Treading water

• Arms: When moving arms laterally forward, hands are at about 45 degrees with thumbs facing forward and up. While moving hands back, thumbs face down and hand angled. Can move simultaneously or alternating.
• Scissor kick: move feet into lunge position with legs bent and then forcibly extend legs and bring them together. Alternate feet each time.
• Rotary kick (eggbeater): Circle feet back, then out (extending feet wider than knee), forward, and down with an alternating pattern between feet. Keep in constant motion.
• Flutter kick: similar to craw stroke with feet and ankles relaxed.
• Whip kick: Bring knees under body with heels together then flex ankles and move them out, and forcibly down simultaneously.

Competitive strokes

Breaststroke

• Whip kick: Bring knees under body with heels together then flex ankles and move them out, back then in.
• Glide fully extended with arms forward until momentum is spent.
• Bend elbows until hands face feet and push back.
• Bring hands together below chin and move them forward as the kick takes place.

Drill: practice kick first with float board then progress to the arm action.

Crawl

• Flutter kick with feet keeping ankles relaxed.
• Think: entry, catch, pull, push, release, recovery.
• Fingers enter water first with arm stretched forward.
• Start pull with wrist flexed and then bend arm for leverage.
• As arm passes under chest the push phase follows.
• Upon release of the push, the catch should take place with the other hand.
• The shoulder and elbow should be lifted above the water for the recovery.
• Arms alternate and are always opposite each other.

Drills:

• Practice kick first with float board then progress to the arm action.
• Practice kick along with breathing technique turning face to side to breath.

Backstroke

1. Flutter kick with feet keeping ankles relaxed.
2. Arm enters water straight with little finger first no more than 6 inches outside shoulder width.
3. Pull can be done with straight or bent arm starting shallow and then moving deeper.
4. As the pull is released nearing the leg, the entry of the other arm begins.
5. Release the arm out of the water thumb first and recover with arm straight above head.

Drill: Practice kick while partner supports back.

Butterfly

1. Legs move in unison in wavelike action like dolphin.
2. Arms enter in front of head pressing downward into a short lateral spread.
3. Follow the shape of an hourglass underwater.
4. Exit the water in unison bilaterally and recover to entry point

Drills:

• Practice kick underwater while holding breath. Use fins if available.
• Practice arm stroke by walking in waist deep water bent over with chin above water.
• Practice entire stroke.

Activity: If time allows, play a game of water polo, emphasizing use of the treading techniques.