Front Glides (skill)
Definition: Front glides focus on forward horizontal movement. Body, line, and posture are the three keys to gliding. Progress from support to position 11 to streamline.
Core cues:
- Put your shoulders in water
- Head/face aimed down
- Put your hands out in front of you
- Arms reaching forward above shoulders
- Put your face in water
- Body held straight and narrow
- kick moves person
- Push off with/to me
Coach interpretation:
- Put your shoulders in water: achieve good body position.
- Head/face aimed down: achieve good body position.
- Put your hands out in front of you: achieve good body position.
- Arms reaching forward above shoulders: achieve good body position.
- Put your face in water: achieve good body position.
- Body held straight and narrow: achieve good body position.
- kick moves person: achieve good body position.
- Push off with/to me: achieve good body position.
Teaching strategy:
Use the Front Glide Script to teach body position. A great front glide is also Position 11. This is “position 11.” We use this drill/position as a teaching tool. Every swimming stroke will flow through this position. Supported front glides are used as the next step in the incremental progression of skills. They can be done with learners that go forward underwater and those that do not. Your goal for supported front glides is to establish a good body posture, line, and balance at the surface so learners can adjust their head and arm position for better quality.
Progression:
Progress from support to position 11 to streamline. All glides lead to streamline. Streamline is the goal; front glides build to SL. A good streamline is the ultimate goal, after we’ve established comfort gliding with the face in the water.
Short verified cues (confirmed present; check by eye): “Front Glides”, “Teach body position:”, “Head/face aimed down”, “above shoulders”, “Push off with/to me”, “face in the water.”