Every beginner makes the same handful of mistakes, and most of them are invisible to the swimmer making them. A coach spots these within the first two lengths. Here are the ten most common errors, what the coach sees, what the swimmer is experiencing, and the specific correction that fixes each one.
Quick Reference: Mistakes, Root Causes and Corrections
| Mistake | Root Cause | Best Correction Drill | Typical Time to Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Head up, looking forward | Fear of water / not trusting body position | Chin tuck drill: look straight down at the pool floor | 1–2 sessions |
| 2. Holding breath | Not knowing when to exhale | Bubbles drill: exhale through nose underwater, inhale on turn | 2–4 sessions |
| 3. Kicking from the knee | Instinct (like walking); weak hip flexors | Kickboard drill with straight-leg focus | 3–6 sessions |
| 4. Crossing the centre line (arms) | Overreaching; shoulder inflexibility | Fingertip drag drill, catch-up drill | 4–8 sessions |
| 5. Scissor kick in freestyle | Imbalanced body rotation | Side kick drill: one arm extended, focus on hip rotation | 4–8 sessions |
| 6. Early hand exit (pushing back) | Fatigue or rushing the stroke | High-elbow catch focus; underwater video feedback | 4–8 sessions |
| 7. Flat breaststroke kick | Incomplete hip external rotation | Wall drill: feet up, turn out and squeeze | 2–4 sessions |
| 8. Wide arm pull in breaststroke | Trying to pull too much water | Hands inside shoulder-width drill | 2–3 sessions |
| 9. Not finishing backstroke pull | Not aware of arm position | Feel-the-thigh finish drill | 2–3 sessions |
| 10. Holding breath during turns | Anxiety at the wall | Slow-turn practice, breathing on approach | 1–2 sessions |
The 10 Mistakes in Detail
Mistake 1: Head Up, Looking Forward
Coach sees: Legs sinking, hips low, swimmer fighting the water with every stroke.
Swimmer feels: They can see where they are going; the wall feels close. It seems safer.
The fix: Look straight down at the pool floor. Ears should be level with the water surface during the stroke. The body will lift into a flatter, faster position within two or three lengths of correcting head position alone.
Mistake 2: Holding Your Breath
Coach sees: Swimmer turning their head and gulping at the surface; visible tension in the neck and shoulders.
Swimmer feels: They need to save the breath for when they need it most.
The fix: Exhale continuously through the nose while your face is in the water. By the time you turn to breathe, carbon dioxide is already out and you can take a full breath in. Practice by standing in the pool and doing ten slow exhale-and-inhale cycles with your face in the water.
Safety note: Never practise extended breath-holding or hypoxic drills without direct qualified supervision. Shallow-water blackout — a sudden loss of consciousness caused by low oxygen levels after breath-holding — can occur without warning, even in shallow water, and can be fatal. This is distinct from normal freestyle breathing and applies specifically to deliberate breath-holding exercises.
Mistake 3: Kicking from the Knee
Coach sees: Large knee bend, feet breaking the surface, propulsion near zero.
Swimmer feels: They are kicking very hard.
The fix: The freestyle kick originates at the hip, not the knee. The knee bends only slightly on the downkick. Use a kickboard and deliberately keep the legs as straight as possible while still kicking. It will feel inefficient at first, but this is the correct position.
Mistake 4: Arms Crossing the Centre Line
Coach sees: The hand entering the water in front of the opposite shoulder, causing the body to snake left and right.
Swimmer feels: They are reaching as far as possible to get the most out of each stroke.
The fix: Each hand should enter the water in line with its own shoulder, not the opposite one. Place two markers on the lane rope to guide hand entry if available. The catch-up drill — where one hand waits at the front until the other catches up — corrects this habit within a few sessions.
Mistake 5: Scissor Kick in Freestyle
Coach sees: One leg kicking wide to the side during body rotation.
Swimmer feels: Nothing unusual — this is invisible from inside the water.
The fix: Filmed underwater, this is immediately obvious. The correction is hip-driven rotation: rotate from the hips rather than the shoulders. The side kick drill — one arm extended, one at the side, kicking on your side for a full length — builds the muscle memory for correct rotation.
Mistake 6: Pulling the Hand Back, Not Down
Coach sees: Elbow dropping early, hand moving straight backward with minimal propulsion.
Swimmer feels: Like they are pulling hard.
The fix: The high-elbow catch keeps the elbow high and the forearm vertical as the hand enters the water, maximising the surface area pushing against the water. This is one of the harder corrections to internalise; underwater video feedback is the most efficient way to address it.
Mistake 7: Flat Breaststroke Kick
Coach sees: Feet not turning out; kick is straight back with no propulsion arc.
Swimmer feels: They are kicking hard but barely moving.
The fix: The breaststroke kick requires external rotation at the hip: draw the heels up, turn the feet out (dorsiflexed), and then press back and squeeze the legs together. Practice on the wall: hang from the edge and practise the foot position without moving.
Mistake 8: Wide Arm Pull in Breaststroke
Coach sees: Hands pulling wide past the shoulders, elbows dropping.
Swimmer feels: Pulling as much water as possible.
The fix: In breaststroke, the pull is a sweeping inward motion — hands never go past the shoulder line. After the inward sweep, the hands come together under the chin and extend forward. Pulling wide creates drag, not propulsion.
Mistake 9: Short Backstroke Pull
Coach sees: Hand exiting the water at the hip rather than the thigh; half the potential propulsion lost.
Swimmer feels: The arm stroke feels complete.
The fix: Each backstroke pull should end with the hand brushing the outer thigh before the exit. Deliberately feel for the thigh at the end of every pull for one full session. It will feel exaggerated; it is not.
Mistake 10: Holding Breath During Turns
Coach sees: Swimmer arriving at the wall tense, pausing, losing rhythm.
Swimmer feels: The turn is a moment of uncertainty; they are preparing for it early.
The fix: Treat the turn as part of the stroke. Approach the wall breathing normally, touch, rotate, push off, and resume. Practise the turn slowly and repeatedly until it feels routine rather than interruptive.
About This Guide
This article was written by an AUSTSWIM-certified swimming coach with experience in group and private lessons across Singapore. Correction timelines are approximate and vary by swimmer. Private lessons, particularly in condo pools, typically produce faster corrections because the coach can give immediate, continuous feedback without dividing attention across a group.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to break a bad swimming habit?
Most technique habits respond within 2–8 sessions of focused coaching, but only if they are addressed in every session. A habit practised without correction for years (like kicking from the knee) takes longer to override than one a swimmer picked up recently. The key is consistent feedback — which is why private lessons fix habits faster than group classes.
Can I correct my own technique without a coach?
For some mistakes — head position, breath holding — you can feel the correction and self-monitor. For others — arm crossing, scissor kick — the error is completely invisible from inside the water. Underwater video (using a waterproof action camera on the pool floor) is the most useful self-coaching tool if a private coach is not available.
Does swimming technique matter for recreational swimmers?
Yes, more than most people realise. Poor technique makes swimming significantly harder — not just slower. A recreational swimmer with a head-up position and knee kick will tire in 25 metres. The same swimmer with corrected technique will find 100 metres manageable. Good technique is not just for competitive swimmers; it is what makes swimming enjoyable.
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