Aquatics Coaching Guide - Special Olympics

Training Session 13
Goal
1. To assess and revise butterfly skills from training session 12.
2. To introduce the butterfly arm stroke, kick and correct finish skills below.
Warm-Ups
Stretches
Dry Land Drills
Water Warm-Ups
Water Practice
See below
Arm Stroke – Standing in Water
Special Olympics Aquatics Coaching Guide
Created: February 2004
Teaching Aquatics Skills - Stroke Development
Stroke Development Training Plan
Teaching Points
1. Swimmer stands in shoulder-deep water, starts a push and glide.
2. Hands enter the water at shoulder width, the palms outward, allowing hands to slide smoothly into the water.
3. Hands sweep outward and downward until the hands are wider than the shoulders.
4. Hands continue downward, inward and upward in a keyhole type movement until they are under the chest near
the midline of the body.
5. Hands move into a backward, outward and up sweep movement until the hands come close to the surface beside
the thighs ready for the release and recovery over the surface of the water.
6. The release occurs just prior to the arms fully extending and before the hands reach the surface. The arms must
be extended during the exit from the water to allow a circling up, outward and forward movement to occur.
7. Hands and arms move above the water surface until the entry is made.
Coaching Tips
The underwater pull is often described as a keyhole or hourglass shape.
Ensure that the arm/hand finishes with the thumbs even with the leg line of the swimsuit.
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