In addition to the preparatory exercises, some core exercises are required.
The child holds onto the edge of the pool with both hands, facing the pool wall. The knees are bent, and the feet are parallel to the wall. After leaning back and pushing off the wall with both legs, the child glides on their back as long as possible without using their arms or legs. This exercise helps train body tension and gliding in the back position.
Use a pool noodle to make the exercise easier (see image). This allows the learner to focus on the kick and the water feel in their legs. However, note that the pool noodle enables the child to straighten up and lower their hips without sinking. Ensure the child keeps their gaze upward, tilts their chin back, and pushes their hips up. Limit the use of the pool noodle when practicing on the back.
This exercise should already be familiar from the previous course. If you don’t recall, please click on the image of this exercise, where the "bubble bath" is linked. In summary: The child sits on the steps of the children's pool with their legs about halfway submerged. In the first step, the legs and feet are extended. Then the child slowly moves their extended legs up and down, gradually increasing the strength of the kick while keeping the legs fully extended.
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Many children focus all their attention on the newly learned arm stroke, which often causes them to forget about their kick, leading their legs to sink. However, the kick is crucial as it provides the necessary stability in the water, enabling proper arm movements. In this early phase, the kick also serves as the primary source of propulsion. To address this issue, exercises with a limited number of arm strokes are helpful. Additionally, you can suggest an alternative exercise where your child moves their arms in slow motion while putting all their effort into the kick. Make sure to extensively practice "otter swimming" before moving on to backstroke.
When turning onto the back, the flutter kick must not be neglected. A powerful kick is crucial for quickly resurfacing after the turn and stabilizing the body position in the water. While it is technically possible to perform the core exercise with minimal kicking, this requires perfect rotation, body tension, and a stable back position—skills that are challenging for most children at this level. Therefore, an energetic flutter kick is highly beneficial.
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The back rotation is prone to errors, especially when the face briefly submerges during the turn onto the back. The correct response is to stretch the body, tilt the chin back (gaze at the ceiling), and kick the legs vigorously to return to the surface. A common mistake is trying to sit up, which pulls the hips and chin down. This error is sometimes addressed by placing the hands at the sides, but the core exercise requires fully extended arms to prevent the body from sitting up.
As with any back-floating exercise, water position is a common challenge in "otter swimming." A gaze that is not consistently directed upward and hips that are not actively pressed upward increase water resistance and make the exercise more difficult. If this issue arises, return to the "starfish" position to ensure proper water alignment. If the water position is correct but your child struggles to focus simultaneously on kicking and maintaining their position, they might be looking at their legs, which disrupts their alignment. In both cases, we recommend starting with the "water arrow" on the back and initiating the kick only after a longer gliding phase. This allows the child to first focus on their water position and then shift attention to the kicking motion.
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