#front swim

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Standing Front Crawl

Focuses on introducing arm action and breathing. 

Participants practice arm action and breathing while standing in shallow water.

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Elevator

Focuses on head position.

4th floor: Participants swim head-up (chin on surface) 3rd floor: Participants drop head so mouth is in the water 2nd floor: Participants drop head so nose is in the water 1st floor: Participants place head in proper position

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Reach the Ball

To practice extending arms in front swim, participants perform their front swim pushing a ball with their fingertips.

Modification: Participants can wear a PFD or belt for assisted

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Red Light, Green Light in PFD

While wearing a PFD, participants perform front swim. When the instructor calls out ‘green light’, the participants swim with moderate speed. When the instructor calls out ‘yellow light’, the participants swim with slow speed. When the instructor calls out ‘red light’, the participants stop swimming.

Modification: Use a belt or no assist for stronger swimmers

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Colours

A person is chosen to be 'it'. They get out and stand on the side of the pool facing away from the other players. The other players line up in the pool on one side near the person who is 'it'. The other players pick a color in their mind (but they don't say it out loud). After everyone has made their choice, the person who is 'it' begins saying different colors. When the color that a player has chosen is yelled by the person who is 'it', the player swims to the other side of the pool as quietly as they can. Sometimes more than one player will have chosen the same thing. If 'it' hears any player moving then they can jump or dive into the pool and try to tag them. If they are successful, then the player who was tagged becomes the next 'it'. Otherwise 'it' stays the same. However, if the person who is 'it' turns around and everyone is still touching the side of the pool, it is considered a foul and they must do 5 push ups or do a cannonball or whatever the group decides.

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Race the Shark

The instructor pretends to be a shark and the swimmers have to perform front swim to swim away from the shark. 

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Relay Race

Create a relay with various equipment and/or skills that has a component where swimmers perform 50m of front swim.

i.e. Dive in, swim 50m, dive down to retrieve the ring in deep water then throw the ring into the hula hoop.

i.e. Roll into deep water, swim 50m, then tread for 1 minute Variations: - Medley Relays: perform a variety of water skills, such as different strokes, carries and tows, sculls etc. - Tandem Relays: two or more swimmers link up and race as one body. - Overload Relays: swimmers race the specified distance carrying a weight (such as weight, block, or ball). - Pyramid Relays: a team of two swimmers race the laps alternatively. As each lap is completed, the distance is increased until the ultimate distance is reached. Then, the distance decreased with each swim (i.e. Swimmer 1-one lap, Swimmer 2-two laps, Swimmer 1-three laps, Swimmer 2, two laps, Swimmer 1, one lap). - Novelty Relays: participants perform a novelty strokes, unusual positions, or use equipment to complete their leg of relay (i.e. front crawl arms with whip kick, swim with both arms above water, sit on a noodle).

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French Fry Dips

Have the participants pretend that the entire pool is full of ketchup and that their fingers are french fries that they have to dip into the ketchup. Use this activity when practicing their front swim/crawl arms. 

You can also change it up with chicken fingers and plum sauce.