Backstroke Advanced
The child swims 25 meters of backstroke with advanced technique: after hand entry, the underwater stroke splits into a pull phase (elbow bent) and a push phase (elbow close to the body, forearm pressing the water back). With every stroke, the body rolls along its long axis.
Preparatory exercises
Single-arm Backstroke
The child pushes off from the edge and swims single-arm backstroke, rotating the shoulder as strongly as possible with each pull. A helpful trick is apple picking: when the arm points to the ceiling, imagine an apple above the hand and pull the shoulder up to reach it. Alternatively, the shoulder of the passive arm rotates strongly along, rising slightly and lowering again.
Chin Pressed to the Chest
Many children press their chin to their chest so the nostrils point downward and no water enters the nose — but this breaks the streamline and increases water resistance. Since this core exercise prepares the backstroke start and turn, the goal is maximum speed with minimal resistance. Steady exhalation must therefore be trained with the preparatory exercises.