Forward and backstroke start drills

A lot of young swimmers have difficulty in learning how to make a proper start, they usually make a flat entry in the water or they are not as streamlined as they could. The same applies for the backstroke start as well. Many studies have reported that the entry and the underwater portions of the start make a huge difference and separate the fast starters from those who are not fast. As evidence, some of the best starting drills for forward starts focus on those aspects. These drills are:

Over and under dives

In this drill, swimmers dive off the side of the pool, over the nearest lane line, and they kick under the next two lane lines, surfacing before they come to the fourth lane line. This is a good drill for teaching swimmers to enter the water correctly and change their velocity from downward to forward quickly.

Dive over the bar

The coach should hold a rescue pole or noodle in front of the starting platform and a short distance away from it. The pole should be held at about waist height. Swimmers should then try to dive over the pole and enter the water correctly. This drill helps swimmers learn how to achieve the proper arc and pike during the dive. Swimmers should also work on break outs with this drill. Consequently, the should perform two to three dolphin kicks underwater and surface with one or two armstrokes.

Dive through the hoop

Hula hoops are placed in the water in front of the starting platform at the spot where swimmers wish to enter. They then try to dive through the hoop without touching it. This drill  is obviously designed to teach swimmers to enter the entire body through the same hole where the hands entered the water. As with the other drills, swimmers should be expected to streamline and kick properly while underwater and then to surface correctly. 

All the above drills should be practiced in deep water.

Backstroke start drills

The most common mistakes swimmers make when performing the backstroke start are to drag the legs through the water during flight and have the body enter the water in several places simultaneously. The following drills are designed to help correct these mistakes.

Dive over the rope

The coach should place a rope or noodle between lane lines at a short distance from the starting end of the pool. Starting in the water, swimmers should dive over the rope on their backs. This drill is good for learning to arch correctly over the water and to lift the legs during the entry. Swimmers should take several underwater dolphin kicks before surfacing so that they can also work on streamlining after entry.

Back dive drill

The purpose of this drill is to teach swimmers to arch the back properly and to lift the legs during entry. It is a short version of the backstroke start. Swimmers do not push off too strongly and they stay close to the water while they arch the body correctly over the surface and lift the legs properly during entry.

Swimmers grip the gutter with the feet underwater and the toes against the wall. From that position, they should perform a small, gentle, backdive over the water. The emphasis should be on taking the body through a small arc in which they get the hips out of the water and the hands back in the water behind them before the feet leave the wall.

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