Ole's Swim School Skills

1. Get Acquainted With the Water

• Wets their legs, arms and then face

2. Kicking (Assisted or Modified)

• Small fast kicks — “boil the water.” Throw a small toy and then kick to collect it.

3. Blowing Bubbles

• Blow out an imaginary birthday candle. Demonstrate by making a “monkey face.”

4. Floating (Assisted or Modified)

• Make a starfish (instructor can help support them or a noodle can be used)

5. Monkeys

• Move or travel horizontally on wall like a monkey

6. Front Crawl (Assisted or Modified)

• Doggie paddle — hold their hips or have them use a noodle

7. Kicking on Back (Assisted)

• Kicking on back with their head on your shoulder to start, then build to only supporting them with one hand

8. Jumping Into Pool (Assisted)

• Chop, chop, timber!

9. Play! 

1. Kicking while blowing bubbles (Modified)

• Small, fast kicks — “boil the water”

2. Bobs on wall (2-5x3)

• With two hands on the wall inhale, submerge head, exhale, repeat

3. Floating (Modified)

• On back in starfish position. Use a noodle but progress to unassisted floating

4. Front Crawl (Modified)

• Make sure they are engaging arms and legs. Maintain “boiling the water”

5. “Blasts” off wall 

• One arm on the wall, one arm extended out toward the instructor, then jump or “blast” off the wall to the instructor

6. Front Crawl (Unassisted)

• “Blast” off the wall, then swim — engaging arms and a small fast kick. Instructors can also push them toward the wall if the instructor decides that is a better approach

7. Kicking on Back (Modified)

• Have swimmer hug a kick board — very little bending of the knees while kicking. Keep head back as if laying in a bed.

8. Jumps Into Pool (Unassisted if Possible)

• “Chop, chop, timber!”

9. Play! 

1. Kicking (Modified)

• On board or with a noodle — “boil the water” when kicking

2. Bobs on wall or Away From wall (3-6x3)

• Two hands on the wall, inhale, submerge head, exhale, repeat or
• Either off bottom of pool, on a tot dock or on the wall

3. Floating (Unassisted or Minimal Assistance)

• 10 seconds on back/one second on stomach/10 seconds on back

4. Superman Kicking 

• “Blast” off the wall, put face in the water with arms extended forward in “Superman” position and kick to instructor

5. Front Crawl (Unassisted)

• Go for distance — small fast kicks

6. Intro to Freestyle Arms (3-5 “Big Arms”)

• “Big arms” a.k.a. freestyle arms, in and out of the water

7. Kicking on Back in SL (Assisted, but minimal help)

• Kicking on back in streamline — “Head back, tummy up, kick-kick-kick!”

8. Jumps Into Pool (Unassisted)

• “Chop, chop, timber!”

9. Play! 

1. Kicking With Board

• “Boil the water.”

2. Bobs on or Away From wall (4-7x3)

• Either off bottom of pool, on a tot dock or on the wall

3. Floating

• 20 seconds on back/one second on stomach/20 seconds on back

4. Freestyle Side Breathing

• Drill: While holding a barbell in one hand (with that arm extended out), swim freestyle strokes with the other arm, practicing breathing to the side.

5. Kicking on Back in SL (Unassisted)

• Little to no knee bending while kicking — “Head back, tummy up, kick-kick-kick!”

6. Intro to Backstroke Arms (3-5 strokes)

• Getting out of the water to show the arms (arms should always be in opposite positions). Make sure the arms “touch” the ears as they extend back.

7. Pizza arms (Unassisted)

• With a flutter kick, simulate breaststroke arms with their face in the water. Arms go “around the pizza, then cut it in half.”

8. Jumps Into the Pool (Unassisted)

• “Chop, chop, timber!”

