BASIC SWIMMING

Swimming can be used for:

1. Fun and recreation

2. Ralaxation
 3. Sports

4. Saving lives
(Rescue)
Almost for all ages
Almost everyone
Almost for all bodies of water
Objectives :
1. Become aware of the importance of
swimming activities such as water safety
and sports;
2. Develop physical fitness and skills,
discipline and self-confidence in
swimming;
3. Overcome the fear of water and;
4. Use swimming skills to save lives if
needed.
What is Swimming ?
What is swimming ?
1. Swimming is an activity of propelling
oneself through water using the limbs.
2. Swimming can be a fun leisure activity
and is a really good low-impact way of
staying in shape.
3. Could potentially save your life and others.

What is the best definition of swimming?

Swimming is an activity that involves moving through
the water using your arms and legs.
Short History of Swimming
A short history of swimming
Archaeological and
other evidence
shows swimming to
have been practiced
as early as 2500
BCE in Egypt

Egyptian Period
Organized swimming
1800’s and 1900’s
TODAY! swimming is the second most popular
exercise activity in the United States,
with approximately 360 million
annual visits to recreational water venues.
Benefits of Swimming
 The Benefits of Swimming
1. Low impact
There's no ground impact when you swim, and so
you protect the joints from stress and strain.

2. Builds Cardio-Respiratory fitness

Heart strength
3. Builds muscle mass
An eight-week swimming
program, there was a 23.8%
increase in the triceps
muscle.
4. Burns calories

5. And of course, It's a family affair

Swimming and other water
activities are something the
entire family can share.
Can my young child
start swimming?
 Yes! However ,
children are not developmentally ready
for formal swimming lessons
until after their fourth birthday.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),
They emphasize that parents should not feel secure
that their child is safe in water or safe from drowning
after participating in an aquatic program.
They state, "Whenever infants and toddlers
are in or around water, an adult should be within an arm's length,
providing 'touch supervision.'"
Swimming with
disabilities?
Swimming with disabilities?
Swimming is an activity for virtually anyone who has
the will and desire to do so.

Down syndrome
Amputated leg

Physical disability Visually impaired

 What to use in swimming?

1. Proper Swimwear

2. Goggles
If needed

3. Bathing caps
If available
Flotation devices and other stuff
1. Kickboards 2. Noodle

3. Hand paddles

If available
Pre-Swim Warm-Up Movements
Do simple stretching and exercises
 Going into the water
1. Do not go immediately into the
water after the exercise.
2. Sit at the side of the pool for a minute
with legs into the water.
The 7 basic skills
in swimming
 1. Blowing bubbles

Improve breathing technique

 Basic Breathing Drills
Drill #1:
In shallow water, hold your breath, then crouch
down so that your head gets under water. Hold
for some seconds, then come back up.

Drill #2:
Same as drill #1, but exhale
under water through the nose
so that you blow bubbles.
Drill #3:
Same as drill #2, except that you now blow
bubbles both out of your nose and your mouth.
Drill #4:
In shallow water, crouch so that the
water surface is between your nose
and your mouth.

Now practice inhaling through the

nose above water
and exhaling through the mouth under
water.
Drill #5:
In shallow water, submerge your face and
blow bubbles
out of the mouth, nose, or both.

Then grab the border of the

pool and try to get into a
horizontal position face down
while still
blowing air out of the mouth
and nose.
Drill #6:
Still in shallow water, bob so that your head
rhythmically goes in and out of the water.

Exhale while your head is submerged

and inhale while your head is emerged.
This teaches you rhythmic breathing
which you will need
when learning the swimming strokes.
 2. Gliding through water
Gliding helps you to get used to the
sensation of moving through the water
headfirst.
Try gently pushing off the side wall
of the pool,
with your arms stretched out,
in front of your head.
Keep your head face-down
in the water
and glide until you slow down.
 3. Floating Technique

Everyone can—and should—learn how to

float in water. Knowing how to float can save
your life, and it’s the first step in learning how
to swim freestyle.
 Types of floating
1. Horizontal survival float
(Back Float)
How to back float?
1. Prepare to float on your back.

2. Adjust your head.

Lift chin.
3. Position arms correctly.

4. Arch back slightly.

Lift chest.

5. Knees bend.
Move your arms and legs slowly.
 2. Deadman’s float

Lying on the prone (face down in water) with

minimal leg movement, and staying afloat with
the natural buoyancy. Lift the head to breathe
only then back to floating. This style is only to
stay afloat and to rest.
 3. Starfish float

This float is the most relaxing of all. Once

maintained it takes little effort to keep afloat--it's
even possible to doze off if the water is calm.
 4. Jellyfish float

Holding the ankles with the hands. Dangle head

and upper body downward, letting the water buoy
you. Relax in this position at least ten seconds.
 5. Turtle Float

The knees are raised to the chest and

encircled by the arms.
 6. Drownproofing

Commonly used in adult special MILITARY training.

In the Drownproofing survival technique, the
subject floats in a relaxed, near-vertical
posture, with the top of the head just above
the surface.
 4. Treading water
Water treading is an aspect
of swimming that involves a
swimmer staying in a
vertical position in the
water while keeping his or
her head above the surface
of the water.
It is a combination of an eggbeater kick
and sculling.
Eggbeater kick Sculling stroke

Treading
 5. Doggy paddle

Combining basic kicking with paddling arms.

