Hi Sigma Swim and Stroke Schoolers!
We took a week off to close out the season and now we're back. Although Sigma is on a two-week break this week, that does not mean that we cannot keep learning! Preparation for next season will ensure that we get off to a great start. As a short recap, we have been going through our series on beginner progressions. Last time two week ago, we discussed the early stages of learning freestyle! This is a big step in a swimmer's journey, and we will only look to springboard off of this into future endeavors. So far, we know how to breathe, and we've recently learned some freestyle, respectively. Now it is time to marry the two and get on our way to plenty of continuous swimming without help. It's time to discuss roll breathing!
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Breathing while swimming can be one of the more difficult tasks to master in learning proper technique. Surely, it feels as though we have so much to think about simultaneously. However, Employing the roll breathing technique provides a good precedent for future freestyle and will help our little fish find their rhythm. It requires a little coordination, so it's perfectly okay if your swimmer doesn't quite get it at first! The key is for the swimmers to find comfort in their breathing.
As the video discussed, we should swim forward until we feel it's time to breathe, then flip all the way over on our back to get a comfortable breath in. We don't want to feel like we're fighting the water. When working on this in your own pool, let your swimmer hold onto something to start and learn how to roll with some support. After a little repetition, it will open up many more possibilities for breathing practice in the open water. And, too, hopefully they can have a little fun with it! It's all part of the road to being a proficient young swimmer.
Fact of the week: Unfortunately, unlike land activities, we do not get to always breathe. Part of learning how to swim includes learning how to breathe in conjunction WITH the swimming. Eventually, the goal is to make it seamless as we become more coordinated and comfortable. Once your swimmer has learned how to breathe during freestyle, at the very least with the roll breathing technique, you'll start to see vast improvements and exponential growth! The importance with this technique is to be patient, allow the swimmer to get comfortable with rolling so that they do not panic, and let them start from the edge of the pool if needed. With roll breathing, we're one step closer to seeing your little fish realize their potential in the water and become amazing swimmers!
How does my child move up? Come to every swim class, bring your progress report, earn those stickers, and ask your child's instructor or location's deck manager if you have questions.
Let's catch our breath and continue to progress each week! Glad your swimmer is learning to swim with us!
The Sigma Team