Stop Wasting Your Time With These Flawed Freestyle Drills

In this video I'm going to reveal the 3 WORST freestyle drills that get used WAY too often. Don't worry though, I won't just leave you hangin'...I'm also going to run you through some much better alternative drills that will solve the same problem without causing injury or messing up your stroke. Don't get caught wasting your time with bad drills!
#swimming #swimmingdrills #swimtechnique #freestyle #freestyletechnique #swimfaster
Swim Freestyle Faster With Less Effort: • Swim Freestyle Faster ...
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About CoachMattZ:
Coach Matt is an ASCA Level 4 and USMS Level 3 coach. He is currently Head Coach at Davis Aquatic Masters and has coached at Dynamo Swim Club and New Trier Aquatics in the past. In his time at NTA he served as the Head Age Group Coach and Director of Sports Performance.

[@CoachMattZ]

Thanks for watching my video! If you like this content, consider subscribing. I post new swimming videos weekly. If you liked this video, hit that LIKE button then check out my other videos on swimming freestyle! And...go check out that 20% off deal at finisswim.com - use the code COACHMATTZ How To Increase Efficiency and Swim Faster With This Essential Skill: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3nZhoVqrNpnbKM Swim Freestyle Faster With Less Effort: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3XUmZ-vpJhgoZY Three Biggest Freestyle Mistakes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIPOkmOpm72VZ6s The Best Way to Use a Snorkel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoG5ZIWEjauXpM0

[@alexyeo2915]

Would appreciate if u can do a video on how to use tempo trainer to improve swimming 🙏

[@CoachMattZ]

Awesome! Will do!

[@user-tf7rd3bn9d]

Single arm drill with extended arm is there for a reason: though it hinders your rotation it helps you concentrate on the quality of the underwater catch. There are no stupid drills! Every drill has a purpose. If you miss the point it doesn’t mean they are stupid.

[@CoachMattZ]

True. As I said in the beginning of the video, there's a time and place for every drill (including these ones). I just feel like with limited time in the pool, you are better off focusing on different drills. And single arm with the other arm at your side is one of the best. So, in my opinion, you should spend more time doing it that way. Thanks for watching!

[@JJBpilot]

How about us sinky legs folks? That arm out front helps with balance doesn't it? But will be trying it by my side, and breathing to the other side.

[@syauequus]

Both single arm drills have their own unique purpose. When the arm is out in front, it stabilizes the body by inhibiting rotation to allow the swimmer to focus more on hand entry and catch. I find it much easier to get an EVF with the non-swimming arm out in front and much better feel for the water when alternating between the two drills.

[@ii8syedahmad902]

There are no stupid drills true. Single arm with an extended arm hinders rotation. If its beside hip, it not only helps in rotation also one can totally focus on the early vertical forearm hence the underwater catch. So I love doing it with my arm resting beside my hip.

[@ii8syedahmad902]

​@@JJBpilottry flutter kick on sides. It'll help your sinking legs. Extend right arm on left kicks and vice versa. You'll improve in a day or two it's so effective.

[@videovuer]

Yes! Please make a video on the Tempo Trainer.

[@CoachMattZ]

Thanks. Will do!

[@dg5301]

The point about about 1-arm free with opposite arm extended messing with rotation is so true! I also don't like doing full catch-up freestyle for the same reason because it delays rotation, which was a problem for me in the past, so I almost never do more than about 80% catchup.

[@CoachMattZ]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@andrej4696]

lots of drills for FC are based on "catch up" base or extended arm, they all mess with rotation. If you don't need to fix yours arm timing/coordination, don't use any drill what stops your rotation.

[@PeterDevlin-ng4ev]

Thanks great talk.

[@CoachMattZ]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@petermolnar5182]

Thanks for this video, really useful. A video on how to use tempo trainer would be great

[@CoachMattZ]

Noted!

[@helenwang6940]

Thank you!

[@CoachMattZ]

You're welcome!

