Swimming Skill Drills
Become a human submarine, one lap at a time
physical$ low1 hourdifficulty 2/5
Forget boring lap swimming — skill drills turn the pool into a technique laboratory. Practice underwater dolphin kicks, flip turns, bilateral breathing, sculling, and streamlining. Each drill isolates a specific skill, making every pool session feel like leveling up in a video game.
How to start
- 1Find a local pool with lane swimming hours — many offer drop-in rates
- 2Start with freestyle technique drills: catch-up drill, fingertip drag, and fist swimming
- 3Practice bilateral breathing — breathe every 3 strokes instead of every 2
- 4Work on streamlined push-offs from the wall, gliding as far as possible
- 5Set a simple goal each session: one new drill mastered
What you'll need
- SwimsuitEssential~$25
- GogglesEssential~$15
- Swim capNice to have~$8
- Pull buoyNice to have~$12
- KickboardNice to have~$15
- Pool admission (monthly)Essential~$40
Where to learn more
Plot twists
Ways to spice this up when the basics get boring.
- Underwater obstacle course: swim through hoop toys on the pool floor
- Time trial Tuesdays: pick one distance and race yourself weekly
- Learn all four competitive strokes for variety
- Underwater tea party: practice breath holds by sitting on the bottom
ADHD notes
Water provides sensory input that naturally calms an overactive nervous system. Drills break monotonous laps into focused, bite-sized challenges.
Fun fact
The fastest humans can swim about 5.5 mph. A penguin swims at 22 mph. We have some catching up to do.
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