Mastering Swim Progressions: A Coach's Guide to Lesson Planning

Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of 'progressions'—the backbone of effective swim instruction. Instead of jumping straight to full strokes, we use incremental steps to build confidence and mastery. Utilizing these progressions in your swim lessons is key to helping students master complicated advanced swimming strokes.

<em>(For more structured help, remember to check out our premium lesson plans and guides!)</em>

Understanding Incremental Progressions

Front Glides: Building Confidence on the Wall

Start with the basics and gradually increase the distance and independence required. These steps help students transition from support to self-sufficiency.

Stand close to the swimmer and let them hold you.
Take one step back and make them jump to you, then support them.
Take 2 steps back from next to swimmer, and then support when they get to you.
Teach how to get to you without jumping UP in the air (focusing on a smooth, streamlined entry).

Back Glides: Developing Head and Neck Control

Back glides require specific head positioning to maintain alignment and comfort. These progressions help students build muscle memory for proper neck support.

Head held on shoulder.
Head held in hand.
Head held by fingertips.

Jumps from the Side: Increasing Power and Distance

Jumping from the side is a critical skill, building explosive power and body control. We progress from assisted, shallow jumps to full, unassisted propulsion.

Seated slide in the pool with help.
Standing jump with help, not going underwater.
Standing jump with help, face in, but not completely under.
Standing jump with 1 hand held help, going underwater completely.
Standing jump unassisted until after in the water.
Standing jump no assistance, returning to wall.

Developmental Group Work: Building the Full Stroke

Remember, everything in a developmental group should be built on a foundation of streamline, or 'soldier position.' This reinforces the proper body line before adding propulsion.

Example Progression: Lazy Puppet to Streamline to Position 11

Do 10 Lazy Puppets to Soldier.
Do 10 Soldiers to Streamline, slowly.
Do 10 Streamlines to Position 11.

Example Progression: Position 11 to Full Swimming

25 Position 11 (Focusing on maintaining the perfect body line).
25 Position 11 for 5 flutter kicks, then continue kicking and do 1 Freestyle armstroke, do 5 more flutter kicks in position 11, then continue kicking and do the other arm 1 stroke of freestyle. Keep no swimming arm in position 11.
5 Position 11 for 10 kicks, then do 3 strokes of freestyle, return to position 11, repeat.
25 Swim Freestyle, remembering position 11 and returning to it with each stroke.

Example Progression: Suit, Flex, Circle, Squeeze (Core Strength)

Sit on the edge, so butt almost falling in.
Lean back, legs straight.
Do 10x: From Straight to Suit (feet touching wall in water).
Do 10x From suit to flex: very little motion, just turning feet/toes out.
Do 10x Now this is the difficult part, from Flex to Straight, but to get there do a circle.