Arm strokes on the swimming mat

The child lies on a swim mat in such a way that their arms can move freely in the water (see image). Then, using synchronized circular movements with both hands, they push the water backward. The right arm moves clockwise, while the left arm moves counterclockwise in sync. The arm movement described in this exercise resembles the breaststroke arm pull to some extent. However, the glide phase, which is a central part of the breaststroke arm pull, is not included here. For this reason, this arm movement is not referred to as a breaststroke arm pull. This is a water-sensation exercise. The children learn to use water resistance through their hands to propel themselves forward as quickly as possible. Thanks to the mat, the child can fully focus on the sensation of the water. Additionally, regular swim mats are usually quite large, so the arm movements must be efficient to move such a large mat forward in the water.