Red Cross-Learn to Swim / SwimAmerica Stations Comparison SwimAmerica Stations Red Cross-Learn to Swim Station 1 – “Bubbles” Polywogs (4 and 5 years old) – Learn basic Skills to be Learned: skills in the water: kicking, bubble blowing, back and 1. Gradual water adaptation front floating and more with support and guidance from 2. Movement in the water swim instructors. 3. Breath holding and release 4. Submersion of the face 5. Opening eyes under the water 6. Blowing Bubbles 7. Wall bobs with bubbles and air exchange Advancement Goals: 1. 10 relaxed Wall Bobs Station 2 – “Floats and Glides” Skills to be Learned: 1. Front float and recover 2. Front glide and recover 3. Back float and recover 4. Back glide and recover 5. Jumping Bobs 6. Streamline Bobs Advancement Goals: 1. Front glide and recover – 5 seconds 2. Back glide and recover – 5 seconds Station 2 – “Floats and Glides” Level 1 – An introductory course for the beginner or Skills to be Learned: non-swimmer. At this stage, many skills may be performed 1. Front float and recover with assistance, although if the student is capable, 2. Front glide and recover performing the skills independently is encouraged. Basic 3. Back float and recover skills are taught: water entry & exit; breath control and 4. Back glide and recover submersion; kick up to surface and back float; floating 5. Jumping Bobs and gliding on the front, back and side; kicking on the 6. Streamline Bobs front, back and side; arm strokes on the front and back; Advancement Goals: rolling over from front to back to front; side breathing 1. Front glide and recover – 5 seconds while on the edge; combined stroke on the front and Back glide and recover – 5 seconds back; lifejacket skills. Station 3 – “Kicking” Skills to be Learned: 1. Porpoising 2. Front kick, glide, and recover 3. Back kick, glide, and recover 4. Dolphin kick, glide, and recover 5. Seesaw Body movement 6. Sitting on the kickboard sculling Advancement Goals: 1. Front kick – 15 feet 2. Back kick – 15 feet Station 3 – “Kicking” Level 2 – For the novice swimmer who is working Skills to be Learned: on independent, confident movement in the water. 1. Porpoising Skills include continued breath control; alternating and 2. Front kick, glide, and recover simultaneous kicks and arm movements; independent 3. Back kick, glide, and recover front and back floats; glides on front, back and side 4. Dolphin kick, glide, and recover with and without kicks; jellyfish and tuck floats; weight 5. Seesaw Body movement transfer and buoyancy exploration; crawl stroke arms 6. Sitting on the kickboard sculling on front and back; finning on the back; bob to safety; Advancement Goals: treading water arm motion; side breathing for front 1. Front kick – 15 feet crawl; combined stokes on front and back and continued 2. Back kick – 15 feet refinement of safety skills. Station 4 – “Crawl Stroke” Skills to be Learned: 1. Rollover – front to back, back to front 2. Finning and sculling 3. Side-glide-kick 4. Crawl armstroke 5. Backwards Bobs 6. Somersaults forward and back Advancement Goals: 1. Side-glide-kick, 20 ft. 2. Crawl Stroke, 20 ft. (no breathing) Station 4 – “Crawl Stroke” Level 3 – For the improving swimmer who is gaining Skills to be Learned: strength and control when swimming. Students continue 1. Rollover – front to back, back to front to work on flutter and dolphin kicks, floats and glides, 2. Finning and sculling arm strokes on front and back. Skills include beginning 3. Side-glide-kick head-first entries (diving) from the edge into water at 4. Crawl armstroke least 9 feet deep; bob to safety in deeper water; front 5. Backwards Bobs glide/side glide combination; treat water with 3 kicks; 6. Somersaults forward and back crawl stroke with rotary breathing; elementary back Advancement Goals: stroke; back crawl; continued safety refinement. 1. Side-glide-kick, 20 ft. 2. Crawl Stroke, 20 ft. (no breathing) Station 5 – “Freestyle” Skills to be Learned: 1. Crawl Stroke with breathing 2. Back crawl stroke 3. Double somersaults 4. Handstands 5. Horizontal head first sculling Advancement Goals: 1. Crawl stroke with breathing (30 feet minimum of 4 breaths) Station 5 – “Freestyle” Level 4– Intermediate is a course for the more Skills to be Learned: confident swimmer with strengthening skills. The 1. Crawl Stroke with breathing student should know front and back crawl, elementary 2. Back crawl stroke backstroke, treading water, flutter and dolphin kicks; 3. Double somersaults finning on the back and glides on the front side and 4. Handstands back. Skills at this level include continued diving from 5. Horizontal head first sculling the edge in water at least 9 feet deep; survival float, Advancement Goals: sidestroke, treading water for 2 minutes with various 1. Crawl stroke with breathing (30 feet minimum of kicks; feet-first surface dives; sculling; open turns on the 4 breaths) front and back; breaststroke; continues safety skills and information. Station 6 – “Backstroke” Skills to be Learned: 1. Extended freestyle swimming 2. Tread water 3. Jump in and tread water 4. Sitting dive 5. Kneeling dive 6. Standing dive Advancement Goals: 1. Swim freestyle 75 ft. 2. Swim backstroke 30 ft. 3. Tread water for 1 minute Station 7 – “Breaststroke & Butterfly” Level 5 – Skills include standing dive, tuck and pike Skills to be Learned: surface dives, front and back flip turns, front and back 1. Breaststroke kick crawl, breaststroke, sidestroke, elementary backstroke 2. Breaststroke swim and butterfly, treading water, survival float, shallow dive, 3. Butterfly arms underwater swimming. 4. Butterfly swim 5. Windshield Wiper w/seesaw Advancement Goals: 1. Swim freestyle 50 yds. 2. Swim backstroke 25 yds. 3. Swim breaststroke 20 ft. Station 8 – “Turns” Level 6 – Advanced swimmer course is for the Skills to be Learned: accomplished swimmer. The student is working on 1. Freestyle with bilateral breathing stroke refinement on all strokes and endurance. Skills 2. Turns include front crawl and elementary backstroke, 100 yd.; Advancement Goals: back crawl, breaststroke & sidestroke, 50 yd.; 20 minute 1. Swim freestyle for 100 yds. (using bilateral swim; other skills could include springboard diving breathing for 25 yds. of the swim) progression; fitness swimming and aquatic exercise; 2. Swim Breaststroke 25 yds. personal and general water safety with and without 3. Swim Butterfly 30 ft. equipment; peripheral strokes and skills. Station 9 – “Lifetime Strokes” Skills to be Learned: 1. Sidestroke kick 2. Sidestroke swim 3. Elementary backstroke Advancement Goals: 1. Swim 200 yds. Freestyle, bilateral breathe for one continuous 50 yd. 2. Swim 25 yds. Butterfly 3. Swim 50 yds. Breaststroke 4. Swim 50 yds. Elementary Backstroke 5. Swim 50 yds. Sidestroke.