Swim drills explained

Technique swims in IntervalCoach use a handful of named drills. Each one isolates one part of the stroke so you can feel it, then you swim normally and carry it over. Your swim's description explains every drill it uses, and the drills change from session to session so you don't do the same ones every time.

The drills

Fist. Swim with closed fists. Without your hands, your forearm has to do the catching, so you learn to keep it vertical and press water backwards. Open your hands again afterwards and feel the extra grip.

Sculling. Arms out in front, make small sweeping movements with your hands, in and out, palms angled like a propeller. You feel the water pressure on your palms: that is the feel for the water every good catch starts from.

6-1-6 side kick. Six kicks on your side with the lower arm forward and your face down or turned to breathe, one full stroke to roll to the other side, then six kicks again. It teaches balance on your side and rotation from the hips.

Fingertip drag. As your arm comes forward over the water, drag your fingertips along the surface. It keeps your elbow high and your shoulder relaxed on the recovery.

Single-arm. Swim with one arm while the other rests at your side or out in front. Rotate from your hips and breathe to the side of the working arm or away from it. Switch arms each length.

Catch-up. One hand waits in front until the other arrives and touches it before it starts the next stroke. It lengthens your stroke and teaches you to keep a hand out in front. We use it now and then, not every session, because it also slows your stroke rate.

Equipment

Kick sets use a kickboard; pull sets use a pull buoy between your thighs. Warm-ups never need equipment.

When drills show up

• Technique sessions: the drills are the main set, straight after the warm-up.

• If you're newer to swimming: every session has a short drill block after the warm-up.

• Easy swims of 45 minutes or more: a short drill block after the warm-up, but only in weeks without a technique session of their own.

• CSS, threshold, VO2max, sprint and race-pace sessions: no drills. Instead a short prep set after the warm-up, a few 25s or 50s building to the pace of the main set.

Drills always come after the warm-up and before the main set, with a short rest at the wall before and after, so you do them fresh and with good form.

On your watch

Each drill step is named in the workout ("Drill: fist") on Intervals.icu and on your watch. The distance and pace work like any other step.