(most often with head out of the water).
 6. Flutter kick
The primary purpose of the flutter kick is
NOT propulsion but keeping the legs up
and in the shadow of the upper body and
assisting body rotation for arm strokes.
1. Front flutter – Freestyle

2. Back flutter – Backstroke

 7. Coordination
Beginner swimmers often find themselves
messily chopping through the water with their
limbs. That’s fine. It takes time to master these
skills in order to be a better swimmer.
Once these skills are mastered,
it is time to develop the four
competitive swimming strokes:

Freestyle
Backstroke
Breaststroke
Butterfly
1. Freestyle
This is the most popular stroke and the easiest
for beginners to learn. It is a simple flutter kick
and windmill arm motion, like the backstroke,
only on your belly. The most difficult part is
coordinating the breathing since your face is in
the water most of the time.

Michael Phelps
 Freestyle
The leg kick:

•It's a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating

order.

•Bend the knees slightly.

•Relax the feet and ankles (the should be almost

floppy).

•Emphasize the down-kick for propulsion.

 Freestyle
The arm stroke:

•Move the arms in an alternating windmill motion.

•Pull each arm through the water with equal strength

and arm reach to ensure that you swim straight.

•Pull arms underwater in an "S" pattern.

•Cup the hands but keep the wrist and hand relaxed
during recovery.
Freestyle
The breathing:

•Raise one arm to begin the stroke. As the shoulder rises,

turn the head to catch a breath.

•Turn the head only enough to leave the water to breathe.

Do not lift the head because it will slow you down.

•Take as many breaths as necessary and then exhale

through the nose and mouth when the head returns to the
water.

•Repeat the head turn to the other side in coordination with

the beginning of the opposite arm stroke.
2. Backstroke
Similar to the freestyle in that you use an alternate
windmill arm stroke and flutter kick.

Two keys to a proper backstroke are that your arms

move with equal strength, otherwise you will swim
off to one side, and that your body rolls from side to
side so that your arms catch enough water to propel
you forward.
 Backstroke
The leg kick:

•It's a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating

order.

•Bend the knees slightly.

•Relax the feet and ankles (they should be almost

floppy).

•Emphasize the up-kick for propulsion.

 Backstroke
The arm stroke:

•Move the arms in an alternating, windmill pattern as

they rotate and pass your face.

•Cup the hands, and the thumb leaves the water first.

•Move the hands in an "S" pattern when they are

pushing the water.
Backstroke
The breathing:

•Keep your head back and eyes toward the

ceiling.

•You can find your own breathing pattern with the

backstroke because the breathing is less
coordinated with the arms and kick than other
strokes since your head should always be out of
the water.
3. Breaststroke
The breaststroke involves exquisite timing, and in fact,
you can be disqualified from competition if you miss
even one stroke.

This is a difficult stroke and

not one to choose if you're
just learning how to swim.
The basics are that your
arms pull, you breathe, you
kick (arms alternate with the
kick), and you glide.
Breaststroke

The leg kick:

•Bring the knees to chest.

•Thrust the legs backward and straight.

•Snap the legs together to push the water and

propel you forward (frog kick).
Breaststroke

The arm stroke:

•Start with the arms overhead.

•Pull on the water, and bring arms toward the chest.

•Keep the hands cupped.

•Return arms to starting position.

Breaststroke

The breathing:

•Breathe every time you stroke with your arms.

4. Butterfly
Like the breaststroke, this is a difficult stroke and NOT
recommended for beginners because it requires
perfect timing and a good deal of strength.
During the stroke, the legs move
together in a dolphin kick
(imagine a mermaid), the arms
move together to push the water
downward and backward, and
the torso undulates like an
earthworm as the body moves
forward through the water.
 Butterfly

The leg kick:

•Bend the knees slightly, and keep them together.

•Make a downward thrust by straightening the

knees and whipping the feet downward.

•There should be two kicks for every arm stroke.

 Butterfly
The arm stroke:

•Move the arms together, and pull through the water

with the hands cupped.

•Face the palms outward, and press down and

outward.

•Swing the arms forward above the water in a

sweeping motion to complete the stroke.
Butterfly

The breathing:

•Breathe at the end of the arm stroke.

Dives
Dive
to jump into water with your arms
and head going in first.
 Springboard and platform
Diving
Six types of dives are used in springboard and
platform diving. Four of these involve
somersaulting either toward or away from the
diving board or platform.
Forward Inward
Backward Twisting
Reverse Armstand
 Front dive for beginners
1. If you don't feel comfortable jumping into your dive, start by
standing on the edge of the board.

2. Place your arms above your head, interlocking your thumbs.

Pressing your ears.

3. Bend at the waist as though you wanted to reach down and

touch your toes.

4. Stand up on your tiptoes and allow your body to tip forward

into the water.

5. Dive into the water fingers first, with the rest of your body
following.
Part 2
 HOW to teach
basic swimming
for children?
 Check the background of the child.
You can ask them or the parent for assessment.

Ex. Psychological trauma,

phobia,
past or present injuries,
etc.

This provides you information on

where to start, what to do and how to teach.
 Approach, methods and strategies
should be appropriate at their age level.

Give clear instruction.

Demonstrate first before making drills.
Use practical skill progression

One step at a time.

From simple to complex.
Be gender sensitive
 Having a positive attitude
to teach swimming for children.
The right mindset:
Commitment
Do not rush, it takes time.
Encouragement
Never forget to give praises.
Fun
Teaching and learning should be fun.
 Encourage!
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER
force the child.
Sandwich correction with compliments

Be patient
Compliment, correct, compliment.
A great technique. At the very least, compliment
twice as much as you correct.
Wittiness Safety first
Being aware of what’s going on.

Just like a classroom teacher that

“eyes everywhere”,
swimming instructor must be
AT ALL TIMES!,
be aware of his student’s activities,
in or out of the water.
Remind the children about the
pool rules from time to time.
Educate parents on the importance of learning
to swim, and at the same time, stress that
there is no such thing as drownproofing.

Humans are built to live on land,

not under water.

Even the best swimmer

can be drowned.
HAVE FUN!

THANK YOU