What Is Sculling in Swimming? 5 Facts and How to Learn It
Sculling is a quiet, underrated swimming skill. Small hand movements keep you afloat, move you through the water and help every stroke feel stronger.
1. Sculling is a small, continuous hand movement
You sweep your hands outwards and inwards, slightly tilting the palms each way, in a flat figure-of-eight or infinity shape. The movement presses water and creates lift, much like a propeller blade. Arms stay fairly still; the work comes from the forearms and hands.
2. It is a water safety skill
Sculling helps you stay afloat with your head out, whether treading water upright or resting on your back. Sculling, floating and treading water feature in learn-to-swim programmes such as SwimSafer for this reason. See floating in swimming and our SwimSafer course page.
3. It can move you in any direction
By changing the angle of your hands, you can scull head-first or feet-first on your back, or stay in place. Artistic swimmers use sculling constantly to hold positions; see artistic swimming.
4. It improves your "feel" for the water
Sculling teaches you to sense pressure on your hands and forearms. That feel carries into the catch in front crawl, breaststroke and butterfly, helping you push water back more effectively. Many coaches use sculling drills for this reason.
5. It is easy to practise
You do not need equipment, and a few minutes at the end of a session is enough.
Sculling drills
- Standing scull: in chest-deep water, hands at waist level just under the surface, sweep in and out and feel the pressure.
- Back scull, head-first: float on your back, hands by your hips, and scull with palms angled slightly towards your feet to move head-first.
- Back scull, feet-first: same position, palms angled slightly towards your head.
- Front scull: face down, arms extended in front, scull to stay level, lifting your head to breathe when needed, or use a snorkel.
- Treading water: in deep water, upright, combine sculling with a gentle kick to keep your head out. Only practise in deep water if you are a confident swimmer, with a lifeguard or coach nearby.
Learn with a coach
Sculling is easier to understand with someone guiding your hand angles. See our water confidence course, beginner swimming course and swimming drills.
More in swimming technique
- SWOLF in swimmingWhat it is, typical scores and how to improve
- Combat side strokeA beginner's guide to the technique
- Butterfly swimming techniqueThe basics, step by step
- What is the trudgen stroke?History and how to swim it
Further reading
- ActiveSG Circle (Sport Singapore), SwimSafer. Singapore's National Water Safety Programme, combining swimming skills and water survival.
- World Health Organization, Drowning fact sheet. Drowning risks and the measures that prevent them, including swimming and water safety skills.
Want to feel at home in deep water?
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