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This is probably the most common stroke swum. It's the basic stoke that they taught us is swimming lessons when we were 5. It's also know as the "crawl," "front crawl," etc. Assuming that most people already know how to swim the freestyle, it would be a waste for me to just sit here blabbering on about how you swim it. So I thought I would just give you tips, drills, and technique information so you'll be able to swim it better.
Swimming drills are specific movements, done repetitively, to get your technique "in the groove." Generally included in all workouts, most coaches feel that you can never do enough technique work. You should include some in your workouts, too. Most swimmers have learned some form of freestyle. But not many can appear to move down the pool as effortlessly as a world record holder, but there are ways to move yourself closer to their form; refine your technique with drills. This list of drills is far from complete. If you are an experienced swimmer, you may know these drills by different names, perform them somewhat differently, or know many more. Important key to freestyle: you spend most of your time on your edge or side, not on your belly! Imitate a sharp knife, on the edge of the blade, not a big soup spoon. Good freestyle, both swimming and drilling, requires you to rotate or roll your body along your "long-axis" or spine. You should also try to take breaths on alternate sides to help promote this good body roll. In these descriptions, if an arm is called the "front arm" it refers to the arm pointing to where you are headed. That side or edge of your body (shoulder to hip) is generally oriented towards the bottom of the pool, like the keel of a boat. The opposite edge (shoulder to hip) is aimed more "up" towards the ceiling (or the sky if you are lucky enough to swim outdoors) like a shark fin.
Do you feel how much more relaxed, smooth and powerful this motion feels when you get your hips into it? You aren't just pulling with your arms any more. Your whole torso is involved -- hips, back and abdomen. Notice how much longer each pull is -- you can reach out and push back farther on each side. This is what we're trying to accomplish with freestyle: the same easy, relaxed power.
   Catch-Up  Click To Enlarge.
   3/4 Catch-Up Click To Enlarge.
   Catch-up With A Board Click To Enlarge.
You drag your fingers forward through the water, slightly off to the side of your body, focusing on good body roll and keeping your elbows pointed up. Change how much of your hand stays in the water: fingertips, hand, wrist, even your whole forearm.
   Fingertip Drag Click To Enlarge.
The other is backwards, pointing towards where you just left (back hand), with the arm resting against the edge of your body. You should be on your side, with the back hand side of your body up, the front hand side of your body down (towards the bottom of the pool). Your ear should be against your front hand shoulder, chin in line with your chest, eyes sideways (or even up a bit), mouth out of the water (so you can breath). Take 10 kicks, then stroke, so that your body rolls and your hands switch places. The front hand takes a stroke underwater and finishes against your side, becoming the back hand. The back hand recovers over the surface of the water, becoming the front hand. Your head switches, rotating with your body (rolling down into the water and then up on the other side), and you continue, taking 10 more kicks, then everything switching again. When you have this drill figured out, move onto the next step, adding breathing (see the next drill).
    10/10 (Simple) Click To Enlarge.
You need to roll your head to breath, then reestablish its position looking forward along the front arm. The breath should be taken away from the recovering arm (the one that is changing from back to front) just as that hand goes in the water; as your body rolls, roll your head with it. As you get better at this drill, play with decreasing the number of kicks taken while on each side of your body until you can move smoothly from the slow-motion drill (10/10) into regular speed freestyle (3/3 for a "six-beat" kicker)
  10/10 (Add Breathing) Click To Enlarge.
When you unclench your hand, you should notice a difference in pressure on your hand - use this feeling to keep your hand holding water as you move through your pull pattern. When you are clenched, you should also try to press on the water with the inside (palm side) of your forearm - think of the lower arm, from elbow to wrist, as an extension of your hand. And don't forget body roll!
  Fist Click To Enlarge.
The moving hand takes a series of strokes, each arm performing a set number of pulls before they switch roles. Practice this drill with the stationary arm in both positions. When your stationary arm is on your side, breath towards that side (away from the moving arm). When your stationary arm is forward, breath away from it (towards the arm doing the work). Again, time the breathing so that as your body rolls, your head rolls with it for a breath, then your head should return to its forward alignment.
   One-Arm Click To Enlarge.
You may find one side easier than the other. If you normally breathe on one side only, ask yourself if the difficulty you are having is related to breathing (you sink every time you take a breath) or if it's related to rolling your hips (your legs feel all tangled up and you can't stay balanced).
  Side Kick Click To Enlarge.
  Six-Count Kick Click To Enlarge.
Use the big muscles of your hips, back and sides as you stroke, finishing on your side again, with your hand by your thigh. Remember, the gliding hand stays in front. (For comparison, try one-arm freestyle lying flat in the water. See how isolated your arm is, as if you're pulling with your shoulder and arm only. Feel the power and momentum as you roll.)
  One-Arm Freestyle Click To Enlarge.
   Three & Three Click To Enlarge.
Don't actually stop your arms, as you were for the six-count kick; keep the motion continuous. Just exaggerate the gliding phase of your entry a little more. Think of the ice skater who pushes off the ice and glides along on one foot. The momentum for that glide came from the back foot, the one that dug into the ice and pushed off Imagine the same motion when you swim. Use the finish of each stroke to launch yourself into the next glide. Making a powerful, accelerated motion with one hand while the other is trying to be smooth and relaxed may seem awkward at first, but that's one of the secrets of fast, efficient freestyle. Apply power when you need to, and relax the rest of the time. Be sure to roll your hips as well as your shoulders and pull with the large muscles of your back and sides. The ice skater drill works particularly well when you feel yourself getting tired and sloppy in a rough workout or a long swim. Reach forward. Glide. Roll. Throw the water back to your feet. Swim from your hips.
   Ice Skater Click To Enlarge.
There are plenty of variations for all of these drills, and many more that are not listed. You can also combine drills to work on several skills at once, or to add even more emphasis to a single element. Experiment with these drills and develop some of your own. Always work to improve your technique. Good luck!
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