Hands out of the water

The child pushes off from the pool wall and treads water for ten seconds, as in the core exercise. Then, the child attempts to lift their arms out of the water, aiming to keep both elbows above the surface for at least five seconds. This exercise can also be performed as interval training, alternating 10 seconds of regular treading water with 3 seconds of raised arms. This exercise focuses on building leg strength. Some children may manage to keep their head above water without vigorous treading and might not take the core exercise seriously. By adding this challenge, even these children can develop the fundamental skills of treading water.