Warm up
see pre-set
Skills & drills Reverse Single Arm Freestyle

This drill allows you to focus on the catch and pull through, while maintaining good body rotation because you isolate one arm at a time. During the reverse single arm swim, we swim freestyle with one arm only, keeping the other arm by your side. 

How to do it 


  • Kick on your stomach with both arms by your side

  • Start making strokes with one arm while keeping the other arm along your side

  • Rotate your body with every stroke

  • Maximise your stroke length and keep stretching out in the front- and back end of every stroke

  • Breathe when your hand enters the water at the front of your stroke

Focus points 


  • Rotate your hips and shoulders for a narrow arm recovery

  • Engage your core with every pull through

  • Maintain a steady kick to control your movements.

Coach tip

This is a challenging drill, but it will definitely benefit your freestyle in the long-run. Practice with fins and a snorkel first and alternate this drill with the single arm freestyle.

Equipment:

fins
Coach tips

COACH TIP

By starting the set with drills, you set your focus at the beginning. Apply this technique throughout the set. Repeating the same drill at the end of the set will take more effort to get it right. By doing drills under fatigue, you force yourself to still have a proper technique. This will benefit you in the long run!

More coach tips?

coach tips
Pre set 1 ROUND distance: 600
stroke pace rest
1 x 200M Choice Easy 20s
Warm-up.
4 x 50M Mix Easy 20s
Odds: breaststroke. Evens: freestyle.
4 x 50M Mix Easy 20s
Odds: kick. Evens: Pull.
rest after round: 0s

Instructions Make everything easy, this is warm-up.

Equipment Kick board

Main set 1 ROUND distance: 1500
stroke pace rest
6 x 50M Drill Easy 20s
25 drill: reverse single arm freestyle (video) + 25 swim.
3 x 100M Freestyle Descending 30s
Descend to steady pace on the last 100.
1 x 300M Freestyle-pull Easy 40s
Focus on push out.
3 x 100M Freestyle Descending 30s
Descend to steady pace on the last 100.
6 x 50M Drill Easy 20s
25 drill: reverse single arm freestyle (video) + 25 swim.
rest after round: 0s

Instructions When speeding up, focus on maintaining your stroke length.

Equipment Fins and pull buoy