Star to Rocket
Swimmers float as a star, then squeeze into a rocket shape and push off the floor into a glide – linking floating and gliding.
- Stages
- Stage 2
- Difficulty
- Developing
- Skills
- Front Float, Streamlining, Push and Glide
- Equipment
- None, Float
- Age
- 5–99 years
- Group size
- 1–10 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Clear glide path in front of each swimmer.
What it develops
- Float on front and back and return to standing
- Push and glide on the front
How to run it
- Swimmers take a front star float.
- On 'Rocket!', they bring the arms and legs together into a long, thin shape.
- Put feet down, push off the floor and glide in the rocket shape.
- Stand up when the glide stops.
Teaching cues
- Wide star, then squeeze thin.
- Push the floor away.
- Arms by your ears.
Make it easier
- Do the star and rocket holding a float.
- Assistant supports at the tummy.
Make it harder
- Do it on the back.
- Glide into a few kicks.
Common faults
- Standing up fully between star and push.
- Arms separating during the glide.
Corrections
- Only the feet touch down – body stays low.
- 'Hands on top of each other, like a rocket tip.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Stand where the glides finish and help swimmers who struggle to recover from the rocket shape.