Synchronized Swimming Training: Drills, Breath, Eggbeater

I’ve coached and performed for 12 years, so let me say this fast: synchronized swimming is water ballet with horsepower. In my experience, it’s equal parts artistic swimming, sculling drills, breath control, eggbeater kick, and choreography that makes your abs feel like they’ve been chewed by a tiny shark. If you want honest notes, you’re in the right pool.

What it actually takes (quick answer)

You need three big things: lungs, legs, and rhythm. Lungs for the hold-your-breath-underwater parts. Legs for that endless eggbeater that looks easy until your hips start yelling. Rhythm for counts, music hits, and staying in line with teammates who all swear they’re on the 5. I’ve always found that if you can count to eight while upside down and smiling, you’re ahead of half the field.

My quick cheat sheet, no fluff

• Breath holds: 20–45 seconds at a time during routines.
• Eggbeater: low-impact, high-burn. Hips and knees will notice.
• Sculls: tiny hand moves control your whole body. Magic-ish.
• Flexibility: splits and back arches are the price of entry.
• Strength: core, shoulders, and hamstrings—every day.
• Music counts: everyone lives on 8s. Miss the count, miss the lift.

Why I stuck around this long

Because it’s ridiculous and beautiful. I mean that as a compliment. I’ve been thrown in the air by four teammates, caught by one, and smiled through a nose clip that smells like bleach and regret. I’ve watched rookies nail a pattern change on beat for the first time. Goosebumps every time.

The truth about training volume

We train like swimmers, dancers, and gymnasts had a complicated group project. Dryland strength, pool sets, underwater laps, music drills. I’ve run two-hour blocks that are 60% legs and 40% routine clean-up. People ask me where the cardio is. I point to the underwater part and laugh, politely.

If you’re starting out

Start with sculling on your back. Then add eggbeater for 30 seconds, then 45, then a minute. Don’t rush the breath holds. Use a metronome for counts if the music distracts you. And yes, you will swallow water. Everyone does. The trick is to keep your face calm when it happens. Judges don’t award points for panic.

If you want a drill roadmap, I’ve put my favorite starter sets and corrections under these coaching tips. Nothing fancy—just the stuff that actually works when the pool is cold and the clock is loud.

The gear nobody tells you about

Nose clips are non-negotiable. Buy two. They vanish. For hair, we use gelatin. Yes, like the dessert—unflavored. It sets like concrete and keeps flyaways from turning into seaweed. Waterproof makeup is a thing, but I tell novices to skip it until they can hold a layout without breaking at the hips. Priorities.

Breath-holding, without drama

Do easy repeats. Inhale, exhale slowly, then go under for 10–15 seconds, back up, repeat. Never hyperventilate. I’ve always found that a slow exhale before submerging keeps the heart rate down and the head clear. If your vision sparkles, you waited too long. Come up. The routine isn’t worth a blackout.

If the mental side is messing with you—pre-competition shakes, loud crowds, or that one teammate who counts louder than the music—skim some simple tools I trust under sports psychology. Short, practical, tested under pressure.

How routines actually get judged

People think it’s vibes. It’s not. You’ve got artistic impression, execution, difficulty, synchronization, and those sneaky technical elements. In my opinion, clean patterns beat flashy levels when nerves hit. Judges see everything. The one time I thought we got away with a late hybrid entry? We did not. The penalty was deserved. Brutal. Fair.

If you want the official word on why the sport is now called artistic swimming, the rule changes, and a tidy history, the overview here is decent: artistic swimming background and history. Short read, clears up the naming drama.

Strength and conditioning that actually transfers

I care about three lifts more than the rest: single-leg squats, overhead presses, and dead bugs. Add hip mobility. If your eggbeater improves 10%, your whole team flies higher in lifts. I’ve written some pool-friendly plans and cross-training notes under fitness for athletes. Use them as a base, then tweak.

Injuries I see (and how to dodge them)

Shoulders from over-sculling. Hips from forced turnout. Knees from sloppy eggbeater. Ankles from pointed-toe cramps during verticals. My fix is boring but honest: tempo control, clean technique, and small increases. Two weeks at a time, not hero jumps. I keep a simple checklist here: injury prevention. It’s dull. It saves seasons.

