Vertical body wave

The child pushes off the pool wall and treads water vertically. On command, they transition into the body wave: legs together, the kicking motion originating solely from the hips, which move alternately forward and backward with the legs following. The arms rest at the sides and may counter slightly for stability. Sustain the wave for five seconds, pause by treading water, and repeat — increasing to 10 or 15 seconds. The vertical position makes the hip action intuitive and forceful, ideal for learning the body wave.