Hydroverse Swim Coaching

Why advanced swimmers should practice Backstroke Kicks with Single Arm Extension Above Head

Many advanced swimmers focus heavily on pull mechanics, stroke rate, and fitness…

But one area that often gets overlooked is balance.

The fastest and most efficient backstroke swimmers are able to maintain a stable body position while rotating smoothly from side to side.

That’s exactly what this drill develops.

By extending one arm above the head while kicking, you create an asymmetrical position that challenges your balance, core control, and ability to maintain alignment in the water.

This drill helps improve:

• Body position and stability
• Rotational control
• Core engagement
• Kick efficiency
• Shoulder positioning
• Awareness of imbalances between left and right sides

Why is this important?

Because every stroke in backstroke is performed from a rotated position.

If you cannot maintain balance while rotated, you’ll often:
• Lose momentum
• Create unnecessary drag
• Over-rotate or under-rotate
• Compensate with the legs
• Waste energy

Advanced swimmers use drills like this to reinforce the foundations that support efficient swimming.

The goal isn’t just to kick.

The goal is to learn how to maintain a long, balanced, streamlined position while controlling rotation through the core.

Small improvements in balance can have a huge impact on:
• Stroke efficiency
• Endurance
• Speed
• Energy conservation

Master the position first, and the stroke becomes much easier to execute.

Comment “backstroke” and we will send you a free backstroke training plan.

Front Crawl with 3-Second Pause Before Recovery

This drill is excellent for improving:
Body position
Balance in the water
Stroke timing
Front crawl control
Catch and pull awareness

Many swimmers rush through the stroke cycle without maintaining balance or connection in the water.

By adding a 3-second pause before recovery, swimmers are forced to slow down and become more aware of:
How the body is positioned
How the lead arm supports balance
How rotation affects the stroke
How effective the pull actually is

Why this drill is useful:

The pause helps swimmers:
Improve stability in the water
Develop better stroke timing
Reduce rushed swimming
Improve breathing control
Feel the connection between pull and body rotation

How to perform the drill:

Hold the board in front
Perform a front crawl pull with one arm
Pause for 3 seconds before recovery
Maintain kicking throughout
Keep the body long and balanced during the pause

Focus points:

Keep the hips close to the surface
Do not rush the recovery
Maintain a steady kick
Stay relaxed through the shoulders
Keep the head still and controlled

Common mistakes:

Dropping the hips during the pause
Stopping the kick completely
Lifting the head too much
Rushing into the next pull
Losing body tension and balance

Slowing the stroke down through drills like this helps swimmers develop better awareness, control, and efficiency.

Sometimes swimming improves faster when you stop trying to move quickly and start learning how to move properly through the water.

Have you mastered this?

Let us know in the comments below 👇🏼

Looking for swimming lessons in London?
Whether you’re:
🏊 A complete beginner
🏊 Looking to improve technique
🏊 Building confidence in the water
🏊 Training for triathlon or open water competition
🏊 Or simply wanting to swim more efficiently

Hydroverse is here to help.

We specialise in adult swimming coaching with a strong focus on:
✅ Technique development
✅ Breathing and body position
✅ Confidence building
✅ Stroke efficiency
✅ Endurance and performance

We help swimmers understand:
👉 How the body moves in the water
👉 How to reduce drag and fatigue
👉 How to breathe calmly and efficiently
👉 How to swim with more confidence and control

We offer:
• 1:1 Coaching
• 2:1 Sessions
• Group Classes
• Triathlon 1:1 specialised coaching and group sessions

📍London (Kew Gardens and Sheen)
📍Morning & Evening Lessons available
📍Structured program for all levels

With the right coaching and structure, swimming can completely change for you.

Click the link in our bio.

A strong backstroke kick is not just about the legs.

The best backstroke swimmers know how to connect:
👉 Kick
👉 Rotation
👉 Core stability

into one smooth movement.

This drill helps swimmers develop better rhythm and coordination between the lower and upper body while improving overall balance in the water.

Why this drill is important:

Many swimmers kick well when flat…

But once rotation is added, they:
❌ Lose balance
❌ Cross the body line
❌ Over-rotate
❌ Stop kicking consistently

That’s because rotation changes how the body interacts with the water.

This drill teaches swimmers how to maintain a stable and efficient kick while rotating through the stroke.

Focus points:

• Rotate smoothly from the core
• Keep the head relaxed and still
• Maintain continuous kicking throughout
• Keep the hips close to the surface
• Stay long through the body

Think:
“Rotate around the spine while keeping the kick steady.”

Common mistakes:

❌ Kicking only from the knees
❌ Over-rotating the shoulders
❌ Losing rhythm during rotation
❌ Excessive splash
❌ Holding tension through the legs and neck

Backstroke becomes much easier when the body learns how to rotate efficiently without losing balance or kick rhythm.

That’s what creates:
💧 Better flow
💧 Better timing
💧 Better efficiency in the water

Follow for more swimming drills, technique tips, and coaching advice.

