Six-Kick Switch
Six kicks on one side, one stroke to roll through to the other side – teaches rotation and breathing without stopping the kick.
- Stages
- Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Rotation, Coordination, Front Crawl Breathing
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 7–99 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
What it develops
- Front crawl with breathing timed to the arm action
- Swim with fewer, longer strokes
- Efficient front crawl with rotation and rhythmic breathing
- Improve stroke efficiency on all strokes
- Efficient front crawl over distance
- Keep technique and stroke count as distance increases
How to run it
- Kick on the side, lower arm extended, face down.
- After six kicks, take one front crawl stroke with the top arm and roll to the other side.
- Breathe on the roll when needed.
- Keep kicking the whole time.
Teaching cues
- Six kicks, switch.
- Roll from the hips.
- Keep the legs going.
- Long arm in front.
Make it easier
- Kick on one side only for a width, then swap.
- Hold a float in the leading hand.
Make it harder
- Three-kick switch.
- Switch every stroke and breathe every three – almost full stroke with rotation.
Common faults
- Stopping the kick on the switch.
- Flat body – shoulders don't rotate.
- Crossing the leading hand over the centre line.
Corrections
- Count the kicks out loud together.
- 'Show me your shoulder then your other shoulder.'
- Lead hand stays in line with the shoulder, like on a train track.
Assistant / L1 role
- Count kicks for one swimmer at a time and signal the switch if they lose count.