Sculling Drills

by Scott Bay

June 7, 2011

Seated Sculling

On your back with your feet first and head out of the water almost as if you are sitting on a lounge chair. Keeping your hands in front and making sculling motions out in front of you to work your way down the pool.

What it does

You will definitely feel this in your forearms so it is great for strengthening but also holding the position requires a LOT of core strength too! Definitely enhances feel for the water and awareness of where the water is "slipping" off your hands in all strokes.

Wall Sculling

On your front with your feet in the gutter or on the deck (place a towel or kickboard on the deck to prevent scraping up your toes) you lay on your front in the water and scull with your head out of the water and your hands in front of you. You maintain this position by sculling your hands out in front for a predetermined time (we use 15 seconds) then swim a hard 50.

What it does

strengthens the core as well as parts of the shoulder and forearms. This is another one that seems easy at first but then ends up being a challenge a few reps into it. Good "feel for the water" drill as well.

About the Author
Scott Bay

Scott Bay is a USMS-certified Masters coach and an ASCA Level 5 coach and has been actively coaching and teaching swimming since 1986 to swimmers of all ages. The Masters swimmers he currently coaches include national champions, All Americans, and world record holders, who have swum to more than 300 Top 10 swims and 30 world records in just the past 5 years. Throughout his career Bay has taught thousands how to swim or how to swim better. He’s also written numerous articles on technique and coaching and contributed to USMS’s coach certification curriculum. Bay presents at clinics across the country and has written an instructional book, “Swimming Steps to Success.” (Human Kinetics, 2015). Bay is the past chair of the USMS Coaches Committee, and the Head Coach of YCF Masters.