Opinions on swimming techniques and issues

There is no one correct way to teach swimming. uSwim recognises that there have been lots of successful styles and methods when it comes to teaching children to enjoy and swim well. However some programs are better than others at teaching those children who aren't so athletically gifted or find swimming difficult. The beauty of the uSwim program is that it does not allow children to fall behind. Instead kids continue working on and practicing a set skill untill they can perform it. Once achieved, they move to the next skill. We believe that over the years Aquatic Achievers and now uSwim include methods to teach all children, not just those lucky kids who are natural swimmers.

Within the swimming industry there are several issues which are debated and argued about. uSwim would like to clarify and explain the reasons why we use certain methods, rather than simply defending what we have always done. Our program is always evolving with our team always eager to discover new or better ways to do things.

1. Goggles

uSwim has found that goggles rapidly speed up the process of getting beginners to swim. Goggles encourage correct body position (the beginner is less likely to want to lift their head) and in most cases this builds confidence. Once a person is in the habit of maintaining correct body position we recommend you swim both with and also without goggles. You will find in general kids concentrate better when their eyes are not irritated or itchy from pool water. From a safety perspective, kids also need to be used to swimming without goggles. For the better swimmers in squads, goggles are nesessary to protect the eyes. You may want to use goggles during lessons and take them off during free/play time. The earliest we recommend introducing goggles is between 2.5 and 3 years of age. Before this age most children will just pull them off.

2. Straight arms

There are two styles or ways of teaching the recovery of the arm when it returns out of the water after each stroke in Freestyle.

One technique, referred to as bent arms, involves the student bending their arm and dragging the tips of the fingers just above the top of the water back to the beginning of the stroke. The other, referred to as straight arms, involves the arm remaining straight as it returns.

We feel that teaching straight arms to children who are first learning Freestyle and those under the age of 7 is beneficial.

Often people argue that because most elite swimmers bend their arm slightly on the recovery, that is how we should teach beginners. However this theory fails to take into consideration the actual stroke that a 3,4,5 or 6 year old is actually physically able to make. Of course some kids can do 'bent arms' well, however many find it frustrating. The Bent arm stroke lacks the power of Straight arms.

uSwim teaches Straight arm Beginner Freestyle until a swimmer is capable of subtle adjustments to the stroke (having swum for several years). Firstly, keeping the arms straight ensures the student is creating a full stroke with the hand pushing all the way back to the leg. Secondly, it is far easier for young children to learn and automate. Because they are worrying so much about technique, they forget about pushing the water hard and the fun part of feeling propulsion. As swimmers get better with age and experience, a natural bend in the arm during the recovery will occur.

3. Beginner (Catch-up) Freestyle

uSwim strongly advocates the teaching of Beginner (catch-up) Freestyle prior to attempting conventional Freestyle. Catch-up works so effectively because:

It allows the student to concentrate on moving one arm at a time, slowing and simplifying the action.
It builds the necessary core strength to accommodate conventional Freestyle. Children who are physically able to perform catch-up find adapting to conventional Freestyle easy.
Beginner Freestyle encourages long, powerful strokes rather than short fast ones because only one arm is moving at a time.
It is easier to teach the correct breathing motion with Beginner Freestyle.
Once a child can perform catch-up with bi-lateral breathing they are ready to start doing Conventional or Olympic Freestyle.
uSwim does not advocate Beginner Freestyle once children are in advanced squads

4. Floaties (flotation devices)

When a person starts the wonderful journey of learning to swim the goal is to get them moving around in the water independently. It is uSwim’ s experience that any flotation device which encourages a vertical body position in the water is a long term hindrance. Novice swimmers need to get into the habit of putting their eyes down, creating a horizontal body position on top of the water. Uswim endorses flotation devices on the back of a child to build initial confidence as these encourage the horizontal body position and are a useful teaching tool. Remember, no person who requires ‘floaties’ should ever be swimming alone or without 100% supervision.