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Rocket Push

Swimmers push off the wall like a rocket into a streamlined front glide.

Stages
Stage 1
Difficulty
Developing
Skills
Front Float, Streamlining, Push and Glide
Equipment
None, Float
Age
4–99 years
Group size
1–10 swimmers
Time
About 5 minutes
In a lesson
Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • Ensure the glide path is clear and swimmers can recover from the front.

What it develops

  • Float on the front with support
  • Push and glide on the front and back

How to run it

  1. Swimmers hold the wall with one hand, feet on the wall behind them.
  2. Arms stretch out in front, one hand on top of the other.
  3. Take a breath, face in, and push hard off the wall.
  4. Glide in a long rocket shape until they slow down, then recover to standing.

Teaching cues

  • Ears squeezed between the arms.
  • Push hard with both feet.
  • Long, thin rocket – legs together.

Make it easier

  • Hold a float out in front.
  • Glide towards the teacher's hands.

Make it harder

  • Push under a noodle bridge.
  • Measure glide distance and try to beat it.

Common faults

  • Lifting the head to look forwards.
  • Pushing off with one foot only.

Corrections

  • 'Look at the floor.'
  • 'Both feet on the wall, squash like a spring.'

Assistant / L1 role

  • Stand at the end of the glide path to catch and help recover swimmers who need it.

Helps with