The food and hydration piece, without lectures

I’ve coached morning practices where half the team rolled in on coffee fumes. By set two, cramp city. What I think is smart: water plus a little sodium before and during. Carbs you can digest fast. Fruit, yogurt, rice. Big meals after, not before. If you want a quick primer that isn’t diet drama, this is my go-to: nutrition basics for athletes. You’ll feel the difference in one week.

Mini guides for common questions

How do I keep my legs straight in a vertical?

Point your toes, squeeze your quads, and imagine a string from your heels to the ceiling. Then slow your scull. Fast hands are loud hands. Quiet is stable. I cue “longer, not higher” until the body understands. Height comes later.

What do I do when I lose the count?

Don’t chase the music. Correct at the next formation change. The worst is doubling your tempo alone while everyone else stays sane. I’ve been there. My coach gave me a look that said, Never again. It worked.

How are lifts so… high?

Eggbeater platforms plus core timing. The top person stays small until the last second, then opens like a parachute. Everyone else sinks a little to rise a lot. If the load-in is messy, the height will be fake-high and short. Clean load-ins win.

Is it all duets and teams?

There are solos too, and mixed duets. Tech routines with required elements, free routines you can design like a story, and acrobatic highlights that feel like a circus had a pool day. For event structure and scoring, the official outline here is helpful: Olympic artistic swimming overview. I send parents there when they ask me how finals work.

Things I wish I knew year one

• Patterns matter more than tricks. The wide-angle view decides medals.
• Underwater speakers are your best friend. Train your ear, not just your eyes.
• Your nose clip will pop off at least once during a meet. Practice the recovery.
• Gelatin hair goes on warm, sets like armor, and comes off with patience. And conditioner.
• Count out loud in practice, quietly in meets. Counting is free control.

Yes, we do breathe. Strategically.

I plan my breaths into the choreography like they’re turns in a race. In my routines, I aim for a small inhale before hybrids, a deeper one before acro, and micro sips during transitions. The audience never sees it. The body thanks you anyway.

Why the pool looks calm when we feel chaos

Because calm wins points. I coach faces last, right before taper. If you train the smile too early, you’ll plaster it on while your toes sink. Get the body right, then add the face. Works every time.

Is synchronized swimming hard?

I’ve done long-course swim sets, track repeats, and power cleans. This is its own beast. Water hides the work. The standard is ruthless. And it’s fun, somehow. Maybe because when a team lands a lift on the beat and the crowd gasps, it feels like flying. That keeps me here.

Quick practice blocks you can steal

• 10 minutes sculling progressions: front, side, back. Slow down.
• 8 x 30 seconds eggbeater, 15 seconds rest. Hands on head for half.
• 6 x 25 underwater dolphin, 20 seconds rest. No heroics.
• 15 minutes routine sections: clean two 8-counts at a time.
• 5 minutes breathing ladders: 5, 10, 15, 20 seconds under. Twice.

What I tell parents and new athletes

Give it six weeks. By week two, it’s confusing. By week four, patterns click. By week six, you’ll start hearing the music underwater in your head, and the counts will snap into place. That’s when the sport gets addictive.

If you care about history and context

The sport has changed a lot—new scoring, new elements, new name debates—but the core is the same: timing and control. If you want more background and a broader view, the overview here lines it up cleanly: World Aquatics artistic swimming. Handy for rule nerds like me.

My last little soapbox

Train smart. Keep counts honest. Respect recovery. I don’t worship grind; I worship progress. And I still keep a spare nose clip tucked in my suit. Old habits, saved meets.

FAQs

Is it okay to start this sport as a teen?

Yes. I’ve coached athletes who started at 14 and made senior teams. Focus on flexibility, eggbeater, and counts. The rest follows.

How long should I be able to hold my breath?

For beginners, 15–20 seconds is fine. Build to 30–40 for routines. Never force it. Smooth beats long.

What shoes or gear do I need for dryland?

Basic trainers, a yoga mat, resistance bands. Keep it simple. Your shoulders and hips will do most of the work.

Do I need to be a strong swimmer first?

You need comfort in deep water and decent freestyle. The rest—sculls, verticals, eggbeater—comes with practice.

Why do people wear so much gel in their hair?

It keeps hair from moving and distracting judges. Also stops ponytails from turning into whips during spins. Practical, not vanity.

Benjamin Clark

I’m Benjamin Clark, dedicated to elevating your athletic performance. Get targeted fitness plans, injury prevention techniques, sports psychology insights, and the latest in nutrition. Let’s train smarter.