The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide 91
Sidestroke is a "stealth" stroke, unlike freestyle. SEALs can stay in contact with
each other over a long swim distance. The sculling motions that have been diagrammed in
this chapter for freestyle, also apply to sidestroke. Use a sweeping action with your hand
and visualize that your upper hand is like a helicopter blade grabbing still water out in front
of you while your bottom hand grabs water ahead and below you.
The power of fins can be used with your flutterkick, not broaching on the surface of
the water. Sidestroke is efficient, conserving your energy over a long swim. With fins, the
majority of thrust comes from the legs and arm stroke is less important.
Swimming Drills
Fin Drills
Kicking with fins is fantastic training. Be careful of using a kickboard too much
while training with fins; this may cause back pain. Sidestroke is good but you will need lane
lines and flags to prevent careening off course and acquiring a nice scalp laceration. The
mainstay of kicking strokes is still prone flutterkick.
Fin kicking drills are essential to building leg strength and specific training for
SEAL combat swimmer duties. These drills are effective when imbedded within a pool
workout where there are swimming sets that accentuate arm and chest muscle training. This
is because the swimmer’s legs will be warmed up but relatively fresh and ready for a
strenuous workout with fins. Use high numbers of repeats in sets, 10-12, with relatively
short rest intervals of 10-15 seconds. A total set length of around 10 minutes is optimal; any
longer and the set begins to degrade into a long, slow distance set which is best done in open
water.
" Fin Sprints: Sprinting 25 meters with fins will allow you to feel flaws in
your arm strokes. This drill will consume an extraordinary amount of oxygen
and provide a good anaerobic and strength workout for your legs. It also feels
great to go fast." Fin Fartlek: Do this set without a kickboard. Kick one length with an easy
flutter kick, then flutterkick the next length on your right side with both hands
out of the water - effort level high - then back to face down for a length of
easy flutter kick, then back at it over a hard length, this time on your left side,
again hands out of the water. Repeat several times. This drill is particularly
effective in a long pool (45m)." Fin Repeats: Do with a kickboard. Kick flutterkick hard for 50m, rest 10
seconds, repeat for 10 repetitions.Other Specific Freestyle Drills