Home › Artistic Swimming – Stage 8
Mushroom to Starfish
Tuck into a mushroom float, then open slowly into a starfish on the front – controlled changes of shape with calm breathing.
- Stages
- Artistic Swimming – Stage 8
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Buoyancy, Front Float, Body Control
- Equipment
- None
- Age
- 8–99 years
- Group size
- 1–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Introduction / Warm-up, Skill Development 1
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Standing depth; short, comfortable face-in time; teacher watches every swimmer return to standing.
What it develops
- Float and balance in different positions
- Basic body positions
How to run it
- Take a breath, tuck the knees to the chest and hold them so the back floats at the surface (mushroom).
- Slowly open out into a starfish on the front, face in the water.
- Lift the head to breathe and stand, or roll onto the back.
- Repeat, making each change slower and smoother.
Teaching cues
- Calm breath before you go.
- Open slowly.
- Stand up safely.
Make it easier
- Hold the mushroom for a moment only, then stand.
Make it harder
- From starfish, roll onto the back into a back layout without standing.
Common faults
- Rushing to open.
- Panicking when face-in.
Corrections
- 'Slow-motion opening.'
- 'Breathe out gently through your nose.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand near any less confident swimmer the teacher names and be ready to help them stand up, without holding them unless needed.