Single-Arm Front Crawl
One arm works while the other stays extended in front – isolates the arm action and breathing to the working side.
- Stages
- Stage 4, Stage 5
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Front Crawl Arms, Front Crawl Breathing
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 6–99 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
What it develops
- Swim front crawl with side breathing
- Front crawl with breathing timed to the arm action
How to run it
- Push off; one arm stays extended holding a float or stretched in front.
- The other arm does full front crawl strokes.
- Breathe to the side of the working arm as it pulls back.
- Swap arms each width.
Teaching cues
- Reach long.
- Push back to your thigh.
- Breathe as your arm goes back.
- Other arm stays still.
Make it easier
- Hold a float in the resting hand.
- Breathe forwards first, then learn to turn.
Make it harder
- No float; resting arm by the side (harder balance).
- Three strokes left, three right, three full stroke.
Common faults
- Resting arm sinks or waves about.
- Breathing late – after the arm has recovered.
- Hand entering across the head.
Corrections
- Use a float so the front arm has a job.
- 'Turn your head as your hand passes your hip.'
- 'Hand goes in in front of your shoulder.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand on the breathing side and give a thumbs up when the head turns with the pull, not after.