Body rotation is the most least appreciated and understood element of backstroke and freestyle swimming. If you’re looking for the ultimate in propulsive power, developing this rotation of your body is crucial for success. We offer our subscribers a variety of backstroke drills to improve their form and get them ahead of their competition.
The quick rotation of the body during the arm pull is one of the coupling motions that increases speed and power during backstroke swimming. How far you rotate the body does not determine the additional power you generate. This extra power comes from the speed at which you can rotate.
In mathematical terms, the coupling energy of the body rotation is related to its angular velocity, squared. This means that by snapping the body from side to side, you’ll derive much more power from your backstroke than by turning it slowly.
The most important factor in backstroke swimming is stroke rate. You must learn to increase your stroke speed. Because there is no hip-driven backstroke, you’ll need to get your arms turning quickly in order to compete. In such a shoulder-driven stroke, it’s important to get the form exactly right. These backstroke drills will help you take your technique to the next level.
Body Rotation Drill
The faster we rotate the body, the more distance per stroke we receive. Put your hands at your sides and then take 6 kicks on one side of your body. Quickly rotate and then take 6 more kicks on the opposite side. If you prefer, you can use fins for this drill to help you get the most power from your kicks. As you perfect this form, you’ll see that you can generate much more power from a rotation, than you can from simply reaching back.
The 6 Kick/3 Stroke Drill
Take 6 kicks on your side and then 3 strokes with excellent rotation, bringing the shoulder back to vertical each time. Then alternate. This drill should be performed slowly at first to guarantee proper form, but then increased in velocity as you become more comfortable.
One Arm Drill
As in any swimming style, reducing drag is key to improving backstroke technique. A straight, outstretched arm will increase drag substantially. Bending the elbow and keeping the hand closer to the body alleviates much of this drag. The best drill for developing this technique is to keep one arm at your side and pull with the other. By isolating this motion, you can really feel how the form affects the efficiency of the backstroke.
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