Corrective Exercises for Crawl

The pedagogical purpose of Corrective Drills

Corrective drills are not a mere warm-up; they are essential pedagogical tools to deconstruct the entire stroke and isolate specific technical components.

When a swimmer tries to correct his entire stroke at once, the nervous system becomes saturated.

Corrective drills simplify the task by focusing attention on a single aspect (the kick, the position, the grip).

The trainer uses these exercises to exaggerate certain movements and facilitate proprioceptive correction.

For example, when performing the "streamline kicks" drill, the swimmer is not concerned with the arms and breathing, devoting 100% of his attention to feeling the alignment of his spine and the tension in his core.

Consolidation of key drills

In teaching crawl, the basic repertoire of drills includes: Streamline kicks to optimize body alignment; Catch-up to improve stroke length and coordination; and Flutter kick on the side to enhance leg propulsion and lateral balance.

Systematic application of these exercises allows for the reprogramming of erroneous motor patterns.

For example, the Catch-up drill is the perfect antidote for swimmers who "spin like windmills" without efficiency.

By forcing a front pause, the swimmer learns to glide and initiate the catch-up from an optimal hydrodynamic position.

Similarly, lateral breathing exercises correct the habit of lifting the head frontally, teaching correct cervical rotation.

Transfer to full swim

The success of using these drills lies in the transfer.

The coach should not prescribe drills in isolation, but integrate them into sets that alternate technical exercise and full swim (e.g. 25m drill + 25m swim).

In this way, the swimmer has the immediate opportunity to apply the newly acquired technical feel (such as catch-up length) to his or her normal competitive stroke.

The ultimate goal of these corrective drills is for the swimmer to internalize the sensations of efficiency (less resistance, greater grip, better balance) until they become their new "unconscious competence", executing the perfect technique automatically under the fatigue of the actual race.

Summary

Corrective exercises are pedagogical tools to isolate specific technical components and avoid saturation. They allow to simplify tasks, putting the attentional focus on aspects such as the kick.

Drills such as the arrow or side kick help to reprogram erroneous motor patterns. They facilitate proprioceptive correction, teaching the swimmer to feel optimal alignment and balance.

The success lies in transferring these technical sensations to the full competitive swim. The goal is to internalize efficiency into unconscious competence under fatigue.