Treading Water Basics
Upright in deep water with a noodle, swimmers learn slow cycling legs and flat sculling hands – then gradually loosen the noodle.
- Stages
- Stage 4, Stage 5
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Sculling, Treading Water
- Equipment
- Noodle
- Age
- 6–99 years
- Group size
- 1–8 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Deep water: swimmers stay within reach of the wall or a helper, with a noodle or float ready.
What it develops
- Tread water for a short time
- Tread water efficiently
How to run it
- Hold a noodle under the arms in deep water near the wall.
- Legs make slow, big cycling circles; hands scull flat just under the surface.
- Loosen the grip on the noodle for five seconds, then ten.
- Finish by letting go completely for a short count.
Teaching cues
- Slow legs.
- Flat hands.
- Chin on the water.
- Breathe calmly.
Make it easier
- Hold the wall with one hand.
- Two noodles.
Make it harder
- Tread without the noodle for 20 seconds.
- Switch to breaststroke kick or egg-beater legs.
Common faults
- Fast, panicky kicking that tires quickly.
- Hands slapping the surface.
- Leaning back and floating.
Corrections
- 'Slow legs save energy.'
- 'Hide your hands under the water.'
- Stay upright – shoulders over hips.
Assistant / L1 role
- Stay in the water beside swimmers who are new to deep water, holding a spare noodle.