Drills and Equipment

Question 1

Pool Equipment: Reducing Drag

Answer 1

1. Buoyancy Pants
   Buoyancy pants, like pull buoys, keep the legs elevated so the body stays connected with the surface, thereby reducing drag.
   They also allow the athlete to work on more propulsive motions with the arms instead of balancing or stabilizing movements.
2. Swim-Snorkel
   The swim-specific snorkel improves head position by forcing the athlete to keep his or her head neutral in order to breathe.
   As you know, keeping the head neutral maintains overall balance and streamlines the body, which reduces drag.
   Raising the head causes the hips to drop, and looking too far down submerges the body. Both of these issues increase drag.
3. Pull Buoy
   Pull buoys help swimmers maintain body position and reduce drag, especially for swimmers whose legs are submerged below the water.
   The buoy floats the swimmer’s hips and legs at the surface and allows the swimmer to focus on upper body work by maintaining a good horizontal body position.
   A buoy can allow for increased volume training when an athlete doesn’t have enough specific muscular endurance.

Question 2

Pool Equipment: Increasing Propulsion

Answer 2

1. Paddles
   Hand paddles help the swimmer develop more force in the pull and can create substantial improvement in power and feel of the water. Use carefully to avoid strain on the shoulder.
2. Ball in Hand
   Holding a ball in each hand forces the athlete to use their forearms to catch water, instead of the palm of the hand.
3. Fins
   Some coaches and athletes also use fins to build strength, speed and to improve body position when performing drills to improve technique. Fins should be used with caution because they can mask an athlete’s insufficient upper body propulsion.