4, 3 Hup Hup

No, it's not a football play call from the huddle. The 4, 3 drill is a perfectly wonderful way to improve body balance and rotation, which is driven from the hips. Long axis strokes, freestyle and backstroke, need this!

Not familiar with the drill you say? Well, get ready. Do four complete arm strokes of freestyle. Then rotate toward your back as you begin three complete arm strokes of backstroke. Roll toward the front and do four freestyle strokes, then three back, etc. Keep the body long and straight with minimal drag of the hips or legs. Get the idea? Maybe you have been doing it all along, but calling it by a different name.

Yes, guys, you do need to kick. Remember to keep the kick narrow and within the shadow of your body as it travels forward through the water. Don't open up the kick as you go around from one side to the other. Try to think of the kick as a whip which starts at the hip and ends with a flick of the toes. Legs should be loose and long. It's OK to use fins if they are considered leg lengtheners and the kick doesn't become just a "knees down" exercise. Keep the head relaxed and in a neutral position. Do not start rotation with the head.

I have used this drill to help novice swimmers get the feel of whole body rotation. For older swimmers with a lifetime of flat freestyle and backstroke, it can't be beat. It is even a great warm down drill and, kick comments notwithstanding, can be done quite well with a pull buoy.

Let all get on the 4,3 bandwagon and take to it the pool! Better freestyle and backstroke will certainly follow.

Here is a long axis workout which incorporates this drill:

WARM UP
200 Choice
100 Free Max Distance per Stroke
4 x 50 Backstroke - Think about being long, long, long in the water

STRETCH About 3 minutes or so - Head to Toe

MAIN SET
1000(500) Free With Every 8th 25 being the 4,3 drill.
Keep swim pace up to about that for a 500. Drill should be loose and comfortable; should serve as a bit of recovery.

8 x 50 Backstroke on your interval - Work the streamline off wall and underwater dolphin 

Rest 30 per Swim:
12 x 25 Choice Kick - Keep These Fast and Intense

4 x 200 Free on your interval. Breathe every 3, 4, 5, and normal by 50's

COOL DOWN
100 4, 3 Drill with Pull buoy

Note: you can adjust the yardage/reps up or down according to your level and the time you have available to swim.