Swim Skills Guidelines

Adult Swim Skills

Basic Swim for the Water Shy Adult

• Tread water for 30 seconds
• Float on front with relaxed muscles and face in the water, blowing bubbles
• Float on back with relaxed muscles
• Proper freestyle flutter kick with flotation device
• Swim 12 yards freestyle with any kind of breathing
• Proper backstroke kick with flotation device
• Elementary backstroke with a flotation device
• Retrieve an object from 4 ½ feet deep
• Comfortably float or swim in deep end

Beginning Adult Swim Stroke and Technique

• Tread for one minute
• 25 yards freestyle with proper flutter kick, arm rotations and alternate breathing
• 25 yards backstroke with proper kick and arm rotation
• 25 yards breaststroke with proper kick and arm movement, breathing every stroke
• 25 yards elementary backstroke, body undulations kick for 12 yards
• Introduction to diving off side of deep end, comfortable swimming in deep end without float

Intermediate Adult Swim Stroke and Technique

• Tread water for 2 minutes
• Standing dive in deep end, retrieve an object from 5-7 ft.
• 50 yards freestyle with proper body position, rotation, kick and arm rotations
• 50 yards backstroke with proper body position, rotation, kick and arm rotations
• 50 yards breaststroke with proper kick, arms, coordination and breathng every stroke
• 25 yards butterfly with proper body undulations, correct arms and breathing every other stroke
• Introduction to flip turns and open turns for appropriate stroke

Youth Swim Skills

Level 1 Basic Swim for the Water Shy Youth: Ages 5+

• Enter and exit the pool correctly without the ladder
• 5 relaxed bobs (completely under water) with bubbles
• Blow bubbles into the water through nose only
• Float on front and back relaxed
• Float with head in the water and blow bubbles
• Keep head up and have synchronized arm movements out of the water and kick
• Jump from side of the shallow end from sitting or standing, not plugging nose
• Retrieve a ring from 1-2 feet
• Float and swim head up or down in deep water with float
• Proper flutter kick on front and back with a float
• Intro to treading arms and leg movements.
• Intro elementary backstroke with float

Level 2 Youth Swim Beginner: Ages 5+

• Tread water for 30 seconds with eyes and ears out of water
• 10 relaxed bobs with nose bubbles
• Unassisted front and back arrow, no arm/leg movement
• Proper freestyle flutter kick with flotation device
• Swim 10 yards freestyle with any kind of breathing (in or out of water) independently
• Proper backstroke flutter kick with flotation device
• Backstroke introduction with rotating arms and proper kick
• Elementary backstroke, unassisted
• Retrieve a ring from 4 1/2ft deep, with assistance if needed
• Jump from side of the deep end with a flotation device
• Sitting dive from side of deep end with assistance

Level 3 Youth Swim Intermediate: Ages 5+

• Tread water for 1 minute
• 20 relaxed bobs with nose bubbles
• Tight, hand over hand streamline on front and back, no kicking
• Stream line hands with body undulations (dolphin kick) 
• Retrieve a ring from 4 1/2feet deep, unassisted
• 1/2 lap (25 yards) freestyle with proper flutter kick and arm rotations and alternate breathing, unassisted
• 1/2 lap (25yd) backstroke with proper flutter kick and arm rotations, unassisted
• 1/2 lap (25yd) breaststroke with proper kick and arm movements, must breathe every stroke w/ correct timing, unassisted
• Jump off the diving board and swim back to side and climb out unassisted
• Kneeling dive from the side of the deep-end

Level 4 Youth Swim Advanced: Ages 5+

• Tread water for 2 minutes.     
• Retrieve a ring from 5-7 feet.    
• 1 lap (50yards) freestyle.
  • Proper body position.           
  • Proper body rotation.        
  • Correct Kick.                
  • Correct arm rotation
• 1 lap (50yards) backstroke
  • See freestyle
• 1 lap (50yards) breaststroke
  • Proper kick
  • Proper arms
  • Proper Coordination
  • Breathing every stroke
• 1-2 Lap (25 yards) Butterfly
  • Proper body undulation
  • Correct arms
  • Breathing every/every other stroke
  • Jump off diving board and tread for 1 minute
  • Standing dive into streamline

Competitive Edge Swim Skills

Level 5 Competitive Edge Beginner: Ages 7+

• Tread water for 3 minutes.               
• Retrieve a ring from 7-9ft.               
• 1 1/2 lap (75 yards) continuous freestyle.
  • Proper body position.                    
  • Proper body rotation.                  
  • Correct kick.                          
  • Correct arm rotation
• 4.1 1/2 lap (75yards) Backstroke
  • “See freestyle”
• 1 1/2 lap (75 yards) breaststroke
  • Proper kick
  • Proper arms
  • Coordination, breathing every stroke
• 1 lap (75 yards) butterfly
  • Proper body undulations
  • Correct arms
• Breathing every/every other stroke
• Perform freestyle flip turn into streamline

Level 6 Competitive Edge Intermediate: Ages 7+

• Tread water for 5 minutes.                          
• 4 lap (200 yards) continuous freestyle.
  • Proper body position.                
  • Proper body rotation.                 
  • Correct kick.                        
  • Correct arm rotation.              
• 4 lap (200yards) Backstroke.
  • “See freestyle”
• 4.1 lap (200 yards) breaststroke
  • Proper kick
  • Proper arms
  • Coordination, breathing every stroke
• 2 laps (100yards) butterfly
  • Proper body undulations
  • Correct arms
  • Breathing every/every other stroke
• Perform proper turns, laps, all strokes
  • 200IM (50 each stroke) with turns, no stopping