Artistic Swimming – Stage 9 swimming activities

Developing control: sculling in different positions, body positions with full extension, smooth transitions, controlled submersion and surfacing, rotations and moving to counts. Outcomes are SwimShare focus areas.

Artistic Swimming · 35 activities.

Outcomes

  • Sculling in a variety of positions
  • Body positions with full extension
  • Smooth transitions between positions
  • Controlled submersion and surfacing
  • Move to counts and rhythm

Activities

  • Artistic Warm-Up Swim – An easy warm-up linking strokes, sculls and layouts – one width each – to loosen up and switch on body control.
  • Back Layout Hold – The basic artistic swimming position: body straight on the surface, face, chest, thighs and toes at the surface, held with a support scull.
  • Back Tuck Somersault – From a tuck on the back, roll backwards in a tight ball using the hands, surfacing in a back layout – a controlled, introductory rotation.
  • Bent-Knee Lift Preparation – From a back layout, slide one foot up the other leg to a bent knee and hold it – the preparation for leg lifts, kept firmly at introductory level.
  • Body Tension Check – Hold a rigid straight body on the back while a partner gently moves you by the feet – if you stay in one piece, your body tension is ready for positions, entries and rotations.
  • Circle Formation Swim – A small group forms a circle, swims it round together, then opens and closes it on counts – learning to keep a formation.
  • Cool-Down Float and Stretch – A calm finish: easy swim, gentle floating and simple stretches in the water, with a quick recap of the lesson aim.
  • Count the Eights – Swimmers learn to count in eights (as music is counted) and start, change and finish simple movements exactly on the count.
  • Eggbeater High Five – Pairs eggbeater face to face and rise up to give each other high fives on the call – fun repetitions of the lift used for passing and shooting.
  • Eggbeater Introduction – From wall to open water: swimmers use the eggbeater kick to stay upright, first with sculling hands, then with hands resting on the surface.
  • Feet-First Surface Dive – From treading water, swimmers push down with the hands and sink feet-first with a streamlined body to reach the floor.
  • Forward Tuck Somersault – From a front layout, tuck and roll forwards in a tight ball, finishing back on the surface – calm, controlled rotation.
  • Hips-Up Sculling Check – Partners check that the hips stay at the surface while sculling, using a light touch cue and short holds – a direct fix for sinking hips.
  • Layout, Tuck, Layout Transitions – A short chain of positions – back layout, tuck, front layout, back layout – moving on counts without losing height.
  • Mirror Partner Sculling – Two swimmers face each other sculling and one leads simple movements while the other mirrors – the start of synchronisation.
  • One-Arm Wave in Layout – Scull in a back layout with one hand while the other arm lifts slowly out of the water and waves – keeping the body steady as the support changes.
  • Partner Synchronisation Challenge – Pairs perform the same four-move sequence side by side and score points for starting, changing and finishing together.
  • Pencil Sink and Rise – From an upright position, sink calmly in a straight pencil shape, then rise back to the surface with control – the first controlled submersion.
  • Poolside Arm Rehearsal – Rehearse a routine's arm movements and counts sitting on the poolside before trying them in the water – common practice in artistic swimming.
  • Position Chain Calls – The teacher calls positions in a random order and swimmers change smoothly – testing control, memory and transitions.
  • Rhythm Eggbeater Bounce – Eggbeater to a beat, rising a little higher on every eighth count – linking leg strength, rhythm and group timing.
  • Routine Review Circle – Finish with a calm back float in a circle, then each swimmer names one move they're proud of and one to practise.
  • Scull Switch – Change between sculls on the teacher's call – stationary, head-first, feet-first, spinning – without losing the back layout.
  • Sculling Shapes Relay – A relay where each leg uses a different scull – head-first, feet-first, canoe – with points for control, not speed.
  • Shape Freeze in the Water – A game: swimmers move freely, then freeze into the shape the teacher calls – layout, tuck, star, pencil – and are scored on control and stillness.
  • Side Layout Hold – Float on the side in a straight line with the top arm along the body and the bottom arm sculling – builds balance in a new position.
  • Smooth Speed Control – Perform the same movement – a roll, a tuck or an arm shape – at three speeds on the counts, learning to control speed rather than rush.
  • Spinning Scull – Rotate on the spot in a back layout by sculling with one hand pushing towards the head and the other towards the feet – like a slow clock hand.
  • Support Scull on the Spot – Hold a back layout completely still beside a floating marker using a support scull – the skill behind every stationary artistic position.
  • Synchronised Entries – Pairs enter the water together feet-first on a count and surface into the same pose – practising a routine's opening.
  • Synchronised Stroke Swim – Pairs or trios swim a width of front crawl, backstroke or breaststroke side by side with arms entering at exactly the same time.
  • Torpedo Scull – On the back with arms stretched above the head, swimmers scull to travel feet-first – a demanding, precise scull.
  • Tub Turn – Sitting in a 'tub' (knees tucked, shins on the surface), swimmers scull to spin round – great for control and confidence.
  • Tuck Sink and Surface – Sink slowly in a tuck, then open and surface in a chosen position – practising controlled underwater shapes and graceful surfacing.
  • Tuck to Back Layout – From a back layout, draw the knees in to a tuck on the surface and extend again – the first transition in artistic swimming.