Drills & Tips

Drills vs. Skills
When isolated movements of a particular stroke are rehearsed and refined, they are known as "Drills".
The level of competence displayed by an individual when executing any aspect of a movement or combination of movements is known as "Skill".

Focusing on Novice Swimmers
Although each and every coach has his or her particular way of teaching swimming, the "Grass Roots Program" recommends that coaches spend a lot of time focusing on teaching the correct kick required for each stroke, and the correct head and breathing position. The kick is the foundation of each stroke, and without an efficient kick, the remaining movements cannot be carried out correctly. Of equal importance is teaching the correct head position during breathing and non-breathing. Most counter productive movements in swimming are caused by incorrect head position or unorthodox kicking.

On Teaching Drills
All drills are cyclical and should have a start position and a finish position. We refer to the starting position as the primary position. When drills are properly executed, the swimmer should pause and hold the primary position for at least one-second emphasizing the importance of that particular moment. Drills should be executed to the best of one’s ability with plenty of rest. Practice does not make perfect, unless you are practicing the correct technique. Shortening rest periods and rushing drills only contradicts the aims and goals of the Grass Roots Swimming Program!