What it is
Supported front glides are the next step in the incremental progression of skills, used to establish good body posture, line, and balance at the surface so learners can adjust head and arm position for better quality. They work for swimmers who go forward underwater and those who do not.
Essentials
- "Put your shoulders in the water."
- "Reach your arms out to me."
- "Put your face [chin, lips, nose] in the water."
- "Push off [with, to] me."
- Use the script every time: repeat the same cue language on every attempt.
- Constantly encourage the swimmer to "kiss" the water.
Progression
- Hands on shoulders support
- Hands in hands support
- Short glide, then hand in hand
- Independent glide (across benches, or forward underwater)
- Streamline (the ultimate goal)
What goes wrong
- Arms not straight: keep the swimmer's arms straight and attempt to keep the body straight.
- Body not straight: lift the belly or outside of hips to manipulate the swimmer's body into a straight line.
- Face stays above water: use hands-on-shoulders support, which is designed for swimmers who do not put their face in the water.
- Hands drifting below the surface: keep the swimmer's hands near the surface and pull to provide motion.
- Body tense or sinking: the goal is arms straight, face in the water, body relaxed, stretched, and floating on the surface while the instructor moves backwards.
How you know it worked
The swimmer glides with face in the water, body straight, arms straight, relaxed and stretched on the surface. Over time the swimmer puts their face in the water willingly.
How you teach it
Repetition is the engine: every attempt is another opportunity to get the face in the water. Do not vary the script between attempts; the same four cues, every time, build the habit. Building a habit of looking down in a supported front glide makes streamline easier later.
Hands on shoulders. The swimmer puts their hands on the instructor's shoulders. Keep the swimmer's arms straight and the body straight. Lift the belly or outside of hips to manipulate the body into a straight line. The instructor walks backwards to simulate movement and independent propulsion. This support is usually the one you reach for when a swimmer will not put their face in the water.
Hands in hands. The participant reaches forward in streamline with their face in the water. The instructor holds the participant's hands with their own, keeping the swimmer's hands near the surface and pulling to provide motion. Hold the swimmer at arm's length. If needed, use the other hand to support the belly and body. The goal is arms straight, face in the water, body relaxed, stretched, and floating on the surface while the instructor moves backwards.
Short glide, then hand in hand. The instructor stands a body length or two away and waits for the swimmer to glide toward them. The goal is for the participant to glide with face down, in the water, keeping the body straight. Once the participant reaches the instructor, support with hands on shoulders or hands in hands as appropriate.
For very young or relaxed children, two alternative holds exist: palm-up support (palms under the chest or belly, thumbs wrapped around the shoulders) and football-hold support (fingers around the ribs, thumbs on the chest, elbows bent to control depth). With these, let the swimmer keep their face above water and encourage kissing the water and willful attempts at face-in.
Trust is built through the reaching: the learner's arms extend toward the instructor's shoulders or hands, and the instructor's consistent, predictable response over many repetitions removes fear. Progress through the three support types in order; do not skip ahead. Once the swimmer begins independent gliding, the progression continues toward independent glide across benches or forward underwater, and ultimately to streamline.