Name
One breath waltz
One-Liner
Swimmers perform a sequence of movements in a 4:4 beat, combining a streamline, a single freestyle breath, a back roll, and a back flip.
Success Criteria
The swimmer completes each step of the "waltz" in a 4:4 beat, maintaining proper form and timing throughout the sequence.
Failure Criteria
The swimmer loses balance, misses a step, or fails to follow the 4:4 beat, resulting in an incomplete or poorly executed sequence.
Core Skill
Side breathing for freestyle
Who
Level 3 swimmers who have mastered the basic freestyle stroke and want to improve their breathing technique and coordination.
What
A swimming challenge that involves doing a streamline underwater, then at the surface they should take one freestyle breath while leaving the other arm in position 1, then rolling on the back, and placing the breathing arm into streamline. After doing a streamline on the back, doing a fly kick to go underwater and doing a back flip. Ending by standing up and flourishing. The challenge is to do each step of the "waltz" in a 4:4 beat.
How
The instructor can explain and demonstrate the challenge to the swimmers, then have them practice it in pairs or small groups. The instructor can use a metronome or a music player to provide the 4:4 beat for the swimmers to follow. The instructor can also use cues such as "one, two, three, four" or "streamline, breathe, roll, flip" to help the swimmers remember the sequence of movements. The instructor can give feedback and corrections to the swimmers as they perform the challenge.
Difficulties Instructors Might Face
- The swimmers may have trouble keeping their arm in position 1 while taking a breath, which may cause them to lose balance or speed. Have the swimmer kick harder.
- The swimmers may have difficulty rolling on their back smoothly and placing their arm into streamline, which may affect their alignment or momentum. Use their kick and hips to start twisting.
- The swimmers may not be able to do a fly kick or a back flip properly, which may result in them surfacing too early or too late. Practice backstroke finishes with one arm and then flipping.
- The swimmers may find it hard to follow the 4:4 beat, which may make them rush or lag behind the rhythm.