Skill Building for Under

SKILL BUILDING FOR UNDER 4 YEAR OLD’S

BY LAURIE LAWRENCE

WORLDWIDESWIMSCHOOL.COM

Swimming is a building block process. It’s important that instructors and coaches progress slowly with skills. Once each skill is learned and mastered, then it’s time to move on to new activities. It is imperative that skills are conquered before moving on - if any steps are rushed, or missed in the learn to swim process, then the eventual stroke and swimming techniques may suffer.

Many instructors come across swimmers in the upper levels of their program that are stiff and awkward in their swimming strokes. These swimmers may have missed one of the most important parts of the learn to swim process – floating. If instructors move on from floating too soon and try to teach propulsion and movement through the water, then swimmers may not relax and learn the freeing sensation of floating in the water. There are many steps from the initial stages of learn to swim that run all the way through until the squad swimmers in any program.

This article will break down skills in the learn to swim process. It is important not to skip these steps in order to produce excellent swimmers with good quality skills and strokes.

The skill building process as discussed in this article can be broken down into six stages. Swim schools may have different stages within their program. The most important thing is that instructors take their time in each of the phases of learn to swim to ensure confident swimmers ready to progress and continuously improve within the program.

The following stages are a guide that the World Wide Swim School uses in teaching their swimming curriculum. These building blocks for swimming lessons are focused on in each and every aspect of the program from infants all the way up to stroke development and squad. Specific skills and drills can be given to swimmers to improve each of these stages of swimming. The 6 stages of swimming that will be focused on in this article are:

• Breath control

• Submersion • Floating • Propulsion (arms and legs) • Breathing • Safety Skills

It is important to note that even Olympic champions, world record holders and the best swimmers in the world still work on their technique and specific skills to become stronger faster athletes. This shows us that even the best swimmers in any centre can break down their swimming into these smaller swimming steps to achieve better results.

STEP 1: BREATH CONTROL

Breath control is the process of taking a big breath in, and closing the mouth and nose off whilst holding the breath in. This breath control activity is introduced so swimmers learn how to hold the air in their body. Breath control can be improved by holding the breath for 1, 2 or 3 seconds in the initial stages all the way up to 10 seconds. Breath holding activities shouldn’t be forced as children may end up holding their breath for too long and blacking out.

Good instructors will demonstrate breath holding for short periods of time with cheeks full of air. A good way to explain this is by saying, “Look at my balloon face. Now you show me a balloon face.” This activity of breath control if taught slowly and practiced will often produce the following results: • Water does not enter the nose or mouth, keeping swimmers comfortable.

• Deep breathing activities will raise the level of cardiovascular fitness. • Filling the lungs with air will assist swimmers in remaining on top of the water.

• Eyes can be placed in the water in the lead up to the next skill of submersion.

* Once this activity is performed suitably it is time for the swimmer to put move on to submersion.

STEP 2: SUBMERSION

Submersion is where part, or all of the body, is submersed under water. The aim of submersion is to get the swimmer under or moving through the water (changing levels in the water from standing to squatting, sitting on the bottom, walking along the bottom, crawling along the ledge in a crocodile fashion, monkeying along the side of the pool or entering the water from outside the pool. By using breath control learned in the previous stage, the instructor can ask swimmers to take a big breath and enter the water. This can be a daunting step for many swimmers, especially frightened beginners.

Putting the eyes in the water, or going under the water, is an assault on all the senses:

• Sight changes as the eyes go under (with or without goggles) • Hearing changes as noises are muffled or blocked out as the head goes under water • Smell of the water is a different sensation. It’s hoped that the initial step of breath control is mastered, so that the water doesn’t enter the swimmer’s nose • Taste may be affected if the swimmer accidentally gets a little bit of water in their mouth, or if they lick their lips after submerging • Touch is going to be completely different in the water – swimmers will have the moving sensation of the water as people throughout the pool move, as well as the individual swimmer moving slower, with the dense feeling of water surrounding them.

Any part of the body can be used in submersion activities. Shoulders under, ears in the water, lips under water and face in water are all a great start when introducing submersion activities into a lesson. Good instructors will go slow and give swimmers activities that they can achieve and excel at. Once these activities are mastered, it’s time to move onto the next step. Instructors should be empathetic towards their swimmers and remember that not everyone is as comfortable in the water as they are – everyone has to start somewhere and learn at their own pace.

*Once the skill of submersion is mastered and swimmers can move confidently through the water while holding their breath (breath control) and putting their face in the water (submersion) it’s time to move onto the next step.

STEP 3: FLOATING

Floating is the process of pushing off the bottom of the pool, ledge or side of the pool. It’s important to note that during the floating process, the main aim is to relax and feel comfortable in the water without kicking the legs or moving the arms. Swimmers need to feel their own buoyancy in the water. Floating in the water without movement will help swimmers to learn to relax. Swimmers will learn to let the water work for them in assisting them to float, and not fight against the water by remaining stiff, and trying to swim too early. Swimmers should practice floating on both their front and back. In the initial stages of floating swimmers may like to use a kickboard to assist their floatation.

