Tread and Wave
Tread water while signalling for help with one arm – combining two survival skills.
- Stages
- Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Water Safety, Treading Water
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 7–99 years
- Group size
- 1–10 swimmers
- Time
- About 3 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2, Recap / Safe Exit
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Deep water: swimmers stay within reach of the wall or a helper, with a noodle or float ready.
- Explain this signal is for real emergencies outside practice.
What it develops
- Tread water efficiently
- Use floating and signalling for self-rescue
- Scull and tread water with control
- Apply self-rescue and water safety knowledge
- Tread water and scull efficiently for longer
- Water safety and rescue awareness
How to run it
- Tread water in deep water.
- Raise one arm and wave it slowly side to side, calling 'Help!'.
- Swap arms; keep the legs working harder.
- Return to the side and rest.
Teaching cues
- Legs work harder.
- One arm waves, one sculls.
- Shout loud, stay calm.
Make it easier
- Hold a float with the sculling hand.
- Wave for five seconds only.
Make it harder
- Wave for 20 seconds each arm.
- Wave while floating on the back (easier for tired swimmers – discuss why).
Common faults
- Sinking as the arm lifts.
- Both arms waving.
Corrections
- 'Legs do more work when one arm is up.'
- Keep the waving arm relaxed.
Assistant / L1 role
- Watch the swimmers treading and signal the swap between arms.