A common teaching error is to have students repeatedly practice a skill with poor performance. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect performance.

Break the skill down, into parts… work on body position, breathing and kicks before adding any arm propulsion. Work from basic body alignment positions of floats and glides before adding any propulsion from kicks. Check muscle tension, to efficiently perform, muscles must be relaxed; neck, shoulders, hips, legs, feet.

Gradually Build the Skill Back Up Piece by Piece

Use in water or underwater mirrors and video to visually show the child what they need to correct – use the skill video in Swimagine on deck with a tablet or phone to show the children and parents the correct skill performance. These can even be played on “electronic bulletin boards” (TV’s and monitors) in the viewing area.

Assign homework – some basic movements need to be “trained in the brain” in order to make them automatic. Using mirrors at home to practice correct arm movement, sit on a chair or the end of a bed to practice kicking action. Encourage practice at family swim times (as long as it is practice with a purpose and can be monitored).

Advanced Swim Tip of the Day!

When on the front crawl/freestyle catch make sure your hand and forearm act as one entity maximizing surface area to hold the water. Fingertips should point to the bottom of the pool and remain pointing down during the duration of the pull.