Safety Day is a water safety exercise practiced by Waterworks On Wheels twice during each swim session. On the fourth and eighth lesson of every session, our instructors ask each student to put long pants and a long-sleeved shirt on over his/her swimsuit. The class then practices our routine safety skills while wearing the heavier clothing. For example, our younger children and toddlers practice the Jump In, Turn Around technique and back float during Safety Day. Our older and more advanced children practice swimming and treading water while fully clothed, along with non-contact rescues (if age appropriate).

Safety Day allows your child to experience the sensation of being in the water while fully clothed. Understanding the weight of clothing in the water can be crucial in the event of an unattended fall into any body of water. The feeling and heaviness of wet clothing can easily disorient a person and cause panic if they are not familiar with it. Safety Day also incorporates talking to children and parents about the dangers of water, another a strong part of our Waterworks On Wheels swim program.

Please remember that no matter how much practice a child has in the water, there is no substitute for eye to eye contact. This means that an adult is able to see a child or children at all times while they are in and around the water. This also includes a hot tub, canal, river, lake or even a bathtub. Please be safe and attentive.

At Waterworks On Wheels, we offer lessons for children who are non-swimmers, those who can swim and want prepare for swim team, and every level in between. While we do not have a competitive swim team, we do offer our competitive swimming class which breaks down the four strokes and completely readies a child for a recreational swim team. Not only does it prepare a child for swim team, but we give them the tools to allow them to succeed on a swim team. From freestyle breathing to butterfly endurance, our trained instructors strip down the strokes to the most basic steps so your child understands why the technique is important.

In a competitive swimming class, freestyle is broken down into these 3 steps:

Step 1: Just Like You’re Making Mac & Cheese

The power from the freestyle is derived from the kick. It is the propelling force, the “motor”. Children often mistake a fast kick for a big, splashy kick. In reality, an efficient freestyle kick must be small and fast and legs must be straight. Terms such as “make the water boil, like you’re making Mac & Cheese”, “Barbie doll legs”, and “toe bubbles” help children to grasp this concept. At Waterworks On Wheels, we use “superman” (streamlined arms with a small, fast, straight-leg kick) to commit the kick to muscle memory.

Step 2: Put Your Hands Where I Can See Them!

If freestyle kicks are thought of as a motor propelling a boat, then freestyle arms are similar to oars rowing a boat. Freestyle arms can assist in propelling a swimmer through the water if done correctly; however, poor technique can slow a swimmer down. This is referred to as “drag”. When teaching proper arm technique it is important for a swimmer to understand that water is harder to move through than air. Arms must be out of the water for the “reach” and under water for the “pull”. To properly lift arms out of the water, a swimmer must lead with their elbow (which is simplified for children to “high elbows”). High elbows properly align the swimmer’s arm for the reach. After the reach comes the smooth entry. Waterworks’ signature term for smooth entry is “airplane landing” (that is, the landing we all want our airline pilot to make). The airplane landing readies the child’s arm position for the pull. To maximize the result from the pull, it must be done completely under water. Many drills are used to practice the different components of freestyle arms. A few of these drills are “fingertip drag” (which works on high elbows and airplane landings), “catch-up” (which work on underwater pull), and “thumb drill” (which exaggerates the high elbow technique). Reminding kids to “put your hands where I can see them” keeps each reach well out of the water.

Step 3: Superman and Noodles: The Key to a Good Side Breath

Once students master freestyle arms and kicks they must learn to breathe efficiently. Lifting the head straight out of the water in a “yes” motion drastically slows the momentum of the stroke. The proper way to breath is called bilateral interval breathing (which is just a fancy way of saying “breathing to both sides with a break between breaths”). The most common interval for bilateral breathing is “breathe every three”. Breathing every three arm strokes (on the 3^rd stroke) will naturally guide students to breathe to both sides.  When teaching this method to students, Waterworks On Wheels instructors use key phrases and tricks. The most common method of teaching side breathing at Waterworks is to start using a pool noodle. The noodle helps young swimmers to balance in the water as they turn to breathe. The noodle is then replaced by the “superman” with a side breath (including the arm pull) and then finally incorporated into the full stroke. When swimmers learn the proper breathing techniques, it aligns their body properly in the water and brings the entire stroke together.

If your child’s symptoms only include a cough or some mild congestion, it’s not always necessary to skip a class. If your child is feeling alright, even though he or she is presenting some slight indicators of a chest cold, it’s worth it to consider coming to your lesson. We’ll discuss in a moment what to do if your child has a fever or more contagious symptoms, but in the case of congestion, think of these benefits to swimming (especially indoors):

• Being in a warm, moist environment can loosen up stubborn congestion and aid with breathing…almost like a humidifier. A more productive cough could result from spending that half hour in the pool area.
• If your child is feeling well enough to participate in activities and he or she does not have a fever, chances are they’re good to go! Moving around and performing physical activity is a good way to get all the systems in the body going, which will help move that congestion out of the way.
• Attending your lessons as regularly as possible is always encouraged. Of course there will be illnesses, appointments or other events that prevent you from coming to a class or two, but be careful not to ‘take the easy route’ and just decide not to come because your son or daughter has a mild cough. Consistency with swim lessons is crucial.

