Name
Tic Toc Around the Clock
Core Skill
Freestyle arm recovery, where to enter the water, and where to initiate an arm pull.
Who
Level 3 swimmers who are learning front crawl arms independently.
What
A game that teaches swimmers how to perform freestyle arms in the correct position with each recovery. By using a clock face as a visual guide, swimmers learn to control their hand entry points and build body awareness.
How
- Swimmers must do 10 freestyle strokes total — 5 with each arm.
- Arm strokes start at the 11 o'clock position (or 12 o'clock). They swim 2 strokes, with the arms returning to the water at the 12 o'clock position.
- For the next 2 strokes (right and left arms), swimmers aim for 2 o'clock with the right arm and 10 o'clock with the left.
- Then, for the next 2 strokes, swimmers go to 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock.
- Finally, for the last 2 strokes, swimmers go to 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock.
- The underwater pull should remain normal — only the recovery and entry change to match the clock positions.
Difficulties Instructors Might Face
- Swimmers may have trouble remembering the sequence of positions and the number of strokes.
- Swimmers may struggle to maintain a straight body line and a steady kick while performing the arm movements.
- Coordinating breathing with arm movements can be challenging — encourage swimmers to breathe to the side during the recovery phase.