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Glide Target

Swimmers push and glide to reach a floating hoop target, moving it further away as their glide improves.

Stages
Stage 2, Stage 3
Difficulty
Developing
Skills
Streamlining, Push and Glide
Equipment
Hoops
Age
4–12 years
Group size
1–10 swimmers
Time
About 5 minutes
In a lesson
Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2, Game / Consolidation
Shared by
SwimShare Resource

Safety notes

  • One swimmer per target lane.

What it develops

  • Push and glide on the front
  • Push and glide on the back
  • Streamlined push and glide on front and back

How to run it

  1. Place a floating hoop a short distance from the wall.
  2. Swimmers push and glide on the front and try to reach the hoop without kicking.
  3. Each success moves their personal target a little further.
  4. Repeat on the back, gliding head-first to the target.

Teaching cues

  • Big push.
  • Stay long and still.
  • Eyes down (front), eyes up (back).

Make it easier

  • Target very close.
  • Glide holding a float.

Make it harder

  • Target further than a glide can reach – add kicks for the last part.
  • Glide through the hoop without touching it.

Common faults

  • Kicking straight away instead of gliding.
  • Lifting the head to find the target.

Corrections

  • 'Glide first, legs are sleeping.'
  • Tell them you'll say 'hoop!' when they arrive.

Assistant / L1 role

  • Hold and move the target hoop, telling each swimmer how many 'hands' further their next target is.

Helps with