Below are four drills you can try (Davies recommends using a snorkel and fins/flippers while doing these drills if possible so you can really focus on the movements).

1. Body position kick

“Keep your arms above the head in an 11 position with your face in the water (a snorkel can be helpful for this drill to eliminate any breathing struggles) to focus on the leg kick in isolation and build up strength in the legs,” Davies says.

2. Single-arm drills

“This will help you to focus on one arm at a time,” Davies explains. “Keep one arm either fixed above the head on the surface of the water in front of you or fixed at your side and use the other arm to pull yourself through the water, focusing on a strong arm pull, a steady leg kick and a good rotation through the torso.”

3. Doggy paddle

“This might not seem like a real drill, but I can promise you it’s one that many professional swimmers use to warm up the forearms and practise the pulling motion under the water,” Davies says. “It helps you learn how to bend the elbow well under the water and create more power, as many beginners try to pull the water with a straight arm which is a much weaker position.”

4. Catch up drill

“This move requires you to put one arm out in front of you on the surface of the water and do one arm pull with the other to meet the arm out in front,” Davies explains. “You can’t start the next stroke before your other one is completely done. Then, you repeat the same with the other arm.”

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