The phases of the elementary swimming: getting used to water and dipping yourself under the surface.
The lesson will procede in the speed of the individual student. We will walk in the water, submerge slowly under the surface and stay there for a while holding our breath. Eyes kept open we will blow all the air out of our lungs under the surface. We will keep repeating these excercises until there are no fears or fobias related to water. In other words there is no hurry to come to the surface and you can hold your breath as long under the surface as you could do over the surface.
Floating on your stomach
When floating on our stomach, we are trying to find the absolutely relaxed position and gewt adapted to the idea that the head is always deeper under the surface than legs. This is the primary principle in all swimming styles. You have to be able to float before you can swim. Its important to do this well- this is the way you can rest when swimming longer distances in an open water. Or if you find yourself suddenly too far from the shore this prevents the panic.
Floating on your back
Floating on your back makes it possible to continuously breath while floating and is therefore a powerfull option for relaxing your muscles during the swim. Its important to bent your head and neck fully backwards, only nose and eyes are on the surface. At the same time the hip is let fully open. This way we will learn the streamlined position thinking about bacpaddling and english backstroke. Floating on your back is effective, because you can breath naturally and rest during long distance swimming in open water at a lake or at the sea. This is the way to prevent panic from losing your strenght. This is practiced before going into elementary backpaddle.
Gliding
Gliding is the first step to swimming, this is where we can start to notice the positions effect on the resistance of water. Gliding on your stomach the head is let loose between your shoulders, jaw towards your chest, arms straight forward. The edge of the pool is used to kick speed for the glide. You can use a board in the beginning. Gliding on your back, you keep your palms with your tigs, eyes up, neck bent backwards kick for the glide.
Dogpaddle with your face in the water
The dogpaddle is the first swimming style that can be done without any gear.
This is the first style that the student can use and concider him/herself to be able to swim. In the traditional dogpaddle, the head has always been up to keep water going in the nose and at the same time the visibility foorward has been good. This style is however sluggish, its hard to hold your head up and the legs will easily sink. Its better to swim this style with your face in the water, neck relaxed and the whole body lined with the surface. You only lift the head to breath. Its easier to steer the force from the hands straight backwards to get optimal thrust.
Dogpaddling free style
Even better style is to use the doggstyle with a slight alternation. The breath is taken from the side instead of lifting the head up. Its important to hold your neck fully relaxed, looking down to the bottom.