[@emmaswanwick4908]

If you use single arm with non propulsion arm by your side, when you breath away from the pulling arm, you should work on timing of the breathing, Makin sure the head doesn't move just a rotation. From the neck, no lift or tilt, it also requires you to have to keep the kick even throughout, if leg kick changes then you know what to work on within the cycle. Breath to the pulling arm, you are focused on maintaining body line during the arm stroke. You touch touch drill is done with the non working g arm extended in front, so that's the same as doing your single arm with extended arm, yes it moves into a full stroke but only with an overloading of the non propulsion vertical hand movement first, so it creates another fault. Rather if your going to do such a drill keep the waiting underwater arm in the position where it has to hold water, sculling, hand pointing at least 45 degree down or at approx 80 degrees just in front of but beneath the shoulder. That's the most propulsion point in the stroke so get good at control of the water there, and transferring the weight of the recovery arm to the propulsion arm...

[@6pack_ksa]

👏🏻🙆🏻🏊🏼‍♂️

[@CoachMattZ]

Interesting points. Thanks for watching!

[@emmaswanwick4908]

​@@CoachMattZanytime, feel free to touch base with me

[@terryschappert2397]

Great video!

[@CoachMattZ]

Thanks!

[@kn7940]

I totally disagree with your opinion about the third "zipper" drill. High elbow does not lead to any ingury if you do front quadrant swimming. And it is quite elegant way of recovering without a splash.

[@CoachMattZ]

To each their own. Thanks for watching!

[@ii8syedahmad902]

Coach alternate drills are good... but some of the rejected drills specially zipper for high elbow recovery is essential... i can not think of swimming free style without a high elbow recovery. Unfortunately i am not an olympian i cant be an olympian but i am a very passionate swimmer. Can you please demonstrate or give an example of some elite swimmer swiming free style without high elbow??

[@CoachMattZ]

It's not that a high elbow recovery is bad. Most people (and olympians) don't recovery with a straight arm. I'm not suggesting you should. I think you should do whatever comes naturally with your recovery as long as you can get into a good entry, catch and pull. What I don't like about this drill is how it over exaggerates the high elbow so much that it negatively impacts the body line and can be hard on the shoulder. If you want to work on a high elbow, do some fingertip drag. Then you can have a more natural recovery without messing up your line or your shoulder. Thanks for watching!

[@andrej4696]

Thanks Matt, good video (exept advertising) drills 2 and 3 are definetelly pointless. First "bad" drill was widly used by coach Tureckij while training Alexander Popov.

[@CoachMattZ]

Thanks for watching! And yes, there is a time and place for every drill. What works for some may not work for others...and vice versa!

[@chaseliu5011]

please teach us how to use that tempo trainer!

[@CoachMattZ]

Will do!

[@Justdewit_27]

Love to Jean Ralphio high note 😂😂

[@CoachMattZ]

Haha. Thanks!

[@karanvirkohli]

Breathing drills and Prevention of Sinking Legs for beginners?

[@CoachMattZ]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[@peterjhayashi]

Tempo trainer video would be great.

[@CoachMattZ]

Great! I can do that!

[@ItsJustDB]

What do you think about a beginner using fins for some of these drills ?

[@CoachMattZ]

I think it's a great idea. Do it!

[@mauriciojr8332]

I agree with you. Some drills are really oldfashioned and contribute very little to a good swimming.

[@CoachMattZ]

Thanks for watching!

[@seanparker571]

Good one!! Hilarious the the drill defenders pop up in the comments section. Thanks.

[@CoachMattZ]

Yes people are very passionate about their drills. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelwillis4528]

When I was a lifeguard I found that high elbow drill would always be the first sign of a Runner signed up to do a Triathlon

[@CoachMattZ]

Haha Awesome!

[@stluciestrength]

While not a drill, another “useless “ training tool is the kick board. Maybe it’s helpful for the flat strokes like breast stroke and butterfly stroke but for freestyle the kick board teaches us to look up, the opposite of how we’re supposed to breathe. Although not perfect I’ve done flutter kicks with a snorkel with my arms in streamlined position. Maybe for advanced swimmers the kick board might help their kick but for most of us regular swimmers don’t you think the kick board is teaching us some wrong things and basically unproductive? Thanks

[@MAEternal]

No. You are wrong all the time.

[@rizichai6223]

I use the kickboard with a snorkel always that way my face is always facing down to to the bottom of the pool. Just use a snorkel and the problem will be fix