Moonwalk
Slow-motion backwards travel using sculling hands – a gentle intro to moving without walking.
- Stages
- Stage 1
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Backward Travel, Buoyancy
- Equipment
- None, Noodle
- Age
- 5–99 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Swimmers should check behind them before travelling.
What it develops
- Move backwards about 5 metres
How to run it
- Swimmers stand with shoulders under the water and hands out in front.
- Show a 'polishing the table' movement: hands sweep in and out, palms pushing water forwards.
- Walk slowly backwards while sculling, like walking on the moon.
- Progress to lifting the feet for a moment while the hands keep working.
Teaching cues
- Shoulders under.
- Palms push the water away from you.
- Slow and smooth, like the moon.
Make it easier
- Walk backwards with a noodle under the arms.
Make it harder
- Lie on the back with a noodle under the arms and scull head-first.
Common faults
- Hands splashing on the surface.
- Standing too tall.
Corrections
- 'Hands stay hidden underwater.'
- 'Sit in a small chair' to bring shoulders down.
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand behind swimmers as a 'safe wall' they travel towards.