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Lesson 3

Pushing and Gliding

Ages 5+ 10 min Where they can stand

This is the first taste of unsupported movement through water. Pushing off and gliding helps a swimmer trust the water to hold them while they move, not just while they float in place.

Step by step

1. Back pushes

1

Supported back push

  1. Have the swimmer hold the edge of the wall with both hands, bum down toward the floor, knees tucked into the chest, and toes pressing against the wall.
  2. Staying in this position, have the swimmer tip their chin up to the sky so their head rests flat in the water.
  3. Stand a few steps behind their head, with your arms open and ready to catch.
  4. To launch like a rocket, the swimmer pushes with their feet and lets go of the wall, gliding into your arms.
  5. Repeat a couple of times to get comfortable.
2

Back push and glide

  1. Once the swimmer is comfortable with supported pushes, start with the same wall hold and chin up to the sky.
  2. This time, stand a few feet away and off to the side.
  3. Have the swimmer push off, keeping their chin up to the sky.
  4. Bring the arms out into Sally Starfish (arms and legs spread wide, like in the Floating and Flipping lesson) and settle into a back float.
  5. Stay close to help if needed, but only step in if you have to.

2. Front pushes

3

Front push into a float

  1. Start with both feet on the pool floor, back to the wall, and arms stretched out in front on the surface like a rocket ship.
  2. When ready, take a deep breath, put the face under the water with the chin down, and push off with both feet.
  3. As the feet leave the wall, keep the chin down and blow bubbles slowly.
  4. Switch the arms from rocket ship to Sally Starfish, and do the same with the legs.
Important

Stay close to the swimmer and be ready to jump in and support them. Front pushes into floats are trickier because the face is in the water too.

Tip

If a swimmer stops gliding and stands up early, that is usually confidence, not ability. Stand closer at first, then back away a little at a time as the glide gets longer.

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