My Swimming Levels Explained

This is part 0 of a collection of posts for each of my swimming levels for the Mr. Dustin's Swim Academy. If you feel like this level isn't for you. Then I encourage you to check out the other levels, or the complete list, via the swimming tag!

Starting off this is pre-level 1 of course, as if you were level 1 then you could learn yourself. This mainly exists as a placement for infants and slightly older babies, as I did teach a class where a group of a dozen parents and their babies came into the pool. The way you teach an infant is starkly different, than someone who is even a toddler or child, let alone an adult.

It is primarily an exposure to the water. Getting the child used to the idea of being submerged from the neck down, or even just simply belly down, as the pool feels different than just a simple bath.

Some babies love it, and others are terrified. Those latter ones especially need this exposure training. As with any skill in life, the sooner you expose yourself to it, then the faster/often BETTER you will learn it.

In this post I'm going to go over the various points to the reasoning of this level. This particular post will be shorter than the rest, but still is important.

A basic starting point for babies and toddlers, ages from 6mos to 2years~.

This is because once they become a toddler, they essentially age out, or rather INTO level 1. They are old enough to respond to verbal teaching to some degree, or they simply need to physically learn the movements.

As an infant they can't fully move on their own, although I have seen those viral baby training videos too (more on that towards the end).

The point of this Level 0, or even younger children in Level 1 as well, is to help them learn to move in the water. That it is even literally a thing that they can do, a concept that we are teaching them.

Since it is a novel idea to the baby, the parents must move the little one's limbs themselves.

Practicing the three basic actions: Moving arms, kicking legs, and holding breath.

This leads into my 3 Steps of Swimming quite smoothly, that I often mention them a ton in this newsletter.

The act of swimming entails cardinal movements, such as up down, and left right. However you don't know that until you actually do it, which may be surprising to even adults at times.

By training the infants so young, they learn their 3D spatial awareness more deeply, at a younger age. Which helps solidify the concepts, and neuro-connections more ingrained.

As you hold the baby you would put your hand on their stomach, balancing them flat. Then with your other hand you can move their arms into a circular pattern, as if they were scooping water to their belly. You can do this while they're sitting too, but its better with their face closer to the water.

Just be sure not to let them get splashed really, as it will most likely shock, and scare them. Which would be counter intuitive to the water exposure part of the training.

Note: Having another parent help you would be a great idea, as you can focus on holding them, and making them feel better. While the other parent moves both arms in a windmill pattern. One arm up, one arm down.

The next part is moving the legs, which is very much similar to the arms. You want both legs moving, and you want the baby to be supported. Both physically and mentally.

Having the other parent move both legs in a scissor like manner, up and down. While the first parent holds them. This can easily be done with just one person though too, where you lay their armpits onto your forearms, and then you move their thighs with your hands. Supporting and training at the same time.

Exposure to the water environment, and being comfortable in it.

This section is twofold: being okay being in the water, and learning to hold their breath. Which is the last part of the aforementioned "3 basic actions".

I cannot understate this, but do not hold your baby under water.

It might seem as if I'm being too much or "extra" by stating that, but you would be surprised how many times I had to tell parents to stop dunking their babies. Let me explain.

There is a really unique phenomena that will happen, if you blow air into your baby's face. Then it will instinctively hold their breathe in response, and within a few micro-seconds you can quickly dunk the baby into the water.

However I always told my parents to basically only do it once, twice at the most if they respond well to it the first time. However some parents found themselves trying more than once, which can quickly turn into traumatizing the baby in the water.

Which defeats the whole purpose this level.

Disclaimer: 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.

In response to the viral baby self saving swimming videos:

For the life of me I cannot understand how these instructors do it. Maybe I need to get that training, and then I'll understand. However I have trained people to swim for OVER A DECADE. From the ages of 6 months to 70 or 80 years old. Older if you count some of aquatic fitness classes (not swimming).

I've imbued a deep knowledge of psychology and philosophy into my teaching methods, and yet I find it hard to wrap my head around how this training works.

Mainly due to just how babies respond to stimuli, and how humans physically move in the water. Perhaps it is hacking into the fight or flight response, and with the training I mentioned earlier. Perhaps it physically teaches the little one.

Although I still don't recommend it in my professional opinion.