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Frog Legs on Back

Breaststroke kick on the back, holding a float on the tummy, so swimmers can see their feet turn out.

Stages
Stage 3, Stage 4
Difficulty
Developing
Skills
Backward Travel, Breaststroke Kick
Equipment
Float, Noodle
Age
6–99 years
Group size
1–10 swimmers
Time
About 4 minutes
In a lesson
Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • Clear path behind swimmers travelling on the back.

What it develops

  • Swim about 10 metres on the back
  • Show early actions for all four strokes
  • Show an effective breaststroke leg action

How to run it

  1. Swimmer lies on the back holding a float on the tummy.
  2. Drop the heels down (knees stay under the water), turn the feet out.
  3. Kick round and together, then glide.
  4. Check the feet: can you see them turn out?

Teaching cues

  • Knees stay under.
  • Feet out.
  • Kick and glide.

Make it easier

  • Noodle under the arms.
  • Short distance.

Make it harder

  • Arms by the sides with no float.
  • Arms streamlined overhead.

Common faults

  • Knees coming up out of the water.
  • No glide – kicking continuously.

Corrections

  • 'Drop your heels, not your knees.'
  • Count 'kick, glide, two, three'.

Assistant / L1 role

  • Walk at the swimmer's feet and point out when the feet turn out correctly.

Helps with