9. Play! 

1. Kicking With Board

• Small, fast kicks — very little bending at the knees

2. Bobs Away From wall (5-8x3)

• Either on bottom of pool or tot dock

3. Floating

• 30 seconds on back/one second on stomach/30 seconds on back

4. Freestyle (12 yards x instructors choice)

• Breathing to the side turn head, keep one ear in the water

5. Backstroke (7-12 yards x instructors choice)

• Rotating shoulders and keeping head still. Little to no bending of the knees while kicking

6. Intro to Breaststroke Kick

• Out of the water breaststroke kick — “Up, out, around!” — then try it in the water on the wall or on a board. Their feet should be flat, not pointed.

7. Pizza arms (7-12 yards x instructors choice)

• With a flutter kick, simulate breaststroke arms with their face in the water. Arms go “around the pizza, then cut in half.”

8. Diving From one Knee 

• On the side of the pool, from one knee, put arms in SL and dive out. Important to squeeze ears when they jump to the pool

9. Play! 

1. Kicking With Board (25 yards x instructors choice)

2. Freestyle Refinement (12 yards or more x instructors choice)

• Side breathing, high elbows, 11:00 & 1:00 entry

3. Backstroke Refinement (12 yards or more x instructors choice)

• Pinky enters water first, thumb exits water first. Keep head still.

4. Intro to Breaststroke Swimming

• “Small pizza arms” with a frog kick. Timing. Pull, breathe, kick, repeat.

5. Dolphin Kick With Board

• Legs move up and down together while making a “thump” sound. Try on the wall first before doing it with a board.

6. Standing Dive

• Put arms in a SL, squat down low, lean forward, jump forward and OUT with hands entering first and feet entering last.

7. Collect Items off Bottom of Pool

• In 4 feet, collect diving sticks/rings

8. Tread Water

• Tread for 10-20 seconds x3

9. Intro to Flip Turns

• Start off by doing flips in the middle of the pool.
• Once mastered, swim freestyle toward the wall until they get a little further than arms length, at which point, they flip over until their feet touch the wall (they should be in a seated position).
• Once they are in the seated position with their feet on the wall, they should push off the wall with their arms in SL.

1. Kicking on Board (Mix Strokes)

2. Master SL Kicking

• On both stomach and back

3. Butterfly Swimming

• Simultaneously, both arms pull under the body, exiting on the side of the body and recovering over the water, re-entering at 11:00 and 1:00

4. Breaststroke Swimming

• Breathing on every stroke with small arm circles — “Pull, breathe, kick, repeat!”

5. Master Flip Turn With Swimming

• Swim in to the wall, flip straight over, plant feet, push off in SL, then swim.

6. Tread Water 

• 30-45 seconds x3

7. Track-Style Dive

• One foot forward, one foot back. Get in the starting track position, then dive into the water by throwing arms into SL.

8. Endurance of Free & Back

• Swim multiple laps of each.

9. SL Jumps off Bottom Pool 

1. Kicking on Board (Mix Strokes)

2. Teaching Drills on all Strokes

• Free: finger-tip drill
• Back: side-kick-six
• Fly: worm drill
• Breast: Accordion drill

3. Endurance/Stamina (Instructors Choice of Stroke)

• Push swimmer to swim long distances repeatedly.

4. Track-Style Dive

• One foot forward, one foot back. Get in the starting track position, then dive into the water by throwing arms into SL. Explode off the wall, entering with little to no splash.

5. Tempo Training (Instructors Choice of Stroke)

• Do swimming set that encourages speed development
  • i.e.: 10-15 Strokes as fast as possible
  • i.e.: 5 strokes FAST, 5 strokes slow X4 4x25 FAST w/ 30-60 secs rest in between

6. Practice Swimming Freestyle and Flip Turns Combined

• i.e.: Swimming FAST into the wall, flip, swim fast off wall

7. Open Turns

• "Elbow your brother, call your mother."

8. Tread Water and Swimming

• i.e: Tread water for 30 seconds, swim 15 yards, tread water for 30 seconds again without rest.

9. Ready for swim team!