Swim: Rotation Rolling

Creates Efficiency & Power

The Rotation Rolling Drill is designed to help swimmers activate their hips first when rotating in the water, rather than leading with the chest and shoulders. This technique allows for a more powerful and efficient stroke, as it minimises drag by reducing body mass moving through the water. In this drill, swimmers focus on rolling their hips from side to side, only pulling with their arm once they have fully rotated onto their side. The aim is to engage the hips first, similar to how other sports like tennis or golf utilise hip rotation for power.

Key Points:

Hip-Driven Rotation: Focus on rotating your hips first before pulling with your arm. This will reduce drag and create a smoother, more efficient stroke.
Pull on Your Side: Only pull when you’re fully rotated onto your side, ensuring less body mass is moving through the water.
Arm Guidance: Allow your lead arm to drop naturally into the water, avoiding any forceful or early pulls. This maintains balance and keeps your stroke smooth.
Lower Arm Position: Keep your arm at a 40-45 degree angle under the water to help your hips stay elevated and prevent unnecessary drag.

Drill Execution:

Push off the wall and start swimming freestyle, focusing on initiating your stroke from the hips.
As your arm enters the water, roll your hips to the opposite side. Do not pull until your top hip rotates downwards.
Keep your lead arm in a relaxed 40-45 degree angle, maintaining pressure with the chest over the water to keep the hips high.
Once you’ve rotated fully onto your side, begin your pull, focusing on smooth, controlled movement.
Repeat the rotation on the opposite side, rolling from one side to the other with each stroke, engaging the hips first.

Progressions:

Add a Kick: Once you’ve mastered the basic movement without a kick, incorporate a light flutter kick to increase speed and stability.
Increase Distance: Start with short distances (e.g., 25 metres) and gradually increase to 50 or 100 metres as you get more comfortable with the hip-driven rotation.
Single Arm Focus: Perform the drill with one arm at a time to isolate the rotation and emphasise proper body positioning on each side.

Personalised 1:1 Coaching

Customised Training with Jen Coppock from £69/month

Want to take your training to the next level with a programme that’s built entirely around your goals, preferences, and lifestyle? I offer 1:1 coaching that’s as personalised as it gets—whether you love training with RPE or prefer structured plans, we’ll craft the perfect balance that gets results and keeps you motivated.

Limited Spots Available!
Due to the demands of my current degree in Sports Injury Rehabilitation, I’m only able to offer a small number of coaching spots each month. This means you’ll receive focused, high-quality attention from me, a biomechanics expert, helping you stay strong, injury-free, and improving.