2. Craig Nicholson British Swimming
Stroke Development
Craig Nicholson
British Swimming

3. Content British Swimming Swimming Pathway Fundamentals
Stroke Development
Measurable outcomes
Rules

4. British Swimming Four aims:
To ensure everyone has the opportunity to learn to swim
To ensure everyone can achieve their own personal goals
To ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle
To ensure we achieve gold medal success

7. Fundamentals
The fundamental stage needs to be FUN and structured and is key to the overall development of a swimmer!
What are the fundamental skills?
ABCs (Agility, Balance, Coordination, Speed)
RJT (Running, Jumping, Throwing)
KGBs (Kinaesthetics, Gliding, Buoyancy, Striking with the body)
CPKs (Catching, Passing, Kicking, Striking with an implement)

8. Fundamentals Skills/ Games
Entry/ Exits
Buoyancy/ Balance
Kicking/ Coordination
Breathing
Streamlining
Rotation/ Orientation
Simon says Game
Narrow Boats - Starting with feet on pool side, push and glide with long, stretched, streamlined body. Then try: to pool side; in a space; from the side; on front, back and side; roll over after pushing out.
Mushroom Floats, Star Floats, streamline floats
Blowing a ball - Move through the water blowing an egg flip. Then try: with a partner; to a partner; walking; kicking or using front paddle; swimming.
Rotation relay – rotating front and back as often as possible
Streamline – Traffic Cones – Pass the different colours by streamlining.
Kicking dual –
Huming underwater - Breathing

9. Freestyle Relaxed Hands And arm muscles High Elbow on Rotation
Natural Head Position
Eyes looking to catch
High Elbow Catch
Clean Hand Entry
Flat Body Position
Water Level at Hair Line

10. Freestyle 2/4/6Beat Kick Whip like extension from hip to foot
Hips just below surface
Long Body Position
Accelerate through Stroke
Head Steady through the stroke
Hand Entry Thumb & forefinger
Body Roll Side to side

11. Freestyle Drills
Kicking on Side Face down (always maintain pressure of catch)
12 Beat Roll
6 Beat Roll
6 Beat Kick
Catchup
Finger Trail
Thorpe (Shake wrist loose on recovery)
Roof Reach
Egg Roll

12. Backstroke Hand entry just inside shoulder width
Straight arm recovery palm facing out
Natural Head Position
Alternating arm action
Palms face down on catch
Propulsion phase ends past the hip
Flat & streamlined Position
Water Level just under ears

13. Backstroke 6 Beat Kick Whip like extension from hip to foot
Hips just below surface
Long Body Position
Accelerate through Stroke
Loose ankles good flexibility
Hand Entry little finger first
Body Roll Side to side around centreline

14. Backstroke Drills
Kicking on Side Face up (always maintain pressure of catch)
12 Beat Roll
6 Beat Roll
Egg Roll
Palms down (3 strokes then look at catch)
3 Sculls ( Sculling 3 times at the catch position of stroke)
Robot (Slowing down recovery into stages)
Corkscrew
Cup Balancing
Mid stroke Catch up (Strong leg kick needed)

15. Shoulders clear of water
Butterfly
Relaxed Hands
And arm muscles
Low Chin
Small head movement
Symmetrical
Shoulders clear of water
Extended Arms
Flat Body Position
Arms Low to water

16. Butterfly Ready for Catch Streamlined High Hips Flat Body Position
Flat Back Position
Extended Arms
Soft Hand Entry
(No Splash)
Thumbs Enter First

17. Butterfly Drills
Chest press on top of water, under water (Arms by side minimum kick)
Chest press with Scull
Double Arm Fly on Back
Kicking on Side (always maintain pressure)
6 Kicks 1 Pull
Biondi Drill (FUN)
Underwater Kicking (4 Kick Rotation)
Right – Left – Front (Many Variations,1-1-1/2-2-2/3-3-3/3-3-1, always breathe to the front)
Flat Fly Pull (As Flat as possible slow & low recovery)
Flight Time
Power Drills On – Off

18. Breaststroke Submerged on recovery streamlined
Pull body past arms not arms into body
Eyes focused on a fixed point
Simultaneous arms and legs
Timing is critical
Palms ready to catch at extension
Catch outside shoulder width
Keep elbows tight to body

19. Breaststroke Legs for propulsion not balance
Raise heels to surface after propulsive phase
Hips just below surface
Body lifts naturally during insweep
Accelerate through Stroke
Good ankle flexibility needed
Legs recover as arms move forward
Elbows never below hands

20. Breaststroke Drills Hips, heels, Head – Kick and Swim Timing
Under Lane Ropes
2 kicks 1 Pull
Repeated Underwater phases - down / along / surface
BR Arms Fly Kick
Hands behind the back Kicking Heels to Hands
Streamlined kicking no Board on the surface
Breaststroke Distance Per Stroke Minimum Resistance
Breaststroke kick holding the board vertical for resistance

21. Milestones By the end of this Stage X participants will be able to:
1. Complete a set lasting 400m (e.g.16 x 25m) on a specific turn around time set by the coach (e.g. 1.00min for each 25m).
2. Swim 400m continuously using one stroke.
3. Kick 25m backstroke with/without* using a board – *swimmer’s choice.
4. Kick 25m breaststroke with/without* using a board – *swimmer’s choice.
5. Kick 25m butterfly with/without* using a board – *swimmer’s choice.
6. Kick 25m front crawl with/without* using a board – *swimmer’s choice.
7. Perform a backstroke turn from 10m in to 15m out.
8. Perform a breaststroke turn from 10m in to 15m out.
9. Perform a butterfly turn from 10m in to 15m out.
10. Perform a front crawl turn from 10m in to 15m out.

22. Milestones By the end X Stage participants will be able to:
1. Complete a set lasting 800m (e.g. either 16 x 50m; 8 x 100m; 4 x 200m) on a specific
turn around time set by the coach (e.g. 1.30min for 50m’s; 2.45min for 100m’s; 6.00min
for 200m’s).
2. Swim 800m continuously choosing one stroke.
3. Swim a continuous 100m IM using legal turns.
4. Perform a 15m underwater kick on front in a streamlined position.
5. Perform a backstroke start then butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater until 10m from the start point (wall), transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m.

23. Milestones
6. Perform a front crawl start, underwater kick in a streamlined position until a minimum of 10m from the start point (wall) is completed, transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m.
7. Perform a butterfly start, kick in a streamlined position until a minimum of 10m from the start point (wall) is completed, transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m.
8. Perform a breaststroke start, perform a 1½ pull underwater, transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m.

24. Milestones By the end of this Stage participants will be able to:
1. Complete a set lasting 1600m (either 16 x 100m; 8 x 200m; 4 x 400m) on a specific timed
turn around set by the coach (e.g. 2mins 30seconds for 100m’s; 5mins 30 seconds for
200m’s; 12mins for 400m’s).
2. Swim 1500m continuously choosing one stroke.
3. Perform a continuous 100m IM kick without using a kick board.
4. Swim a continuous 200m IM using legal turns.
5. Perform a 15m under water butterfly kick on back or front in a streamlined position.
6. Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an incoming Swimmer.
7. Perform a front crawl relay take over – as an outgoing Swimmer.

25. FINA RULES
Strokes
Turns
Starts

26. Thank you for listening
Questions?