Home › Stage 1

Tuck and Stand

Recovery from a front float: knees to chest, press the water down, feet down, stand.

Stages
Stage 1
Difficulty
Beginner
Skills
Water Confidence, Front Float, Water Safety
Equipment
None, Float
Age
3–99 years
Group size
1–10 swimmers
Time
About 3 minutes
In a lesson
Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • Teach this before any front floating without support.

What it develops

  • Float on the front with support
  • Return to standing from a float

How to run it

  1. Start from a front float holding a float or the teacher's hands.
  2. Pull the knees in towards the chest.
  3. Press both hands down and back on the water, lifting the head.
  4. Place feet on the floor and stand tall.

Teaching cues

  • Knees first, head second.
  • Press the water down with both hands.
  • Stand tall and wipe your face if you want.

Make it easier

  • Practise holding the wall: float, tuck, stand.
  • Assistant holds the swimmer's hands.

Make it harder

  • Recover from a push and glide without equipment.

Common faults

  • Lifting the head first so the legs stay behind.
  • Arms flailing instead of pressing down.

Corrections

  • 'Knees to nose.'
  • 'Push the table down' with the hands.

Assistant / L1 role

  • Hold both hands and gently draw the swimmer into the tuck to show how it feels.

Helps with