13 Nov 2018
The Challenges of Stage 1.
Stage 1 is where all non-swimmers start out, this stage introduces the basics of swimming and starts building water confidence. There is a lot of work which is needed to pass this initial stage and we find that children tend to spend longer in Stage 1 than any other class.
The first thing that beginners need to learn is how to be comfortable in water and how to float horizontally. It often takes a few weeks before swimmers are comfortable enough to practise putting their eyes in the water. It is surprisingly difficult to balance and move in water, especially for children as the water often comes over their shoulders.
To be able to swim properly it is important for children to be able to confidently put their face in the water and blow bubbles. They also need to start getting used to practising their swimming without holding onto the wall or an instructor. Gaining independence is a difficult thing to overcome in Stage 1.
To actually be able to gain some movement swimmers need to practise their leg kick to make sure they are keeping their legs straight and under the water. These can be practised using floats and other aids.
Once these basic fundamentals are completed we can then move children into a deeper section of the pool to start increasing their swimming distances and working on their pool safety. It is at this point where we can move them into the next Stage so they can keep working on their technique.
In our classes we also practice Jumping and collecting sinkers from the bottom of the pool. This is to increase confidence and show how fun swimming can be. If you are interested in why we practice jumping from poolside, read India’s blog below.
