Swimming
Freestyle with Drag Parachute
Freestyle with Drag Parachute is front-crawl swimming with a small parachute trailing behind your waist. The added resistance challenges your pulling strength, body alignment, and stroke control.
- Intermediate
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Fasten the parachute belt around your waist according to its instructions.
- Extend the cord and parachute behind you in the water.
- Push gently away from the wall into a face-down glide.
- Reach one hand into the water in line with its shoulder.
- Press your hand and forearm backward beneath your body toward your hip.
- Recover that arm forward over the water.
- Continue alternating arm strokes with a steady flutter kick for the planned distance.
- Take hold of the pool edge at the finish.
Form cues
- Keep your hips near the surface.
- Rotate through your ribs and hips.
- Exhale underwater; inhale as you turn.
Common mistakes
- Crossing the centerlineAim each hand forward from its shoulder rather than reaching across your head.
- Dropping the elbow during the pullKeep your elbow above your hand as your fingertips angle down into the catch.
- Rushing short strokesUse a controlled rhythm that lets you maintain a full pull against the resistance.
Safety
Added drag can strain your shoulders when resistance or fatigue exceeds your stroke control. A cord caught around your legs or a lane line can restrict swimming and create a drowning risk.
- Use a lifeguarded pool with enough clear space for the trailing parachute.
- Before starting, check cord clearance from your feet and lane ropes, and practice releasing the belt.
- Begin with the smallest available parachute or lowest drag setting.
- Stop for shoulder pain, unusual breathlessness, or tangled equipment; release the belt if the cord restricts you.
Choose regular freestyle first if you cannot comfortably swim repeated pool lengths, and seek advice before adding resistance if you have ongoing shoulder pain.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Pool Lane Line (optional)
- Swim Drag Parachute
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 4–6
- Target
- 25 meters
- Rest
- 45 sec
Use a controlled effort rather than an all-out sprint.