Eyes on the Line
Swimmers keep their eyes on the line on the pool floor – a steady, low head gives a flat body and higher legs.
- Stages
- Stage 4, Stage 5
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Front Crawl, Body Position
- Equipment
- None, Sinkers
- Age
- 6–99 years
- Group size
- 1–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Swimmers looking down need a clear lane – stagger starts.
What it develops
- Swim front crawl with side breathing
- Front crawl with breathing timed to the arm action
How to run it
- Push off and kick or swim front crawl.
- Keep the eyes on the line (or a sinker) on the pool floor directly below.
- Only turn to the side to breathe, then back to the line.
- Partner watches: does the head stay still?
Teaching cues
- Eyes on the line.
- Head still.
- Hips up.
- Turn to breathe, back to the line.
Make it easier
- Kick with a float and look at a sinker.
- Short push and glide looking at the line.
Make it harder
- Full front crawl with side breathing, head still.
- Swim over a line of sinkers without lifting to look.
Common faults
- Looking forwards at the far wall.
- Head bobbing up with each breath.
Corrections
- Tell swimmers you'll call when the wall is near.
- Practise One Goggle In at the wall.
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand at the far end and call 'wall' two strokes before swimmers arrive so they can keep looking down.