Home › Artistic Swimming – Stage 8
Balance Point Float
Swimmers experiment with arm position in a back float to find their own balance point – where the legs stay up without kicking.
- Stages
- Artistic Swimming – Stage 8
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Buoyancy, Back Float, Body Control
- Equipment
- None
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 1–20 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1, Recap / Safe Exit
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Standing depth; swimmers should know how to stand up from a back float.
What it develops
- Float and balance in different positions
How to run it
- Float on the back with arms by the sides and notice whether the legs sink.
- Slowly move the arms out to the sides, then above the head, pausing at each position.
- Find the arm position where the body floats flattest with the least effort.
- Hold the balance point for ten seconds, then share what you found with a partner.
Teaching cues
- Move your arms slowly.
- Notice your legs.
- Relax and breathe.
Make it easier
- A partner gently supports the head.
Make it harder
- Keep the balance point while one leg bends with the toe at the opposite knee.
Common faults
- Tensing up and arching.
- Moving the arms too quickly.
Corrections
- 'Soft shoulders, tummy up.'
- 'Tiny movements, then wait.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Support the head of any swimmer the teacher asks you to, and ask them what they noticed after each arm position.