With those points also come some precautions. Like we mentioned before, if your child has a fever or a more contagious symptom, that’s a different story. While a low-grade fever is not always indicative of a major illness, anything at or above 101 degrees should be closely monitored, and your child should not participate in swimming or other group activities where an illness could spread. Other symptoms like a runny nose, vomiting or diarrhea call for a break from swim lessons and some T.L.C. at home. Sometimes the best medicine for the ‘bugs’ children contract is extra rest, which means playing, being outdoors, and certainly activities like swimming should be put on hold. If a child is excessively sleepy, irritable or not ‘being him/herself’, it’s also probably a good idea to sit out a lesson until things return to normal.

We always want what’s best for your child, and again, you’re the expert. Hopefully this information can help when you’re just not sure. While Waterworks On Wheels does not offer specific make-up days each month, we will do our best to accommodate clients on a case-by-case basis. If a major illness arises, you can always transfer your credit to a later swim lesson session. Keep up the good work and we’ll see you in the pool!

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/516947

http://www.livestrong.com/article/526520

With a Beginner level swimmer, there are several factors to consider when they begin their journey toward being water safe:

What age is the child?

Although Beginner level swimmers start at many ages (sometimes three, sometimes ten, sometimes adults), the earlier a child is able to learn and repeat a skill such as swimming, the faster the muscle memory (or motor learning) process can begin. When a movement or activity is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that movement and eventually allows it to be performed without conscious effort. This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems. Examples of muscle memory are found in many everyday activities that become automatic and improve with practice, such as riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard, playing a melody or phrase on a musical instrument…or swimming! (1)

How Comfortable is the Child in the Water?

Everyone experiences anxiety and fear at some point in their lifetime. With children, such feelings are not only normal, they are necessary.  “Having fears or anxieties about certain things can be helpful because it makes kids behave in a safe way,” says KidsHealth.org. While we completely agree, it is equally important to work past fear and anxiety when it comes to swimming (or even getting in the water) so that the child can acquire appropriate water safety techniques and swim skills for self-preservation and well-being. If a child is scared to dip a big toe in the pool, you can expect them to need more time at a Beginner level than a child that is more comfortable in the water. Another good idea is to start Parent/Tot swim lessons so that by the time he/she is ready for a ‘big kid’ class (without mom or dad), they won’t need to spend several lessons on merely getting in and getting wet.

Are You Ready to Commit?

Back to our main point, a child does not become a swimmer overnight…or even in a month (say, the month before that beach trip). So are you ready to commit? If not, you should be. Just like piano lessons or an after-school sport, swimming is something that takes time and dedication…even for your three-year-old. Encouraging your child before and after lessons, making time to practice outside of lessons (even in the bathtub!), being firm when he/she ‘doesn’t feel like it’ (or screams the whole way to the pool), and accepting that it can (and most likely will) take more than one session of swim lessons to see improvement are all very important parts of your child’s success.

So take the plunge! Getting your child in swim lessons at the beginning of the year will not only help them reach the goal of being more water safe by the time you start swimsuit shopping, it will reduce the stress of pushing for development and expecting results essentially overnight.

Now that the new year (and the new swim season) is upon us Waterworks is doing its yearly round of hireing! when we hire new instructors we hire people who are dedicated and who want to last and be an important part of your child’s swim lesson experience. So look for some bright new faces in 2012 but don’t be alarmed because they will all be trained to the exact Waterworks On Wheels curriculum.

-Libby

After 30 minutes of swimming, dehydration can occur. Environmental factors contribute to a swimmer’s dehydration—warm water temperature and warm, humid air around the pool can increase the need for fluids. The National Association of Athletic Trainers recommends drinking about 2 cups (16 ounces) of water 2 to 3 hours before a workout or swim meet with another 1 cup (8 ounces) 10 to 20 minutes before diving into the pool. Most workouts are long and strenuous, so drink about 1 cup of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes during your workout. Keep a sports bottle filled with water at poolside so it is in easy reach.

What should you drink? Try these 5 choices and switch up your drinks for variety.

1. Water is best for most athletes. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, ask mom or dad to slice up lemons or limes to drop into your water bottle for a fresh taste.

2. Sports drinks are a good choice when you have long, hard workouts or have to race many times during a meet. Stick to the basic tried and true sports drinks….like Gatorade or Powerade because they provide a good balance of carbs, sodium and potassium to replace losses.

3. Light sports drinks or zero-calorie sports drinks. These beverages, like G2 or Powerade Zero provide the same amount of sodium and potassium as regular sports drinks. These are good choices when you are trying to get lean or when injured and you are not able to train as hard or as long. These drinks contain artificial sweeteners, so drink them in moderation (1-2 servings per day).

4. Diluted fruit juice. Why dilute fruit juice? Fruit juice is too high in natural sugars to be a good fluid replacement. Fluids that have more than 6 to 7% carbohydrate (fruit juice has about 10% and some fruit juices even more) takes longer to leave the stomach so fluids don’t reach your working muscles as quickly.

5. Low-fat milk is a good pre-workout and post-workout drink because it provides carbs, sodium, potassium (like sports drinks) with the added benefit of protein for muscle recovery and calcium for strong bones. Choose fat-free or 1% milk to lower the fat content; and it is OK to choose low-fat flavored milk like strawberry or chocolate if you prefer the taste.

Staying hydrated can help improve your performance and keep you healthy. Develop an individualized fluid plan and don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink…stay ahead of thirst so you don’t get dehydrated.

Chris Rosenbloom is the sports dietitian for Georgia State University Athletic Department and is the editor of the American Dietetic Association’s Sports Nutrition Manual, 5th edition, schedule for publication in 2012.