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Relaxed Treading Ladder

Tread water for short, relaxed rounds that gradually lengthen, with rests at the wall – building efficient treading rather than a test of endurance.

Stages
Swimming – Stage 8, Water Polo – Stage 8, Artistic Swimming – Stage 8
Difficulty
Developing
Skills
Water Safety, Sculling, Treading Water
Equipment
None, Float, Noodle
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, Recap / Safe Exit
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • Deep water: swimmers must be able to swim to the side unaided; keep a rescue aid on poolside.
  • Stop any swimmer showing distress and let them rest at the wall. This is never a 'last one treading' contest.

What it develops

  • Relaxed sculling and treading
  • Tread water and start an eggbeater-style kick
  • Standard and support sculls

How to run it

  1. In deep water, swimmers tread for 20 seconds using sculling hands and a breaststroke-style or alternating leg action, then rest holding the wall.
  2. Repeat for 30 seconds, then 40 seconds, resting between each.
  3. During each round, the teacher gives one focus: slow legs, hands sculling, shoulders relaxed, chin above water.
  4. Finish with swimmers choosing the round length they found comfortable and treading for that time.

Teaching cues

  • Slow, wide legs.
  • Hands scull just under the surface.
  • Breathe normally.
  • Relaxed shoulders.

Make it easier

  • Hold a noodle or float for the first round.
  • Tread close to the wall so it can be grabbed easily.

Make it harder

  • Tread with one hand raised for a few seconds.
  • Change from treading to a back float and back again.

Common faults

  • Frantic, fast kicking that tires quickly.
  • Hands slapping the surface.
  • Leaning back too far.

Corrections

  • 'Slow down – big slow circles with your legs.'
  • 'Hands under the water, flat and moving.'
  • 'Stay tall like you're standing.'

Assistant / L1 role

  • Stand on poolside nearest the deep-water group with a float ready to pass, and tell the teacher immediately if a swimmer grabs for the wall early.

Helps with