1 breath, then 2 (progression)
Definition: A breathing progression where the head turns with the hip — the head doesn’t turn alone; the same side hip rotates with the chin and face. As the learner rotates their head to the side to take their breath, the hip that is on the side the learner is turning to should rotate up to the surface as well. Body rotation connected to the arms, hips, and face should be a primary focus for new Front Crawl breathing learners.
Core cues:
- Head turns with the hip
- The head doesn’t turn alone.
- The same side hip rotates with the chin and face.
- Head turns to the right; right hip rises with it.
- The same side arm (right) recovers over the water.
- The breath should be finished by the time the recovering arm reaches the face.
- The face should rotate back underwater as the recovering arm crosses the head and returns to position 11.
- Streamline first, do 10 kicks in Position 1.
- Continue kicking and do 1 breath to the side.
- After the breath, return to Position 1 with the face down.
- SL + Position 1 + side breath + look down.
- Streamline first. Do 10 kicks in side glide (Position 1 laying on your side) with learner’s nose inside their stinky armpit.
- Take a breath to the sky (exaggerate the head turn) while continuing to kick.
- Keep kicking and look down again.
- SL + lay on side + breath to sky + look down.
- Sneak in a single breath during a short swim like 3xSL + 5 FR + 1 breath on stroke #2, 3, or 4.
- Limit breaths during short swims of 3-5 strokes; about 10 yards max.
- Aim for good breaths.
Coach interpretation:
- Head turns with the hip: Watch that the same side hip rotates up to the surface as the head turns to breathe; the head must not turn alone.
- Head turns to the right; right hip rises with it: Confirm the right hip rises when the head turns right, and the same side arm (right) recovers over the water.
- The breath should be finished by the time the recovering arm reaches the face: Time the breath so it is complete before the recovering arm reaches the face.
- The face should rotate back underwater as the recovering arm crosses the head and returns to position 11: Watch the face rotate back underwater as the recovering arm crosses the head and returns to position 11.
- Streamline first, do 10 kicks in Position 1: Have the learner streamline first and do 10 kicks in Position 1 before adding the breath.
- Continue kicking and do 1 breath to the side: Keep the learner kicking while they take 1 breath to the side.
- After the breath, return to Position 1 with the face down: Ensure the learner returns to Position 1 with the face down after the breath.
- Streamline first. Do 10 kicks in side glide (Position 1 laying on your side) with learner’s nose inside their stinky armpit: Set the learner in side glide with the nose inside their stinky armpit and 10 kicks before the breath.
- Take a breath to the sky (exaggerate the head turn) while continuing to kick: Have the learner exaggerate the head turn to breathe to the sky while continuing to kick.
- Keep kicking and look down again: Have the learner keep kicking and look down again after the breath.
- Limit breaths during short swims of 3-5 strokes; about 10 yards max: Keep distances short — 3-5 strokes, about 10 yards max — and limit breaths.
- Aim for good breaths: Prioritize quality of each breath over distance.
Teaching strategy:
Build habits. Provide opportunities. Create good breathing habits before asking learners to swim longer distances. Remove fear and struggle by keeping distances short. Practice turning the head. Turn the head, and turn the hips with it. Practice putting face in the water, then turning head to the side so that half the face exits the water. Sneak in a single breath during a short swim like 3xSL + 5 FR + 1 breath on stroke #2, 3, or 4. Repeat this step extensively. Use long distance swims with support; kick boards, etc. Do many short distance drills; Position 1, Position 11 + arm, etc. Standing breaths to the side: face in water, turn and breath to side with ½ step back keep ear, eye, and lip touching water. Limit breaths during short swims of 3-5 strokes; about 10 yards max. Aim for good breaths. Then use Position 1 with a breath: Streamline first, do 10 kicks in Position 1. Continue kicking and do 1 breath to the side. After the breath, return to Position 1 with the face down. SL + Position 1 + side breath + look down. Then side kicking with a breath: Streamline first. Do 10 kicks in side glide (Position 1 laying on your side) with learner’s nose inside their stinky armpit. Take a breath to the sky (exaggerate the head turn) while continuing to kick. Keep kicking and look down again. SL + lay on side + breath to sky + look down.
Common errors and corrections:
- The head turns alone: The head doesn’t turn alone. The same side hip rotates with the chin and face.
- The hip does not rotate up: As the learner rotates their head to the side to take their breath, the hip that is on the side the learner is turning to should rotate up to the surface as well.
- The breath is not finished in time: The breath should be finished by the time the recovering arm reaches the face.
- The face does not return underwater: The face should rotate back underwater as the recovering arm crosses the head and returns to position 11.
- Too many breaths or too long a distance: Limit breaths during short swims of 3-5 strokes; about 10 yards max. Aim for good breaths.
Progression:
Comes before: Build habits. Provide opportunities; Practice turning the head; Turn the head, and turn the hips with it; Practice putting face in the water, then turning head to the side so that half the face exits the water; Sneak in a single breath during a short swim like 3xSL + 5 FR + 1 breath on stroke #2, 3, or 4; Repeat this step extensively; Long distance swims with support; kick boards, etc.; Do many short distance drills; Position 1, Position 11 + arm, etc.; Standing breaths to the side; Limit breaths during short swims of 3-5 strokes; about 10 yards max. Comes after: Position 1 with a breath; Side kicking with a breath.