Sculling is a valuable technique in swimming that builds strength. When sculling, move your hands back and forth in the water to create propulsion. There are four different sculling techniques. Each sculling drill helps with a different aspect of your stroke. Be warned that sculling isn’t a fast way to move across the pool; if you keep practicing, however, you’ll get faster.
When performing the superman scull, place your two hands as far out in front of yourself as you can. Bend your wrists and use only your hands for forward propulsion by driving them back and forth with a small side-to-side motion. Ideally, you should have a snorkel, so you can leave your head in the water and look down at the bottom of the pool. If you don’t have a snorkel just lift your head every so often to take a breathe out in front. You can either do the scull drill with a pull buoy in between your legs or by lightly kicking. Both methods prevent your legs from sinking too much which causes a lot of drag. This drill works on developing strength as your hand enters the water during the front crawl.
For the catch scull, bend your elbows and use your whole forearm and hands to create forward propulsion. As with the superman scull, use either a pull buoy in between your legs or a gentle kick to keep your legs from sinking too much and a snorkel for breathing. Avoid having a powerful kick since you want to work on arm strength. The catch scull builds strength for the catch phase of the front crawl where you're “grabbing” hold of the water before pushing it back.
For the hip scull, generate forward propulsion by driving your hands back and forth at the sides of your hip. If you have a snorkel and a pull buoy, use them so you can keep your head in the water. If not, kick gently and lift your head occasionally to breathe. This drill is great for building strength in the power phase of your freestyle stroke where you’re finishing your stroke and want to push the water back as you extend your arm all the way back.
There are two variations to the feet first sculling. If you have a snorkel place your head into the water. If not, do this drill on your back so that you can breathe. You want your hands by your hips to create the propulsion. Keep your arms straight and just you’re your wrists. During feet first sculling you’re moving forward with your feet out in front and your head is trailing behind.
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