Improve Water Feel
At least 15 meters of windshield wiper movement with as little flutter kick as possible. The arms are bent at the sides, the upper arms staying at the water surface in line with the shoulders, while the forearms scull inward and outward. Propulsion comes from the arms; the legs are used only for stabilization.
Preparatory exercises
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As few strokes as possible
The child swims 25 meters freestyle with as few strokes as possible, ideally under 30. Then, they perform the same exercise in the backstroke style. This exercise forces the child to swim as efficiently as possible, focusing on extension and arm pull. It is recommended to repeat this exercise in future courses.
Land exercise
Demonstrate on land first: lean slightly forward, stretch the arms out to the sides, then move the forearms toward the chest with palms facing inward. Stop about five centimeters in front of the chest and rotate the hands outward — the upper arms stay in the same position throughout. This gives children a clear idea of how to use their hands against water resistance, which transfers to freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly arm strokes.
Dog paddling
The child swims at least ten meters with outstretched arms shoulder-width apart and alternating legs. The forearm of one arm moves toward the chest — palm facing backward to displace the water — while the upper arm and elbow stay in place; once it returns to the extended position, the other arm repeats the movement. This trains the elbow position for the crawl: only the forearm pulls backward while the elbow remains high, since pulling with a straight arm would direct the force downward without effective propulsion.
Common mistakes
Lowered elbows
For many children, it feels unfamiliar to move only the forearm while keeping the upper arm relatively still. However, the so-called "elbow-forward position" is used in all four main swimming styles and must therefore be learned through exercises like this one.
