Although there are many effective styles of freestyle recovery, they all have common aspects of technique. They all release the water. Each balances the stroking arm. All of them use a relaxed hand that is higher than the shoulder. The goal of the following freestyle recovery drills is to develop a recovery that maximizes rest while complementing the rest of the stroke.

Floppy Hand

THE PURPOSE OF THIS DRILL

• Practicing a relaxed recovery
• Learning to rest the arm during recovery
• Maintaining a high elbow recovery

HOW TO DO THIS DRILL

1. Step 1 : - Push off the wall and begin to do the Catch Up drill. As one arm remains reaching, the other will perform the underwater stroke. When the stroking arm reaches full extension to the rear, deliberately relax that hand.
2. Step 2 : - To transition to recovery, lift your elbow and slide you hand out of the water. It should feel as if you are pulling it out of your front pocket. Once your hand is clear of the water, your elbow should remain higher than your hand throughout its path over the water.
3. Step 3 : - Perform the recovery in slow motion focusing on relaxing your hand the whole time. As your arm travels toward the front, begin shaking your hand gently. Your hand should feel floppy and relaxed, as if you have no bones in your wrist. Your fingertips, hand and forearm should hang loosely from your elbow, pointing down toward the surface of the water, not forward. It should feel as though there is a puppet string pulling your elbow up, and everything else is dangling from it.
4. Step 4 : - When your recovering hand nears the front, flop it forward into the water. Your elbow should enter the water after the hand. When you have achieved the full extended position, begin stroking with the other arm.
5. Step 5 : - Continue shaking your floppy hand during each slow motion recovery. Allow your hand to hang loosely from your elbow as it travels over the water and back to the front. Let your elbow follow your hand back into the water in front. Practice for several lengths of the pool.

DRILL FEEDBACK CHART

Shark Fin

THE PURPOSE OF THIS DRILL

• Practicing a relaxed, high elbow recovery
• Achieving a high elbow recovery by floating on your side
• Practicing the release of the water

HOW TO DO THIS DRILL

1. Step 1 : - Float in the water on your side, the arm near the surface at your side, and the other arm extended in front. Kick productively. To breathe, maintain core stability and roll towards your back, breathe, then roll back to your original side position.
2. Step 2 : - While maintaining a continuous kick, slide the hand at your side up to your waist, raising your elbow up to a point, like a shark's fin. Your elbow should be pointing to the sky. Hold this shark fin position for five seconds, allowing your hand to hang relaxed. Slide your hand back down to full extension at your side.
3. Step 3 : - Repeat this action with the same arm, trying to make the most impressive shark fin possible. Notice that to make the highest shark fin, you have to float completely on that side of your body, and allow the other side of your body to float low. Return your arm to your side.
4. Step 4 : - After ten shark fins, then switch sides. Continue to the other end of the pool.

DRILL FEEDBACK CHART