Aquatics Coaching Guide - Special Olympics

Special Olympics Aquatics Coaching Guide
Created: February 2004
Teaching Aquatics Skills – Squad Level Training
Breaststroke Drills
Teaching Points
1. Demonstrate and describe the drill sequence.
2. Have the swimmers simulate the sequence on pool deck. Can also use verbal cues.
3. In water, swimmers will push off wall and complete one full stroke.
4. Have swimmers return to wall and, this time, complete one full stroke, leaving arms extended.
5. Have swimmers return to wall and repeat above; introduce leg kick only.
6. When swimmers understand sequence, have them swim a short distance doing one full stroke then one kick only.
Coaching Tips
Check swimmer’s breathing/timing.
Encourage swimmer to pull, using correct arm action.
Check that swimmer does one kick only while arms are outstretched.
Encourage swimmer to kick hard.
On any finish to wall in breaststroke, encourage swimmer to touch wall with both hands.
Practice this drill using one arm pull for every two kicks.
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