The sport of swimming offers so many health and social benefits to kids. But like any other sport, it requires a great deal of skill, dedication, and practice. The key to success is learning the right skills from the beginning so that your child can enjoy the sport safely and improve his or her performance with confidence.
The most important aspect of swimming is developing proper body positioning and movement. This is true of all four strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. A streamlined body position and a neutral head position are critical for minimizing drag, which in turn improves stroke efficiency and speed.
Proper hand entry is also essential for a smooth, powerful stroke. To achieve this, your fingers should hang loosely above the water when you enter the water and swing wide as you pull. This allows the arm to be pushed forward into the water rather than pulled out and up, which creates resistance.
Once the arm reaches your thigh, it should transition from pulling to pushing, almost as if you were trying to slap your thigh with the hand. As your hand is reaching up for the catch, you should rotate it so that your pinky leads the recovery. This allows the hand to be pushed through the water with the palm toward your body rather than away from it, which minimizes resistance and increases glide.
As you recover your breath, make sure to breathe every two strokes (or one arm cycle). Breathing too often can reduce the velocity of your stroke by consuming too much energy and causing fatigue. Breath during your stroke can improve your power and increase your endurance.
Good kicking is an important component of a strong swim, but it can be difficult for some beginners to develop. For this reason, it is helpful to utilize a pull buoy to eliminate the need for kicking and concentrate on developing your pull. Pull buoys are small foam devices that can be placed between your thighs while you swim, allowing you to float without the added buoyancy of your kick.
Swimmers should always be aware of their lane space and the swimmers in adjacent lanes. This will help avoid collisions between strokes, and also allow for proper timing when passing. Swimmers should also communicate their lane departures with coaches and facility staff to ensure everyone is safe in the pool.
If you are new to swimming, you should try to plan a workout that is varied and challenging. This will prevent you from becoming bored with your training and also give you a chance to build strength and endurance. Be sure to follow a proper recovery schedule and always speak with your coach or facility staff about any special needs that may affect your ability to swim. For example, if you have any heart or lung conditions, you should consider taking a break during your swim or modifying your intervals when possible. Similarly, if you know that you are a slow swimmer, it is a good idea to swim in a lane that allows for frequent lane changes.