What it is
Supported front glides are the incremental progression step that builds toward streamline. The swimmer glides face-down with instructor support, developing the body position, line, and water comfort that streamline requires.
Essentials
- "Kiss" the water — the standing cue for face-down positioning during every supported front glide
- Face in the water, looking down at the pool bottom (not up at the instructor)
- Arms stretched out in front, palms down, position 11 or as close as possible
- Shoulders in the water; gentle horizontal push off, not jumping up
- Goal of supported front glides: establish good body position, line, and balance at the surface so the learner can adjust head and arm position for better quality
- Works for swimmers who go forward underwater and those who do not
Progression
- Supported front glides with the "kiss the water" cue — build the habit of looking down
- Over time, the swimmer puts their face in the water willingly
- Body position, line, and balance at the surface become established
- Transition to independent streamline (SL)
- (Parallel track: supported back glides lead to water comfort)
What goes wrong
- Swimmer won't put face in the water → constantly encourage "kiss the water"; over time they will do it willingly
- Swimmer looks up at the instructor instead of down at the pool → reinforce the "kiss the water" cue on every glide
- Swimmer jumps up instead of pushing off → cue "put your shoulders in the water"; aim for a gentle horizontal push so the glide stays flat on the surface
- Arms out to the sides instead of in front → cue "put your arms out in front of you"; position 11 or as close as possible
- No feedback given during the set → leads to bad habits like lifting the head; ensure targeted, specific feedback on every glide
How you know it worked
The swimmer puts their face in the water willingly, maintains a flat body line with arms in position 11, and is ready to transition to independent streamline without support.
How you teach it
"Kiss the water" is deliberately a gentle, playful cue rather than the more clinical "put your face in the water." It lowers the threat level for a child who is still building trust. The strategy is patience: go slow, master each step, and build a foundation through earned trust. Never let go to let the swimmer fend alone; always support with no surprises, and telegraph every action by demonstrating it first or doing it with another participant.
Repetition is the engine. For Level 2, do over 30 glides each lesson. Repetition builds confidence, grows trust, and demonstrates that the swimmer can cross gaps without standing. Break up the streamlines with challenges so the set doesn't become boring. Silent lessons fail — make sure every glide gets targeted, specific feedback on body position and line, or the swimmer will default to lifting the head.
Focus on body position and kicking in streamline first. Only when the swimmer is consistently good at those, introduce arm strokes. The instructor can stand with their own shoulders in the water; the swimmer reaches out and grabs the instructor's shoulders, which makes the transition from unsupported to supported glide seamless. The distance the swimmer covers on their own increases slowly over time. Avoid support once the swimmer can streamline alone.
Initial jump reluctance comes from fear of being dropped, going under, and falling. Scoop from the wall into hugs, support the hands, and keep the swimmer's face from going under if they are not ready. Over time, excitement and pure fun develop into confident, joyful jumps. The effort you put into positive experiences during supported front glides will blossom into excited independent streamlines later. Fun now leads to joy later.
For support mechanics: hold the hands on front glides and streamlines; pull on the head on back glides. Do fewer arm-circle reps (3–5) rather than long sets, and structure the lesson in sets (e.g., 3 × {5 free arms on deck | 2 jumps in water | 4 streamlines or front glides}) to break up monotony and keep the swimmer fresh.