Five Kicks Off the Wall
After every push-off, swimmers take a set number of small dolphin or flutter kicks in streamline before breaking out – controlled underwater skill, never a breath-holding test.
- Stages
- Swimming – Stage 9, Swimming – Stage 10
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Skills
- Streamlining, Dolphin Kick, Turns
- Equipment
- None
- Age
- 9–99 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 6 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Underwater phases are short and controlled: a set number of kicks, never 'as far as you can'.
- No hyperventilation, breath-holding games or distance challenges underwater.
- Teacher watches every swimmer surface.
What it develops
- Turns with a streamlined underwater phase and breakout
- Starts, turns and finishes as part of a swim
How to run it
- Push off in a tight streamline just under the surface.
- Take three small, fast kicks (dolphin or flutter), breathing out gently, then kick to the surface and swim.
- Progress to five kicks when three feel controlled.
- Use it on every wall during a short set so it becomes part of normal swimming.
Teaching cues
- Small, fast kicks.
- Stay tight and shallow.
- Breathe out gently.
- Surface while still moving.
Make it easier
- Two kicks only, staying near the surface.
Make it harder
- Kick on the side for the underwater phase, rolling to the front as you break out.
Common faults
- Diving deep after the push-off.
- Big, slow kicks that stop the glide.
- Staying under too long.
Corrections
- 'Aim along the surface, just under it.'
- 'Quick little kicks from your tummy.'
- 'Count your kicks, then up.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Watch each swimmer surface at your end and raise a hand straight away if anyone stays under longer than the agreed kick count.