Next step - Gliding (on the front)
So if your actually following along then by this stage you would of learnt the basic foundations of swimming- breathing and floating. Both of which are extremely important and are ignored far too often. But what about actually moving through the water effortlessly? Your about to find out;
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Gliding
By far the easiest way to move, ignore people who say sculling is because leaning to scull properly (especialy feet first) is not easy to learn, nor is it to teach for that matter. It is a very helpful skill however.
Gliding is easy, (on the front at least). You've done the hard bit already which is floating PROPERLY and hopefuly your head position is correct (looking down, not forwards). All you have to do is push off the wall and hold the pencil float position.
There are a few ways to glide, it depends on the depth of the water but lets progress from what I belive the most basic to more advanced;
Note: With all these make sure your shoulders are under the water and you put your head down/face in before you push off.
DO NOT push off and then put your face in, your lower body will sink and that fear of the water will come right back. Not good.
Here is my gliding progression;
**The arm position (pencil)** * Place one arm straight in front of you, **palm facing down** * * place your other hand ontop wrist to wrist so both palms face **down.** * Either have fingers closed/cupped or interlock them.
**Push off floor ** * Get low, shoulders underwater. * Arms ready either pencil or parelel in front of you in the water. **Palms facing down** * Take a breath, face in and lean into it. * Hold for at least 5 seconds, exhaling the whole time.
**Single foot push off** * One foot on the wall, one on the floor. * Same as before but your pushing off the wall this time, not the floor. * Just let that legs naturally rise to the surface into the pencil potition. * Hold for at least 5 seconds
**Two feet push off/arms by side** To push with two feet you need to hold on. Have both thumbs facing outwards and your elbows should be locked straight. * Still holding on, let your body lean away from the wall. * Your arms should be straight but relaxed so your literally just using your fingers to hold on. * Now head down, push off and let your arms relax by your side.
**2 feet push off Streamline (arms extended)** * Hold on to the wall as before. * Take a breath, face in the water. * Bring arms/hands underneath your body to outstretched in front of you. * Push off and hold the glide
**Sink, push and glide** Exactly the same except you want to sink underwater slightly first before you push off.
Master the last one, because you'll be doing this alot from now on.
Next...
Push and glide progression on the back.