SNZ Events
Epic Swim
High Performance
SNZ Events
Epic Swim
High Performance
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Have you ever tried to be a yo-yo in the pool? It is done in partners (each have a turn being the “yo-yo”) and is used to help understand how air inhaled with breath-holding helps you float and exhaled helps you sink. Each partner holds breath at first and is gently pushed under the water – they will “bob” back up to the surface and the action is repeated – like a “yo-yo”.
Standing up and looking down onto baby when teaching back floats ensures parent and child retain eye contact.
Using two boards to teach floating and regaining feet gives the swimmer plenty of support and the ability to progressively reduce their own hold on the boards. This works for both front and back floats.
Teaching floating and regaining feet in shallow water gets amazing results. Use of the ramp or ‘beach’ at a pool, and slowly getting deeper gives children the confidence to try as they can touch the bottom with their hands.
Try teaching streamline out of the pool. Standing straight with feet and legs together, arms are at full stretch above your head and behind your ears. It can be easier to make corrections and if your swimmers stand in front of a mirror they can see what they look like.
Remind your swimmers to look at the bottom of the pool for correct body position. Try front floating in an X position, then a Y, then an I. Now we are in a streamline position!
Need some ideas to help your kids float better on their backs? Using words like hips up, ears in the water and chin up are all helpful terms to use to help the kids understand what they need to do with their bodies. Adding a little bit of propulsion with a little bit of sculling with their hands or little kicks with their feet will help too.
