Home › Stage 6

Torpedo Scull

On the back with arms stretched above the head, swimmers scull to travel feet-first – a demanding, precise scull.

Stages
Stage 6, Stage 7
Difficulty
Advanced
Skills
Streamlining, Sculling
Equipment
None, Noodle
Age
9–99 years
Group size
1–12 swimmers
Time
About 4 minutes
In a lesson
Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • Someone watches the direction of travel for swimmers.

What it develops

  • Scull and tread water with control
  • Tread water and scull efficiently for longer

How to run it

  1. Float on the back with arms extended beyond the head.
  2. Scull with the hands to travel feet-first.
  3. Keep the body long and still.
  4. Short distances with rests.

Teaching cues

  • Arms long.
  • Tiny hand movements.
  • Body still.

Make it easier

  • Head-first scull first.
  • Noodle under the knees.

Make it harder

  • Alternate torpedo and feet-first scull.
  • Torpedo scull into a gentle kick.

Common faults

  • Arms bending.
  • Hips sinking.

Corrections

  • Tighten the tummy.
  • Smaller, quicker hand movements.

Assistant / L1 role

  • Call distance to the wall for swimmers travelling feet-first.

Helps with