The Individual Medley (IM) is one of the most exciting and demanding events in competitive swimming. Unlike distance IM races, Sprint IM (100m or 200m IM) requires explosive speed, quick transitions, and a high stroke rate in all four strokes—butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle.
To dominate Sprint IM races, swimmers need to focus on:
✔ Increasing stroke rate without losing efficiency
✔ Maximizing transitions for seamless speed
✔ Building power across all strokes
✔ Using specialized drills to fine-tune technique
This article covers advanced Sprint IM drills designed to help you swim faster, smoother, and more efficiently in short-course and long-course IM races.
Key Training Goals for Sprint IM
🔥 1. High Stroke Rate With Efficiency
Sprint IM demands a faster turnover than distance IM, but with minimal drag.
Swimmers must increase speed while maintaining strong technique.
🔥 2. Explosive Starts & Transitions
Sprint IM races are often won or lost in stroke transitions and turn execution.
Turns should be quick, clean, and powerful to maintain race momentum.
🔥 3. Strong Underwaters & Breakouts
Every start and turn should include aggressive dolphin kicks and fast breakouts.
The 15m rule is crucial for gaining an edge in short-course IM races.
🔥 4. Stroke-Specific Speed Development
Each stroke has different sprint demands:
✅ Butterfly: High power, controlled breathing
✅ Backstroke: Fast arms, efficient rotation
✅ Breaststroke: Quick tempo, short glide
✅ Freestyle: Explosive kick, high turnover
Sprint IM Drills for Stroke Rate and Speed
These drills target stroke rate, speed, and transitions across all four strokes in IM races.
1. Resistance Band Stroke Rate Drill (All Strokes)
Purpose: Increases stroke rate under resistance, making normal-speed swimming feel easier.
💡 How to Do It:
Attach a resistance band to the pool wall and swim 12.5m sprint against the tension.
Swim 12.5m sprint without resistance immediately after for comparison.
🔥 Tip: Focus on a high stroke rate and powerful pull to maintain speed under resistance.
2. Stroke Tempo 25s (Sprint-Focused IM)
Purpose: Develops a faster arm turnover across all strokes.
💡 How to Do It:
Swim 4x25m of each stroke at maximum stroke rate with controlled breathing.
Use a tempo trainer to gradually increase stroke rate over time.
🔥 Tip: Keep technique clean—don’t sacrifice form for speed.
3. Butterfly Sprint Rhythm Drill
Purpose: Improves stroke timing and efficiency at high speeds.
💡 How to Do It:
Perform 2 full strokes of butterfly, followed by 2 dolphin kicks and a glide.
Focus on keeping momentum and stroke rhythm without stalling.
🔥 Tip: Reduce excessive glide while maintaining fluid movement.
4. Backstroke Spin Drill
Purpose: Develops fast arm tempo and rotational speed.
💡 How to Do It:
Swim 25m backstroke using extremely fast arm rotation, keeping a tight, straight core.
Follow with 25m controlled backstroke to refine efficiency.
🔥 Tip: Keep head still and use quick hip rotation for better body control.
5. Breaststroke Tempo Glide Drill
Purpose: Teaches faster stroke rate while maintaining powerful kicks.
💡 How to Do It:
Swim 25m breaststroke with a fast pull + quick, strong kick but minimal glide.
Gradually shorten glide time while keeping forward propulsion.
🔥 Tip: Use quick recovery and high stroke tempo—but avoid rushing the kick.
6. Freestyle High-Stroke-Rate Drill
Purpose: Increases freestyle sprint speed with a high arm turnover.
💡 How to Do It:
Swim 25m freestyle focusing on fast hand entry and catch.
Minimize glide and keep stroke rate high throughout.
🔥 Tip: Engage the legs fully to maintain speed with a strong kick.
7. Fast IM Transitions Drill
Purpose: Improves stroke changes and turn speed in IM races.
💡 How to Do It:
Swim 100m IM but focus ONLY on transitions (turns + breakout strokes).
Perform a sprint effort into and out of each transition.
🔥 Tip: Minimize turn time by staying compact and exploding off the wall.
8. Descending IM Sprints (100m IM Speed Set)
Purpose: Develops race pacing and negative splitting.
💡 How to Do It:
Swim 3x100m IM, decreasing time on each round (descending effort).
Start controlled, then increase speed on each 100m while maintaining form.
🔥 Tip: Focus on stroke rate consistency and fast walls.
Sprint IM Training Set (Speed & Stroke Rate Focus)
🏊♂️ Warm-Up (10 min)
✔ 200m freestyle (smooth & controlled)
✔ 100m IM drill (1-arm butterfly, backstroke spin, breaststroke tempo, freestyle high rate)
🔥 Drill Set (15 min)
✔ 4 x 25m Butterfly Sprint Rhythm Drill (rest 15 sec)
✔ 4 x 25m Backstroke Spin Drill (rest 15 sec)✔ 4 x 25m Breaststroke Tempo Glide Drill (rest 15 sec)
✔ 4 x 25m Freestyle High-Stroke-Rate Drill (rest 15 sec)
🔥 Main Sprint Set (20 min)
✔ 4 x 100m IM descending times (rest 45 sec)
✔ 6 x 50m IM order (sprint each stroke, rest 20 sec)
✔ 4 x 25m fast transitions (focus on stroke changes, rest 10 sec)
🏊♂️ Cool Down (10 min)
✔ 200m easy swim
✔ 100m kick (dolphin + flutter)
💡 Goal: Improve stroke rate, turns, and transitions to maximize Sprint IM speed.
Final Takeaways: How to Increase Stroke Rate & Speed in Sprint IM
✅ Use Resistance & Tempo Drills – Train high stroke rate without losing efficiency.
✅ Prioritize Fast Transitions – Speed between strokes wins races.
✅ Develop High-Effort Sprint Sets – Short distances at maximum speed build power.
✅ Refine Underwater Kicking – Strong breakouts create a speed advantage.
✅ Train Negative Splits – Finish stronger than you start.
By incorporating these Sprint IM drills into your training, you’ll build higher stroke rates, faster turns, and explosive speed across all four strokes. Train smarter, race faster, and dominate your Sprint IM events! 🏊♂️🔥
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