Stroke parts, sculling and safe entries
Ready when: Front crawl and backstroke arms (b3) done.
What you are learning
Building the strokes in parts (arms only, then legs only), sculling (moving the hands in a figure-of-eight to hold yourself up and move), and getting into the water safely in steps: the steps, a swivel, then a feet-first jump only where the water is deep enough.
Words on this card Lifeguard, Glide, Kickboard, Front crawl, Sculling, Width, Lane
- Lifeguard
- The trained person watching the pool.
- Glide
- Pushing off the wall and sliding through the water long and narrow, like an arrow.
- Kickboard
- A float held in the hands for kicking; a float held between the legs for arm practice.
- Front crawl
- The four strokes.
- Sculling
- Moving the hands in a figure-of-eight to hold or move the body.
- Width
- Across the pool, and from one end to the other.
- Lane
- A marked strip of the pool, and the rules for sharing it.
Show it first for the one teaching
- Swim a width arms only, with a pull buoy between the legs; then legs only with a board.
- Lie on the back and move the hands in a sideways figure-of-eight by the hips: you stay up and move slowly.
- Ask the lifeguard where the water is deep enough, then show a feet-first jump: arms crossed, feet together.
Your part while they practise
Give the call; check depths with the lifeguard.
Step by step
- Arms-only and legs-only lengths.
- Sculling: a figure-of-eight motion of the hands and forearms, first on the spot, then moving.
- Entries step by step: steps, a swivel from sitting, then a feet-first jump where the lifeguard says the depth is safe.
- Head-first entries only with a qualified coach.
How much: 6 widths 15 min a session 2 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Count your strokes
Swim a width and count the arm strokes; fewer strokes for the same width wins.
Who plays: 2 to 8, each against their own best; you count with them.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- Push off and swim one width of front crawl
- Count every arm stroke
- Rest, then try to cross with fewer
- 4 widths
- Fair play
- A grown-up swims arms only.
- Points
- 1 point for each width with fewer strokes than your first.
- Fouls
- That width does not count
- Standing up or holding the side in the middle
- A head-first entry
- Pushing off before the swimmer in front is clear
- Winning
- Beat your best count.
- 1 points for 1 star
- 2 points for 2 stars
- 3 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Pull buoy.
No buoy.
What you will see, and what to say
- the jump is head-first
Feet first, every time
Feet first. - the glide ends early
Stay long till you stop
Long and still.
Self-check
A streamline glide of 5 metres and 30 seconds of sculling on the spot.
Stop and get a coach when
Any doubt about depth; do not dive.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains stroke parts, scull, safe entry.
awiseathlete.com/sports/swimming/swimming-i1