Fist Drill

The fist drill is a swimming skill drill done in a pool. You close your hands into fists and swim regular freestyle. This takes away the palm paddle so your forearms learn to catch and pull the water. It trains the lats, forearms, and shoulders to work together for better propulsion.

Start in the pool in a freestyle position. Keep your body long and near the surface. Close both hands into relaxed fists, thumbs on the outside. Begin kicking lightly and keep your head in a neutral swimming position.

Swim freestyle like normal. Reach forward, enter the water, and extend your arm. As you start the catch, keep your wrist firm and feel the water push against your forearm. Pull through with your lat and finish past your hip. Keep the same stroke timing, body rotation, and kick you would use with open hands. Alternate arms.

Breathe to your usual side with a steady exhale underwater and a quick inhale to the side. Keep your core engaged so your hips do not sag. To make it easier, use fins or a pull buoy for support. To make it harder, open your hands after a few strokes and try to keep the same strong catch you felt with fists.

Fault: You lead the pull with a dropped elbow and lose the forearm catch. Fix: Keep your elbow slightly higher than your hand during the catch so pressure stays along your forearm.

Fault: You tense your shoulders or grip your fists too tight and get tired quickly. Fix: Keep a relaxed fist and focus on pulling from your lat, not squeezing your hand.

Fault: You open your hands and the catch feels weaker. Fix: Think back to the forearm pressure from the fist portion and keep that same angle and pull path with open hands.