Underwater Humming
Swimmers hum a tune with their face in the water – stops water going up the nose and makes breathing out automatic.
- Stages
- Stage 1
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Aquatic Breathing, Submersion
- Equipment
- None
- Age
- 4–99 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 3 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Allow nose clips only as a short-term step; aim to build the humming habit.
What it develops
- Blow bubbles with mouth and nose in the water
How to run it
- Everyone hums a well-known tune above the water together.
- Now hum with mouth in, then with mouth and nose in.
- Ask a swimmer to hum a tune underwater for others to guess.
- Try humming with the whole face in the water.
Teaching cues
- Humming keeps air coming out of the nose.
- Face relaxed – no screwed-up eyes.
- Take a breath in above the water, then hum.
Make it easier
- Hum with only the chin in.
- Hold a partner's hands for support.
Make it harder
- Hum while doing a supported front float.
- Hum while sitting on the pool floor in shallow water.
Common faults
- Stopping the hum and holding breath.
Corrections
- Ask swimmers to keep humming until they come up.
Assistant / L1 role
- Be the 'guess the tune' partner for a less confident swimmer to keep them engaged.