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Water Familiarization and Adjustment to the Pool Environment Just as motor skills development is the first vital step for beginner land-sports athletes, water familiarization and adjustment is the first critical stage for beginner aquatics athletes. This Learn to Swim Program will prepare athletes for progression through all stages of aquatics training and competition. Missed or omitted components will hinder swimmers at some stage of their swimming and will need to be taught.   Goals These skills are subtly taught through activities, actions and games. Following are descriptions of the stages.     Security Mental Adjustment to Water — Water Confidence Control of Body Resistance to and the Control of Rotation — Water Orientation Swimming The Final Stage   Mental Adjustment — Water Confidence Mental adjustment is a continuous factor throughout the program and is of prime importance in the early stages of taking an athlete into the water. After a full familiarization with the pool environment, including toilets, change rooms, and start preparation for entry to the pool, talk with your athletes about what to expect regarding water temperature, depth, how buoyancy affects the body, resistance (weight of water) and head control (blow water away when it comes near face).   Breathing in the Water Getting athletes to feel safe and have trust in the water is key to their success. Teach your athletes to breathe in their hands regularly to help develop water confidence. In addition, having athletes blow bubbles while in the water is a good technique to develop water confidence.   Blowing Bubbles         Blowing Bubbles (Dartfish)   The athlete who is "swimming" with a crawl stroke with his/her face well clear of the water, because he/she is worried about splashes and water near the face, has failed to be properly adjusted to the water environment. Familiarization of the swimmer with this new environment and water medium is best achieved through play for both young and adult swimmers. Such play is directed toward developing an understanding of the properties of water.   Disengagement This is a gradual progress from the earliest stage, when the athlete's reliance on someone else is complete, to the time when the athlete performs all tasks independently. When skills have been learned thoroughly, and the athlete is progressing to new skills, he/she may have to re-engage and gradually disengage again as proficiency increases — part of mental adjustment.   Vertical Rotation Vertical rotation is one of the two planes of rotation in the water. Vertical is rotation forward around one's center of buoyancy.   Lateral Rotation Lateral rotation is the other plane of rotation and can be performed either in the vertical or horizontal positions — that is standing or lying. These skills are required to return to a safe breathing position and require many separate skills to achieve.   Combined Rotation Combined rotation is a combination of the two rotations and is the ability to rotate in two directions, ensuring that a swimmer can recover to a safe breathing position under any circumstances. This ability is required for safe pool entry for many athletes with disabilities affecting their spine or legs.   The swimmer can create or control movements occurring in both the vertical and horizontal planes. The athlete can fall forward into the water, rotate onto their back and, if desired, recover to the upright (standing) position.   Up Thrust Up thrust or buoyancy is a property of water and allows the athlete to work against the bottom of the pool.   Balance is Stillness This is the ability to stand, sit, kneel or lie in water and balance, not allowing the body to be disturbed by the movement of water.   Turbulent Gliding Turbulent gliding is a means of progression through water. With the athlete in the back float position, the coach creates turbulence by standing at the swimmer's head and moving backward. The swimmer is drafted along by the "tow" of the water. The swimmer must control his/her body to keep it in balance.   Simple Progression Simple progression is the development from turbulent gliding to a point where swimmers use their hands to make small scuttling movement at their sides. This ability to balance while creating movement is confined to the hands and kept close to the body around the center of buoyancy to start. Gradually, body movement can be broadened to include the legs.   Basic Backstroke The basic backstroke can now be developed from the simple progression. In the back position, the arms are lifted high out of the water or the body will sink. The arms are taken low and fast over the water at about 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions. The arms are then brought to the sides and the swimmer glides before taking another stroke. A kicking action can be used.

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