Four backstroke drills that each isolate one pillar: water-glass for the head, single-arm for the pull, six-kick switch for rotation, double-arm for symmetry.
## Introduction "Which drills actually move my backstroke forward?" Honest answer: the four below — each isolates exactly one of the pillars (body position, rotation, pull) and welds them together at the end. Drills are not a warm-up pastime but the fastest way to store a feeling you cannot consciously control within the full stroke.
The trick to good drills: they make a single aspect so exaggerated or so simplified that you finally feel it. Then you transfer the feeling back into normal swimming. The short feedback loop matters — swim one normal length right after the drill and feel what changed; immediate feedback clearly accelerates motor learning.
The measurable goal behind it all: more distance per stroke. Because your speed is stroke rate times stroke length, and length is the progress marker by which you recognise good technique. Keep that in mind when a drill feels boring: you are not training the exercise but the feeling that makes you faster in every single length.
## What You Need - A free lane and 25-metre chunks — drills short and clean beat long and sloppy. - Optional fins for stability, especially in the six-kick switch and side position. - Optional your phone for a short check clip before and after the drill. - Patience for repetition — a feeling needs dozens of reps, not three. - The cue: feel the drill, transfer straight back into swimming.
## Step by Step ### 1. Water-glass drill for a quiet head Swim a length and imagine a full glass of water standing on your forehead — it must not tip. This drill fixes head and gaze, lifts the hips and takes out the wobble. Ideal as the first drill of any session, because a quiet head is the basis for everything else.
### 2. Single-arm backstroke for the pull One arm stays by your side (or stretched up), the other swims alone: enter, bend the elbow, pull through to the thigh. This lets you feel every phase of the pull isolated, without the other arm distracting. 4x25 m per side, then switch. A common aha moment: only when the other arm rests still by your side do you notice how short your pull has been.
### 3. Six-kick switch for rotation Roll onto one side, lower arm by your side, upper arm stretched, and do six kicks in a deep side position before rolling into the next stroke on the other side. The drill stores rotation around the long axis and separates it from frantic paddling. Shorten the pauses over time.
### 4. Double-arm backstroke for symmetry and timing Both arms pull simultaneously: together forward over the water, together in, together through. This forces a high hip (otherwise you sink in the double phase) and mercilessly reveals side differences. A strong trunk drill that couples body position and pull.
### 5. Transfer back into full swimming After every drill, immediately swim one normal length and consciously feel what changed. Exactly this transfer turns an exercise into real skill. Without it, the drill stays a nice gimmick with no effect.
## Common Mistakes - Drill too long and sloppy: fatigue eats the technique. Fix: 25-metre chunks, quality over distance. - No transfer: doing the drill but never following with normal swimming. Fix: swim one full length right after. - All drills at once: sensory overload. Fix: one or two targeted drills per session. - Rotation in the six-kick with shoulders only: half the effect. Fix: deliberately roll the hips along.
## Safety Notes Single-arm and side-position drills are unfamiliar and load the shoulder more one-sidedly than normal swimming — build volume slowly and stop with shoulder twinges. Fins raise speed and ankle load; use them in moderation. Because you do not watch the pull in many drills, you easily lose orientation — count roughly or use the backstroke flags so you do not run into the wall. Practise in a free lane without oncoming traffic.
## Pro Tip Film yourself for one length from the side before and after a drill and compare the two clips directly. The difference — higher hips, longer pull, cleaner rotation — is instantly visible on video, and this immediate feedback anchors the correction faster than repetition alone. What you see, you correct faster than what you only feel.
## FAQ ### Which backstroke drills are the most important? Four cover the whole field: the water-glass drill for a quiet head, single-arm backstroke for the pull, the six-kick switch for rotation and double-arm backstroke for symmetry and high hips. Each isolates one pillar — together they build a rounded technique. Shift the focus by your weak spot: if the head wobbles, more water-glass; if propulsion is missing, more single-arm.
### How often and how long should I drill? Short and regular beats rare and long: one or two drills per session, in 25-metre chunks, with normal swimming in between. A motor feeling needs many reps over weeks. Quality always beats distance — a tired, sloppy drill trains the mistake right in.
### How do I notice a drill is working? By more distance per stroke in the normal swimming afterwards — stroke length is the most honest progress marker. Count your strokes per length before and after a few weeks of drill work. Fewer strokes at the same pace means your technique is taking hold.
### Do I need a coach for drills? Not necessarily, but feedback speeds things up enormously. If no coach is there, a short side clip replaces the outside eye — immediate feedback clearly improves motor learning. Film yourself before and after the drill and compare; the difference shows whether you are on the right track.
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