Our Credentials for Swim Lessons
The founders of Uswim have been in the business of training swimming teachers for over 30 years. The Uswim program has been constantly improved and refined over this period. What we have today is a swim program which we know works for everyone. Tens of thousands of babies, children and adults have learnt to thrive in water using these techniques. At Uswim we educate both students and teachers on a daily basis which is why we can pass on our knowledge to you with the utmost confidence.
Benefits of teaching your own children 
Formal swimming lessons are a great way to get children confident in the water. However they do not suit everyone in today’s society, here are a few examples;
- Shift workers or people whose schedule changes.
- Those people who cannot afford expensive weekly swimming lessons.
- Those people who are not living close enough to quality lessons.
- Parents or carers who simply would like to teach their children when it suits them.
- Those people who have had a bad experience with swim schools.
Our philosophy on learning
All useful educational programs break the learning process down into small, attainable steps. For example, for a child to dog paddle, they must first be comfortable placing their eyes in the water. For a child to swim 20 metres, they must first be able to breath efficiently. Students thrive in programs where the goals are achievable and their confidence builds gradually. One achieved skill is usually all it takes to provide the motivation to perform the next. It is up to the teacher to make the student aware of the goal or skill and communicate how it will be mastered.
Uswim has found that results are best when the learning environment is positive, enjoyable and challenging. Children respond best when boundaries are set, rules are clear and effort is rewarded with encouragement.
Opinions on swimming techniques and issues
Uswim firmly believes we show you the best techniques and methods.
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. You may want to use the goggles during the lesson and take them off during free/play time.
2. Straight arms
There are two styles or ways of teaching freestyle and more specifically the recovery of the arm out of the water after each stroke.
One technique, referred to as bent arms, involves the student bending their arm and dragging the tips of the fingers along 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.
Uswim teaches straight arm 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. Secondly, it is far easier for any child to learn. As swimmers get better with age and experience, a natural bend in the arm will occur.
3. Catchup Freestyle
Uswim strongly advocates the teaching of Catch-up Freestyle (Australian Crawl) prior to attempting conventional freestyle. Catch-up works so effectively because:
- It allows the student to concentrate on moving one arm at a time, 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.
- Catch-up encourages long, powerful strokes rather than short fast ones because only one arm is moving at a time.
- Once a child can perform catch-up with bi-lateral breathing they are ready to start doing conventional freestyle.
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.