Things to remember when teaching beginner swimmers, the skill of floating:

• Start small by using a kickboard during initial stages of floating. Once swimmers are comfortable with the f loatation of a kickboard, the instructor can vary the skill by removing the board.

• It can be a huge step in a swimmer’s learning process to take their feet off the bottom of the pool. They may need to start with hopping or jumping activities in working towards floating.

• Teach swimmers how to recover.

It may seem like a basic skill, but a frightened swimmer will need a lot of assistance in learning how to stand up from a floating position.

• The result we are after in the floating aspect of learn to swim is pushing and moving through the water, from one spot to another, and standing up to recover.

* Swimmers may work towards taking a deep breath (breath control), putting their face under water (submersion) and pushing from one spot to another (floating) for quite some time. Once they have mastered those skills it’s time to move on to the next step.

STEP 4: PROPULSION

Propulsion is the movement of arms and legs in the water to cause advancement from one point to another. There are two different types of propulsive skills in the water – arm movements and leg movements. These two propulsive activities should be broken down into separate learning opportunities for swimmers and practiced regularly. Manipulation is suggested during the propulsion stage of learning to swim to ensure correct technique is achieved, and a high level of neuromuscular patterns (or muscle memory) is created.

Arm propulsion - a step-by-step building block process will come into play when teaching all 4 competitive strokes and the rescue strokes. Instructors will need to understand their swimmers needs, and abilities, to know which propulsive activities to teach at what time. Refer to your swim schools training manual and curriculum for more advice on when to teach each propulsive activity.

Leg propulsion - as discussed above, manipulation is key in teaching leg propulsion. When introducing a new propulsive skill for the legs, instructors should slow down and take the time for understanding and repetition. If swimmers are given an opportunity to hone their skills effectively at an early stage, they will excel in their swimming as they progress.

* Propulsive skills will get swimmers moving through the water. Instructors should ensure they are teaching a ‘feel for the water’, to enhance propulsion when swimming. Once swimmers have perfected breath control, submersion, floating and propulsion it’s time to move onto the next step. STEP 5: BREATHING

Once swimmers have good propulsive drive through the water and can swim for longer distances, breathing can be introduced into the swimming lesson. Breathing is different for many of the different strokes. There are different breathing types (side/front) and techniques (single side/bilateral).

Like any skill in the swimming process, breathing should be broken down and taught slowly and efficiently. Swimmers will need to be taught both exhaling and inhaling within their lesson. There are many types of breathing drills and skills that can be taught within the lesson. Refer to your swim school for ways to teach specific breathing skills. Remember that the body position may change in the water when breathing is introduced, so, as with all skills, it may be desirable to practice less difficult skills when initiating breathing activities in the lesson.

*Once swimmers have achieved the skills of breath control, submersion, floating, propulsion and swimming they are well on their way to becoming excellent quality swimmers with good technique.

STEP 6: SAFETY SKILLS

Safety skills are an important part of swimming lessons and should be practiced sporadically throughout the learning process. Important safety skills can be planned for swimmers of all ages and abilities. There should be multiple safety skills that can be practiced in each and every swimming stage, as discussed in this article. Some examples are entries, exits, calling for help, turns to a safe spot in the pool, rollover breathing for recovery, reach rescue and tow rescue.

CONCLUSION

Age is not a factor in learn to swim – prior experience often limits or enhances individual needs. A fouryear-old may be at the same learning stage as a twelve-year-old. So too may an adult. Good instructors will factor in the above swimming skills discussed and plan activities that are skill building to ensure swimmers are constantly learning, improving and have opportunities to excel in their swimming.

Remember to ensure activities are achievable and exciting while building upon skills that have previously been mastered. Remember – skill building can help instructors plan and deliver lessons to many age groups and abilities within a single lesson, or an entire swim school.

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Laurie Lawrence, a top athlete in his own right, is a former Australian Rugby Union Representative and Olympic and World Champion Swim coach. There would be few, who do not know of Laurie Lawrence or his spirited personality, his sense of humour or his zest for life. For those who know him well, there would be no disputing that his manner is direct, sincere and honest.

Whatever Laurie is involved in, he gives all of himself. He cares deeply about the people he influences and he refuses to rest until he has achieved his best. Laurie has been claimed as one of Australia’s favourite sons, and is admired by many Australians, from little children who attend his coaching clinics to International Corporate Leaders who look to him for inspiration and new ideas.

Laurie today is a water safety advocate with the ‘Kids Alive Do The Five’ program for under 5 year old’s. He also shares his knowledge and philosophies for the swimming community to learn from on the World Wide Swim School online platform.