kicks in automatically during races when fatigue tries to break down your form.

Quality beats quantity every time you hit the pool. Two focused sessions per week with perfect technique will outperform five sloppy workouts. Track what works, adjust what doesn’t, and stay patient with the process.

Don’t let the common mistakes trip you up. Overtraining one drill wastes time. Poor breathing rhythm kills your alignment. Skipping warm-ups and cool-downs invites injury. These seem small, but they add up to big problems.

The choice is yours now. Keep swimming the same way and get the same results, or start applying these proven techniques. Whether you want to shave seconds off your personal best or simply feel more confident in the water, these drills work.

Your improvement starts with your next swim session. Pick one drill, focus on perfect execution, and build from there. Soon you’ll be gliding through the water with the efficiency and speed you’ve been chasing.

FAQs

Q1. What are the most effective ways to increase swimming speed? Focus on perfecting your technique, particularly body position and breathing. Incorporate interval training and specific drills like the Catch-Up and One-Arm Freestyle to improve stroke efficiency. Additionally, work on core strength and streamlining to reduce water resistance.

Q2. How important is breathing technique in swimming faster? Proper breathing technique is crucial for speed. It affects your body position, stroke mechanics, and oxygen intake. Practice bilateral breathing to balance your stroke and maintain a streamlined position. Avoid lifting your head too high when breathing to prevent your hips from sinking and creating drag.

Q3. What role does core strength play in swimming speed? A strong core is fundamental to swimming speed. It acts as a transmission system for power, helps maintain proper body alignment, and reduces drag in the water. Incorporate core-strengthening exercises into your dry land training routine to improve your overall swimming efficiency.

Q4. How should I integrate swimming drills into my training routine? Create a weekly schedule that balances technique-focused sessions with endurance training. Aim for 2-4 swimming sessions per week, incorporating drills during warm-ups and cool-downs. Focus on quality over quantity, and track your progress over time to identify areas for improvement.

Q5. What are common mistakes that can hinder swimming speed improvement? Overtraining one drill, ignoring breathing rhythm, and skipping warm-ups and cool-downs are common mistakes. Avoid fixating on a single drill and instead focus on a variety of exercises. Maintain consistent breathing patterns and always include proper warm-up and cool-down routines to maximize training effectiveness and prevent injury.