Backstroke Streamline Kick-Out
A tight streamline off the wall on the back, head between the arms, then kick to the surface – fixing the head-up, arms-apart push-off.
- Stages
- Swimming – Stage 8, Swimming – Stage 9
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Streamlining, Push and Glide, Backstroke
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 1–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Keep any underwater phase short and controlled; no breath-holding challenges.
- Leave space between swimmers pushing off from the same wall.
What it develops
- Streamlined push-offs, turns and finishes
- Turns with a streamlined underwater phase and breakout
How to run it
- Hold the wall facing it, feet on the wall about hip depth.
- Let go, lean back and push away with arms squeezed above the head, hands stacked and head tucked between the arms.
- Glide just under or at the surface, breathing out gently through the nose, then kick to the surface and start backstroke.
- Partners judge the streamline: arms behind ears, hands locked, toes pointed.
Teaching cues
- Ears behind your arms.
- Hands stacked and locked.
- Breathe out gently through your nose.
- Kick before you lose speed.
Make it easier
- Push off at the surface with arms by the sides first, then progress to arms above.
- Hold a float above the head in streamline.
Make it harder
- Add three to five small back kicks in streamline before surfacing.
- Push off on the side and roll onto the back.
Common faults
- Chin lifts and the head sits in front of the arms.
- Water goes up the nose.
- Hands apart.
Corrections
- 'Hide your head between your arms.'
- 'Hum out through your nose.'
- 'Top hand grabs the bottom thumb.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand at the wall and give each swimmer a go signal when the space in front is clear, so push-offs are staggered.