STAY WHERE YOU ARE

What it is

A confidence-building cue in which the instructor remains stationary in the water and the swimmer glides toward them in a flat, face-in, arms-stretched position until they reach the instructor.

Essentials

• "STAY WHERE YOU ARE" — the instructor does not move; the swimmer glides the full distance to the instructor's position.
• "until the swimmer reaches you."
• "Gliding alone is Streamline!"
• "Fall like a 'tree doing a TIMBER!'"
• "Do the same thing, over and over and over."
• Instructor's shoulders must be in the water (fully submerged, not standing on the pool floor with only hands in).

Progression

1. Hands on shoulders
2. Tree falling close start → hands on shoulders
3. Tree falling close to wall → reach for wall
4. Two benches: step across the gap
5. Two benches: reach for the other handle
6. Swimmer hand in instructor's hand
7. Brief glide alone (1 body length) then hand in instructor's hand
8. Short independent glides from bench to bench
9. Long glide to instructor, stand without help

Introduce falling forward: stand 1 step away, then 2 steps…

Glide alone, then supported glide.

What goes wrong

• Wrong Holding #1: Feet remain on instructor's knees, swimmer belly down with head and feet lifted. → Swimmer should be face-in and flat at the surface.
• Wrong Holding #2: Instructor puts all their weight on their elbows while the swimmer is flat. → Instructor needs proper body support in the water, not elbow-only.
• Swimmer bobs up and down on the surface. → Emphasise "stay on surface" with a strong kick.
• Swimmer doggy-paddles instead of holding arms straight. → Locked elbows, flat palms, fingers aim forward.
• Breathing causes the most sinking. → Reinforce a "strong kick you breath" to keep the swimmer at the surface throughout.

How you know it worked

The swimmer can recover to standing without fear.

How you teach it

Combat fear by being consistent. Front glides should focus on: face in water, body flat and relaxed at the surface, arms stretched, feet kicking flat. For beginners, hold them close — their hands on the instructor's shoulders, continuous physical support — to introduce what it feels like to be flat. Constantly encourage the swimmer to "kiss" the water during every supported front glide; over time they will put their face in willingly, and the habit of looking down makes the transition to independent streamline easier.

Limiting distance and number of breaths is an effort to remove fear. Short-distance skill work gives a safe space where the swimmer can practise without worrying about breathing, struggling to stay on the surface, or being left alone. A 25 swum poorly with struggling to breathe is worse than a streamline plus three arm strokes and one side breath; build confidence and master short distances with excellent form first, then pepper longer swims into the lesson.

Lower yourself to eye level, speak softly, smile, and keep your body language relaxed and inviting. The instructor's stillness is the point: by not moving to meet the swimmer, the child learns that the water is a safe, predictable space and that they can cover the distance on their own. Repetition of the same sequence, over and over, is what turns a supported glide into an unthinking habit.