Efficient backstroke comes from the entire body working together — especially the connection between:
👉 Shoulder rotation
👉 Core engagement
👉 Arm pull timing

That’s exactly what this drill helps develop.

Why shoulder rotation matters in backstroke:

Proper rotation helps swimmers:
• Reduce drag
• Improve reach and stroke length
• Create a more effective pull
• Reduce shoulder stress
• Swim more smoothly and efficiently

Without rotation, swimmers often:
❌ Pull too flat
❌ Lose power through the stroke
❌ Become tense in the shoulders
❌ Fatigue more quickly

Focus on rotating the body as one connected unit rather than pulling only with the arm.

🔑 Key focus points:

• Keep the head still and relaxed
• Rotate smoothly through the core
• Maintain balance in the water
• Keep the extended arm long
• Finish the pull fully underwater

Common mistakes:

❌ Rotating only the shoulders
❌ Rushing the pull
❌ Letting the hips sink
❌ Stopping the kick
❌ Over-rotating and losing balance

Slowing the stroke down through drills like this helps swimmers develop better awareness, timing, and efficiency.

The goal is not to move faster.

It’s to move better!

Follow for more swimming drills, technique tips, and coaching advice.

Our Hydroverse 12-Week Proficient Swimming Course is designed for swimmers who already have the basics and are now ready to improve:
🏊 Technique
🏊 Endurance
🏊 Breathing control
🏊 Body positioning
🏊 Overall efficiency in the water

This course focuses on building stronger foundations through structured coaching, technical development, and progressive swim training.

Whether your goal is to:
✅ Swim longer distances with less fatigue
✅ Improve front crawl and breaststroke
✅ Feel more confident in deeper water
✅ Prepare for triathlons or fitness swimming
✅ Become a smoother and more efficient swimmer

—we’ll guide you every step of the way.

💡 At Hydroverse, we focus on much more than just swimming lengths.

We help swimmers understand:
👉 How to move efficiently
👉 How to control breathing and rhythm
👉 How to improve balance and body position
👉 How to swim with more confidence and less effort

📍Morning & Evening Classes Available
📍Monday to Sunday
📍London (Kew Gardens and Sheen)

Spaces are limited as we keep classes structured and progressive to maximise swimmer development.

💬 Message us to book your place or learn more about the course through the link on our bio!

If every length feels like:
❌ A fight for air
❌ Heavy arms and legs
❌ Constant exhaustion
❌ Panic and tension

…then the problem usually isn’t fitness.

It’s efficiency.

Most swimmers were never taught:
👉 How to balance in the water
👉 How to breathe properly
👉 How to reduce drag
👉 How to move with the water instead of against it

So they compensate by:
• Kicking harder
• Moving faster
• Using more energy

Which only makes swimming feel even harder.

💡 The best swimmers are not always the strongest.

They’re the ones who:
✅ Stay relaxed
✅ Maintain good body position
✅ Control their breathing
✅ Hold the water effectively
✅ Swim with rhythm and timing

That’s why experienced swimmers can often swim faster while looking calm and effortless.

Swimming should feel:
💧 Smooth
💧 Controlled
💧 Efficient
💧 Sustainable

—not like survival.

And once you understand the fundamentals correctly, everything changes.

The good news?

These are all skills that can be learned.

You do NOT need to be “naturally good” at swimming.

You simply need the right guidance and structure.

Comment “SWIM” below and we’ll send you our swimming blueprint to help you become a smoother, more confident swimmer!

If I could fix one thing in most swimmers, it would be body alignment.

A good body position allows you to move through the water with much less resistance.

When the body stays long and balanced:
• the hips stay high
• the kick becomes lighter
• the stroke becomes smoother

Small adjustments in posture can completely change how swimming feels.

Focus on staying long, balanced, and relaxed in the water.

Comment “FIX” and we will help you fix your technique on any stroke!

Looking for swimming lessons in London?
At Hydroverse, we specialise in helping adults become more confident, skilled, and efficient in the water — whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced swimmer looking to improve performance.

We offer:
🏊 1:1 Coaching
🏊 2:1 Sessions
🏊 Group Classes
🏊 Triathlon & Open Water Sessions

Our coaching focuses on much more than just swimming lengths.

We help swimmers improve:
✅ Confidence in the water
✅ Breathing and relaxation
✅ Technique and efficiency
✅ Body position, balance and strength
✅ Endurance and performance

Whether your goal is to:
• Learn to swim as an adult
• Overcome anxiety and fear in the water
• Improve technique
• Prepare for a triathlon or open water competition
• Swim with less effort and more confidence

We are here to help.

📍London (Kew Gardens and Sheen)
💧 Supportive coaching environment
💧 Structured progression
💧 Personalised lessons

Swimming should feel smooth, controlled, and enjoyable, and with the right coaching, it absolutely can.

Message us to find the right class for your level and goals or follow the link in our bio!