Swimming lessons, techniques for diving, going under water.

[admylin]

Dd aged 10 has to go to swimming lessons with school until she has her bronze level (in Germany the 2nd level for swimming, starts with the seahorse badge then bronze, silver and gold etc. She is a really good swimmer, but she can't go under water or jump in.

She's been off for ages due to having shingles but this Friday I think she can go back. Up to now the teacher just says 'now jump in' and the dc who don't want to jump in get sent to the end of the pool to swim up and down for a whole 45 minutes, that isn't going to teach them how to jump in and go under water. There is a group of dc who already have the seahorse badge and a group who doesn't but they can all swim.

Does anyone know of some sort of technique to teach them to go under? Should I say something to the swimming teacher? Should I just leave it as it is and hope she eventually turns her attention to the 2 dc who can't jump in? I know from experience that you have to be careful with teachers here in Germany so they don't feel insulted or critisised in any way so I have to word it carefully if I do speak to her.

can you take her yourself so she's not under pressure?

Is it the splash as she jumps in that she dislikes or the height or the face getting wet?

If it's her face getting wet you need to start at the beginning sitting in shallow water, blowing bubbles etc.

If it's the splash try sitting her on the edge of the pool and sliding in by turning her body around and lowering in feet first. Do this in about shoulder height water at first then go deeper.

If it's the height then start her off sitting on the edge bottom close as can get without falling in. arms above her head bend in the middle. You hold her waist and she gradually rolls forward until her hands are almost touching the water then roll into the water.

Sorry all bit hard to explain and I don't know which part to focus on or what your pool layout is like.

Happy to help more if you need.

No way the teacher should just be ignoring this!

Thanks, good tips. The teacher said they aren't allowed to do it from sitting on the edge as it's dangerous - but I remember that's how I learnt to 'jump in' from sitting, then crouching at the edge.

I've tried going with her but she totally blocks with me and won't even try. It's the splashing and the water in her ears and eyes and the fact that it's quite a deep pool that she doesn't like.

I gave her goggles for the eyes but the teacher didn't like that either.

Get her to crouch on the edge of the pool and gently roll forward into the water. This is gentle and tends to avoid the splash in the face issue. Be there to catch her. Once she is happy with this, and it may take a few tries/days, practise slowly lessening the crouch. Eventually she should be able to do it from a 90 degree bend at the waist, which, if you watch the swimmers in the olympics, is how most of them start off anyway.

Sorry but her teacher sounds a bit old fashioned to me.

Does your dd like the lessons apart from that?

I can sort of understand about the goggles thing- it's quite hard when a child is dependent on using them but I prefer to swim with them so why should we expect kids to get water in their eyes when most serious adult swimmers wear them??

I think the teacher is probably the old fashioned type but at this rate dd is going to be swimming lengths for the whole year and they have to attend these lessons until they have the bronze level, however long it takes.

Only other alternative is that we try a privateteacher at a public pool but thought I should maybe ask this teacher if she has any techniques that she will be using - and now I can try to translate all your tips and suggest them. Haveto word it SO carefully though so she doesn't get offended!

good luck- let us know how you get on

Thanks, I will let you know. We're going to the lesons on Friday afternoon (although we'd rather go to the Christmas market in town!!)