6-Kick Switch Drill

The 6-Kick Switch Drill is a swimming skill drill. It trains you to hold a balanced side position in the water and then switch cleanly to the other side using a full-body rotation. It mainly works the core, hip flexors, and shoulders, and it teaches the body control used during freestyle.

Start by pushing off the wall or gliding into a long side position in the pool. Lie on one side with your bottom arm reaching forward just under the surface and your top arm resting at your side. Look straight down at the bottom of the pool so your head lines up with your spine. Keep your body long and near the surface.

Hold six steady flutter kicks while staying on your side. Then rotate your whole body as one unit from the hips: your hips, shoulders, and head roll together until you are facing the opposite direction. As you rotate, let your lead arm slide back to your side and your trailing arm sweep forward into the new lead position. Hold six kicks on this side, then switch again.

Breathe by exhaling slowly and continuously underwater. If you need to take a breath, rotate your whole body to the side rather than lifting or twisting only your head. To make it easier, wear fins or do fewer kicks between switches. To make it harder, start each length from a still float instead of a wall push-off, or keep your lead arm closer to the surface throughout.

Fault: You lift or turn your head to look forward during the switch. Fix: Keep your gaze down at the pool bottom and let your head roll with your shoulders and hips as one solid unit.

Fault: Your hips sink or your body bends at the waist while rotating. Fix: Brace your core and drive the rotation from the hips, keeping a straight line from your head to your heels.

Fault: You rush the switch and wiggle from side to side. Fix: Complete six controlled kicks, then make one smooth rotation from edge to edge rather than twisting through the middle.