Kick on side drill is a fantastic drill I use to help swimmers hone proper stroke technique. Please note, kick on side drill is not used for the development of kick technique.

There are many reasons to prescribe kick on side drill, but swimmers who suffer from crossover will benefit the most. Crossover is when your hand enters the water in front of your head (crossing your centerline) instead of in front of your shoulder. This nasty affliction can wreak havoc on your shoulders and lead to a myriad of poor technical problems.

To perform the kick on side drill, grab a set of fins; the longer the better.

Draw your shoulder blades back in an exaggerated posture sticking your chest out.
Place one arm out directly in front of your shoulder. The other arm should be relaxed at your side.
Rotate on to your side (90°).
Your eyes should be focused straight down to the bottom of the pool.
Roll your head to get a breath, then return your eyes looking straight down.
Lengthen from finger tips to toes and kick gently.

After performing the drill for 25 yards, swim 25 yards freestyle, exhibiting good posture.* With each stroke, focus on the hand entering the water right in front of the shoulder. *(Good swim posture is the same as good posture on land.)

In next week’s blog I will continue with the fine points of the kick on side drill. Same Bat Time, same Bat Channel!