Level 1 - Swimming and Open Water Drown Proofing

Fundamentals of Swimming and Open Water Drown Proofing

Recommended Attendees:  The Level 1 course is a one day course and is for beginning swimmers, those who feel uncomfortable swimming over 50m at a time without feeling tired, or beginning open water swimmers who want to become “drown-proofed” and build confidence through competence gained in a pool setting.

Course Description:  Although principles learned in this course can be applied to swimming any stroke the focus stroke will be freestyle and restful survival strokes. 

Improvements will be made through first understanding what creates efficiency and ease in the water and working to improve these skills with each swimmer. This is accomplished through a series of drill and video based feedback to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of individual strokes. Each stroke is triaged through video analysis to focus on the biggest areas of individual opportunity for improvement.  Classroom time is used to teach fundamental principles, share (or evaluate) individual goals, review videos, suggest process (building blocks or create a pathway) needed to progress or achieve individual goals, general discussion and questions and answer.

This course is strictly a technique based course. Pool time is not designed to be too stressful or difficult however attendees will get enough repetitions of each drill in to see improvements in their abilities.  Higher stress and training courses come at Levels 3, 4, and 5.

By the end of this one day course each swimmer will become “drown-proofed, improve on their ability to be efficient and comfortable in the water and have the tools to continue to improve on their own. 

Course Goal

• Become a more efficient swimmer
• Feel more comfortable in the water
• Understand the fundamentals of efficient swimming
• Learn to control or “fly” the body in the water
• Acquire drown-proofing skills
• Apply skills to pool and open water environment
• Have the tools to continue to self-progress

Take Aways

• Access to private drop box video
• Short Term Personal Plan
• Safe and confident in the water

Syllabus: (can be general or specific and need to discuss)

0830      Classroom: Check in, introductions, course goals reviewed, individual objectives shared

0900      Pool: Optional Pretest and video taken

0930      Pool: Swimming Fundamentals and drown-proofing

1030      Classroom: Fundamentals of Efficient Swimming and video review

1130      Pool: Short review and

1200      Lunch

1300      Classroom: Practical Practices and Implementing improvement cycle

1330      Pool: Progress to Swimming and video

1515      Video review, personal development plans, and Q & A

1630      Adjourn

Items needed for Course:

• Suit
• 2 pairs of goggles
• Water bottle
• Training fins (Zoomers or TYR type short fin)