Drafting Techniques: Freestyle Drills for Open Water Racing

Master the Art of Swimming in Someone’s Slipstream — Save Energy, Swim Smarter, and Race Faster

In open water racing, speed isn’t just about raw power — it’s about strategy, efficiency, and positioning. And one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal? Drafting.

By swimming closely behind or beside another competitor, you can reduce drag by up to 20%, conserve critical energy, and position yourself for a winning sprint — all without increasing effort. Elite open water swimmers don’t just swim with the pack — they ride it.

Yet drafting is a skill that must be practiced. Without training, you’ll miss the sweet spot, waste energy, or get dropped in the chaos of a mass start.

In this guide, we’ll break down the science of drafting, teach you how to find the optimal position, and deliver freestyle-specific drills that build the awareness, timing, and confidence to draft like a pro — in the pool and in open water.

🌊 Why Drafting Works: The Physics of Free Speed

When a swimmer moves through water, they create a slipstream — a pocket of reduced resistance directly behind and beside them. By positioning yourself in this zone, you:

• Reduce frontal drag

• Decrease oxygen consumption

• Lower heart rate by 5–10 bpm

• Conserve energy for the final sprint

The 3 Drafting Positions:

Position	Energy Saved	Best For
Directly Behind (Hip Drafting)	15–20%	Calm water, steady pace
Slightly to the Side (Shoulder Drafting)	10–15%	Choppy water, better visibility
In Front (Pacing)	0% (you’re pulling!)	Only if you’re leading a breakaway

“I don’t win open water races by being the strongest — I win by being the smartest in the pack.”— Jordan Wilimovsky, Olympic Open Water Swimmer

🎯 The Golden Rules of Drafting

✅ Stay Close: 6–12 inches behind the leader’s hip or feet

✅ Match Their Rhythm: Sync your stroke rate and breathing

✅ Stay Relaxed: Don’t fight — flow with their wake

✅ Switch Sides: Alternate breathing to maintain position

✅ Don’t Draft Blindly: Always know where the buoys are

⚠️ Avoid: Drafting too far back (outside the slipstream) Kicking too hard (wastes energy) Staring at feet (lose sight of course)

🛠️ 5 Freestyle Drills to Master Drafting in the Pool

You don’t need open water to practice drafting. With these drills, your lane becomes a race pack.

1. Hip Drafting Relay

Purpose: Learn the ideal distance and body alignment.

How to do it:

• 2–3 swimmers per lane

• Lead swimmer sets pace

• Drafters stay 1 arm-length behind, hips aligned with leader’s

• Focus: Relax kick, match stroke rate, breathe every 2–3 strokes

• Rotate leaders every 100m

🎯 Cue: “Swim in their shadow — not their splash.”

2. Blind Drafting (With Snorkel)

Purpose: Build body awareness without visual reliance.

How to do it:

• Drafter wears a snorkel (no head turning)

• Follows leader’s hip by feel — water pressure on chest/back

• Leader varies speed slightly — drafter must adapt

• 4 x 50m sets

💡 Why it works: Teaches you to “feel” the slipstream — critical in murky or crowded water.

3. Sighting + Drafting Combo

Purpose: Practice navigation while drafting.

How to do it:

• Draft for 6 strokes

• On 7th stroke, lift eyes to sight a buoy or target

• Return to drafting position

• Repeat every 6–8 strokes

🧭 Cue: “Sight over their shoulder — not around them.”

4. Choppy Water Simulation

Purpose: Draft in realistic, turbulent conditions.

How to do it:

• Have a coach or teammate create waves with a paddle or kickboard

• Practice drafting while adjusting to up/down motion

• Focus: Keep hips high, breathe in troughs

🌊 Pro Tip: In real chop, draft slightly to the side — it’s smoother than directly behind.

5. Sprint Breakaway Drill

Purpose: Practice attacking from a draft.

How to do it:

• 3 swimmers: 1 leader, 2 drafters

• After 75m, one drafter sprints to the wall

• Leader and other drafter try to hold them off

• Builds race-ending confidence

⚡ Cue: “Explode on 3 strokes — don’t telegraph!”

📅 Sample Drafting-Focused Open Water Prep Workout

Warm-Up:

• 400m easy + 4 x 50m drills (catch-up, side kick)

Main Set:

• 6 x 100m Hip Drafting Relay — 20s rest

  • Focus: Relax, match rhythm, conserve energy

• 4 x 50m Blind Drafting (snorkel) — 30s rest

• 4 x 75m Sighting + Drafting — sight every 6 strokes

Race Simulation:

• 3 x 200m Pack Swim

  • 4 swimmers per lane

  • First 150m: Draft in formation

  • Last 50m: All-out sprint

Cool-Down:

• 200m easy backstroke + debrief

🧠 Mental Strategies for Drafting Success

• Trust the pack: Don’t panic if you’re not leading

• Breathe bilaterally: Lets you see both sides of the pack

• Stay calm in contact: Elbows and kicks are normal — don’t flinch

• Know when to lead: Only if you’re breaking away or the pack is going off-course

💬 Mantra: “I don’t need to be first — I need to be smart.”

⚠️ Common Drafting Mistakes — And How to Fix Them

Mistake	Why It’s Bad	Fix
Drafting too far back	Outside slipstream = no benefit	Stay within 1 arm-length
Kicking too hard	Wastes the energy you’re saving	Use a relaxed 2-beat kick
Only breathing on one side	Lose sight of leader and buoys	Practice bilateral breathing
Staring at feet	Can’t see course or threats	Sight over shoulder every 6 strokes
Changing pace suddenly	Breaks the draft chain	Communicate with pack or ease into changes

💬 Pro Tips from Open Water Champions

“I draft 80% of the race. My sprint is my secret — and my legs are fresh because of it.”— Haley Anderson, Olympic Medalist

“In a pack, the water behind someone is smoother than open water. Why fight when you can flow?”

“If you’re always leading, you’re working too hard.”

📊 How to Track Drafting Efficiency

Metric	How to Track	Goal
Perceived Effort	Rate 1–10 while drafting vs. leading	Should be 2–3 points lower
Stroke Rate Consistency	Match leader’s SPM	±2 SPM
Course Deviation	Compare actual vs. straight-line distance	<5% extra distance
Heart Rate	(With waterproof monitor)	5–10 bpm lower while drafting

🎥 Film from a kayak: Analyze body position and distance.

Final Thoughts

Drafting isn’t cheating — it’s chess. It’s the quiet art of swimming smarter, not harder.And in open water, where races are won in the final 100 meters, the swimmer who conserved energy in the pack is the one who crosses the line first.

So practice the slipstream. Trust the rhythm.And let every draft be a step toward a faster, fresher, and more strategic race.

Relax. Ride. Rise.

In open water, the smartest swimmer doesn’t fight the current —they use it. 💙🏊‍♂️