Lead-Arm Balance Kick
Kick on the side with the lower arm stretched forward and the head resting on it, to find the long, balanced line front crawl is built on.
- Stages
- Swimming – Stage 8
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Rotation, Front Kick, Front Crawl Breathing, Body Position
- Equipment
- None, Float, Short Fins
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 2–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Swim widths in lanes or with enough space between swimmers; stagger starts.
What it develops
- Front crawl: long body line with breathing timed to the pull
How to run it
- Push off on the side with the bottom arm reaching forward and the top arm resting along the side of the body.
- Rest the ear on the extended arm with the face looking at the pool floor; kick steadily from the hips.
- Rotate the head with the body to breathe, keeping the ear on the arm, then return the face to the water.
- Swim one width on each side, then repeat with three kicks breathing, six kicks face down.
Teaching cues
- Ear on your arm.
- Long from fingertips to toes.
- Hips near the surface.
- Turn to breathe – don't lift.
Make it easier
- Hold a float in the lead hand.
- Wear short fins to help the legs stay up (if your pool allows).
Make it harder
- Lift the top hand to point at the ceiling without the hips dropping.
- Add one arm stroke to switch sides every twelve kicks.
Common faults
- Lead arm drifts down towards the pool floor.
- Head lifts forwards to breathe.
- Kick bends from the knees and slows down.
Corrections
- 'Reach to the far wall, not the floor.'
- 'Keep one goggle in the water when you breathe.'
- 'Kick from your hips with long legs.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Walk alongside on poolside level with the swimmer's head and use a hand signal (flat palm) when the lead arm drops, as agreed with the teacher.