Safety Rules

1. No one allowed in pool without a certified lifeguard present.
2. No running on pool deck.
3. Glass bottles and containers are not allowed in the pool area.
4. Only one person at a time on the diving board.
5. Diving from the deck is prohibited.
6. All simmers must wear bathing suits.
7. Do not remain in water during thunderstorm.
8. Never dive into water of unknown depth.
9. Do not remain in cold water for excessive periods of time.

Basic skills

Adjusting to water

1. Check the depth.
2. Sit on side of pool with feet in water..
3. Wade waist deep and scull with hands.
4. Submerge repeatedly to chin.
5. Hold onto edge and allow body to lift to surface.

Breath Control: While holding onto edge with feet away. Repeat each several times.

1. Inhale, hold breath, and place face underwater.
2. Inhale, place face underwater, and slowly exhale through the nose.
3. Inhale, submerge face, exhale through nose, mouth, and body steadily as slowly as possible.
4. Do the same but open eyes underwater and count fingers of partner’s hand.

Balance and control

1. Jellyfish: Submerge the face and float in a piked or tucked position. To recover swipe hands down and legs forward to touch bottom.
2. Prone float: With stomach down, raise arms and legs parallel with water surface and told in a floating position. Recover using the same method as the jellyfish.
3. Back float: lay back into floating position on back. Partner supports the back of neck and lower back. To recover, sweep arms down toward pool bottom and tuck knees up.
4. Glides: Crouch and push off the pool bottom and glide into prone position. Do the same but push back into glide position for a back glide. Partners can support the glide.

Moving around: Practice each from a prone and back glide start.

• Kick: With forward or backward glide, move legs up and down with ankles loose and relaxed. For back glide use more of a bent knee kicking motion.
• Dog paddle: Extend arms alternating forward and downward and a press backward under the body. Cup hands on the recovery.
• Finning: Arms extend away from body (at same time) then push water backward toward the feet flipping the hands and wrists. Recover and repeat.

Survival strokes

Beginning Backstroke

1. Spread to knees to hip width moving the feet outward.
2. Whip the legs by squeezing the thighs together.
3. Arms extend away from body (at same time) then push water backward toward the feet.
4. Arms and legs work in unison.

Sidestroke

1. Shoulder should be vertical to water surface.
2. Scissor kick by moving feet into lunge position with legs bent and then forcibly extend legs and bring them together.
3. Under arm is extended straight ahead and then forced down and back to side of body while upper arm rests on side.
4. Upper arm is then used to push back as upper arm is extended forward again during leg kick.
5. Head is kept above water for breathing.
6. Switch to other side to give arms a rest.