Learn Freestyle
15 meters of freestyle with correct side breathing. Over the 15 meters, breathing must occur at least once on both sides. The flutter kick is clearly visible throughout the 15 meters and contributes to overall propulsion. The freestyle technique learned in this exercise is still in the beginner stage and will be progressively refined in the upcoming lessons.
Preparation Exercises
Push off and five freestyle strokes
The child pushes off the edge of the pool and remains stretched for one to two seconds. This is followed by five curl-ups with alternating legs. The child does not breathe. The arms can be stretched or slightly bent. This exercise transfers the coordination of the arms from the windmill exercise into the water. Breathing is deliberately omitted as the child is not yet breathing in a coordinated manner on the side.
Windmill forward
For the windmill forward exercise, stand on the land with both arms at the side of your body. Start by slowly rotating one arm anticlockwise with the palm facing downwards. Then follow with the other arm and finally both hands simultaneously, but asynchronously. This exercise promotes arm coordination and helps to understand the basics of the crawl. The crawl with an efficient elbow bend is developed further in later courses.
Häufige Fehler
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Breathing forward
Many children struggle to understand the need for shoulder rotation. Additionally, they are accustomed to breathing forward from previous exercises, such as the "motorboat" drill. This mistake often stems from poor communication, as children may not grasp that side breathing is the key element of the exercise. For this reason, emphasizing the importance of side breathing cannot be repeated enough. Alternatively, it could simply be that they are unable to perform it correctly yet. In such cases, the previously mentioned exercises can help.
too rushed
Some children tend to paddle their arms uncontrollably, which disrupts their body position and coordination between arm strokes and breathing. A highly effective exercise for this is slow-motion swimming. Explain to the child that they should move their arms very slowly and instead focus all their energy on the kick. As an alternative, you can have the child swim a longer distance before starting the exercise to reduce their energy levels. While this may seem strict, tired swimmers often become more efficient, as fatigue encourages them to move more economically. However, it’s essential to find the right balance to ensure the child is not overly exhausted.
