Skills library
Every skill our certified instructors teach, explained in plain words: what it looks like, how we teach it, and the milestones along the way.
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Every skill our certified instructors teach, explained in plain words: what it looks like, how we teach it, and the milestones along the way.
Front crawl, often called freestyle, is the classic swimming stroke, and the one that takes you furthest for the least effort. These pages follow it one piece at a time, from lying level in the water to longer, easier swims.
Your child learns to roll gently from side to side as they swim, the way good swimmers do. That small roll makes reaching, breathing and swinging the arms over the water much easier.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors
Your child learns to lie long and flat in the water, face down and hips up, instead of swimming uphill. It is the foundation that makes every other part of front crawl easier and less tiring.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors
Your child learns to bring each arm back over the water, loose and relaxed, ready for the next stroke. It keeps the rhythm flowing and saves energy, so swimming feels smoother and less tiring.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors
Your child learns to hold the water with the hand and forearm and push it back toward their feet. This is the part of the stroke that moves them forward, so it is where swimming starts to feel powerful.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors
Your child learns to put each hand into the water in front of its own shoulder and reach forward long. It keeps the body straight and the stroke smooth, so every stroke carries them further.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors
Your child learns to breathe out into the water, then turn the head to the side for a quick, easy breath and keep swimming. For most people, this is the part that turns a few breathless strokes into real, relaxed swimming.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors
Your child brings the kick, the arms and the breathing together into one smooth stroke. It is the moment front crawl stops being separate pieces and becomes real swimming.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors
Your child learns to keep front crawl smooth and relaxed as the swims get longer, instead of falling apart when tired. It is what makes swim teams, fitness swimming and longer swims feel possible and enjoyable.
In reviewKids · Teens · Adults · Seniors