Breaststroke - 3 Down, 2 Up

This breaststroke drill is loaded with opportunity. It allows you to work on so many different focus points that you can choose a new one each time you incorporate this drill into a set. Pick one focus point at a time, and really CONCENTRATE on doing it well.

Why Do It:

Three Down, Two Up is one of the world's most versatile breaststroke drills.

You can use it to work on your front-end streamline, as this swimmer is doing.

You can use it to work on hiding your feet and legs during the draw, and developing a quick, compact kick.

During the 2 strokes UP, you can use it to work on FAST HANDS.

And, if you do enough of it, you'll develop awesome breath control and aerobic capacity.

How To Do It:

The mechanics of Three Down, Two Up are very simple. You take three breaststroke kicks under water with your arms in streamline. Then you come up for two quick strokes of breaststroke before you dive back under for 3 kicks down.

The mechanics are easy, so that means this drill is all about the fine points and FOCUS. It's easy to be sloppy when doing this drill. The trick is to be CRISP.

If your focus is streamline, really STREAMLINE. The hands should be in thumblock. The shoulders should be tight against your head. And your eyes should be looking DOWN.

If your focus is a compact, quick kick, try to really FEEL how the width of the kick is affecting your forward progress. Watch the tiles and adjust your kick so that the tiles keep whizzing by you.

If your focus is fast hands, get read to ATTACK in the front as you come up for air. And be aggressive as you plunge the hands forward and down into streamline for your next three kicks under water.

And if your focus is developing 6-pack lungs, try to simply RELAX when you're under water. Exhale all your air during the kicks, and stay nice and CALM down there where you can't hear your coach.