Warm up
see pre-set
Skills & drills Sidekick

This drill teaches you how to streamline and balance your body, and helps you with your breathing. During the sidekick you are kicking with one arm in front, one arm by your side, while rotated. It is the perfect drill to perfect your body rotation during swimming. Use fins if needed.

How to do it 


  • Start on your stomach with one arm stretched out in front of you, the other arm along your body

  • Kick with a steady pace

  • Now slowly turn to the side, but keep looking down towards the bottom of the pool

  • At this point one shoulder is lifted out of the water. Your hips and legs are also turned to the side

  • Gently turn your head sideways to breath. Make sure you breathe out underwater

Focus points 


  • Starting position: 1 arm in front, 1 arm next to body

  • Kick steady and face down towards the bottom of the pool

  • Breathe in by turning your head sideways (do not lift)

  • Keep your core tight and your feet up

Coach tip

Alternate the side kick with swimming freestyle. Your arm recovery and breathing should feel much easier.

Equipment:

fins
Coach tips

COACH TIP

Breathing bilaterally requires good body rotation. If you only breathe to your favorite side you also only rotate to that side. Not being able to breathe to your weakest side, stems from a lack of rotation to that weaker side. A good body rotation is a rotation in which your hips, torso and shoulders all rotate together in a single motion.

More coach tips?

coach tips
Pre set 1 ROUND distance: 1000
stroke pace rest
5 x 100M Mix Easy 20s
as 50 freestyle + 50 no freestyle
6 x 50M Drill Easy 20s
as 25 sidekick + 25 freestyle (switch sides after 50)
4 x 50M Drill Easy 20s
Alternating Sidekick (see instruction)
rest after round: 0s
Main set 4 ROUNDS distance: 1400
stroke pace rest
1 x 150M Freestyle Easy 20s
bilateral breathing
1 x 50M Backstroke Easy 20s
1 x 100M Freestyle Easy 20s
bilateral breathing
1 x 50M Choice Easy 20s
rest after round: 0s

Instructions Don't hold you breath during the backstroke or the freestyle, exhale continuously or with every pull-through.

Equipment None