Leveling up in any skill, let alone swimming, is all about making progress.
Great, but what does that mean? Well in Swimming you have to keep learning, and remembering your form IN THE MOMENT. I was telling a swim lesson literally yesterday, that THIS is how to level up...
How + Physics:
Switching it up today, the physics first. Okay, there are four strokes to learn in these lessons: Frontcrawl, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly. Generally I go in that order.
I teach the 3 Simple Steps of Swimming, with them being:
- Kicking legs straight
- Face down
- Arms out, coming back in
Every stroke follows these same steps, and once they are learned. ONLY Then can you try to breathe!
When you follow the steps then each stroke repeats the steps process. Thus beginning a new level for you to obtain.
Why + Philosophy:
The way I like to think of it is that every stroke is a block, and within that block there are each of the 3 steps. Beyond those steps you then have to add breathing to the mix, which acts like a moving block.
Each of the steps contributes to your breathing ability in some way, so each of them can "block" you from properly breathing. Understanding the cycle, the flow of movements, will then allow you to level up.
What + Psychology:
The problem is that flow of the blocks comes from mental focus. Ironically if you can't breath, or don't know how to yet (which is common in early lessons of all ages); Then you're likely to mess up that flow or pattern, and then mess up the learning.
Maintaining a strong focus is key, but it is also really hard sometimes too. It is one step after the other, and you build up enough wiggle room to squeeze in a breathe.
Conclusion
Each stroke is a block of lessons essentially, and how many can't be said right here or now. As each person is different, and they often interleave. Meaning go back and forth to keep up multiple strokes progression.
You also have to learn how to glide properly, which honestly is a block all on its own. How well you do that determines greatly how well you swim.
Additionally, the breathing lessons take quite a while to learn, so even if you level up the 3 steps quickly you might slow to a halt if you can't learn the breathe.
This is advice for people to level up their swimming, or perhaps get started in the first place. While you swim you should make sure you are doing so in a public facility with a lifeguard on duty for safety.
