Skills & drills
Backstroke Cup Drill
The cup drill will help you keep your head still while swimming backstroke. During this drill, the trick is to not let the cup fall off your forehead while swimming backstroke. The only way to prevent your cup from falling is to keep your head still and your chin up. And don’t forget to rotate your body while swimming to stay balanced! You can use fins for this one.
How to do it
- Fill a paper or plastic cup with a little bit of water for stability
- Place the cup on your forehead and starting swim backstroke
- Lift your chin and chest, look straight up
- With good body rotation, your stroke becomes more balanced and the chance of losing your cup becomes much smaller
Focus points
- Stare at the ceiling to concentrate on keeping your head as still as possible
- Rotate through your hips and shoulders to balance your stroke
- Drive your shoulders up when performing the recovery
Coach tip
To make it more difficult, try this drill with your water bottle. Alternate this drill with swimming backstroke while keeping your head still. This is a crucial step in mastering a high and horizontal body line while creating optimal propulsion. Try it, it’s fun!
