Swimsafer stage 3

When your child learning the swimming skills at Swimsafer stage 3, more or less he knows at least 2 strokes on front and at least 1 stroke on back. All the training will be done at the deep pool (Competition Pool) and they no longer do swimming at the training pool unless strokes corrections or when there is a needs to do at training pool or playing water games.

In Swimsafer stage 3, he is also more accustomed to not wearing goggle and keeping eye open while in the water. The percentage of the chart are just an estimate. We calculated base on ratio.

Arriving at Swimsafer Stage 3 after clearing swimsafer stage 2, the skills taught in this level is on strokes technique with some stamina for a 25 meters backstroke and 20 meters freestyle (Front crawl). The reason we started them on backstroke first was more for safety reason. We do not want the child to knock their head on the wall on their first attempt in the big pool. Below are some of the detailed planned that are required to pass Swimsafer Stage 3.

Swimsafer Stage 3- MUST SEE CRITERIA

ENTRIES & EXITS
Skill Outcome • Demonstrate a stride (straddle) entry

• Enter water with legs in stride position
• Lean forward slightly during entry to increase surface resistance
• Press down with outstretched arms
• Keep head above water at all times
  

SCULLING & BODY ORIENTATION
Skill Outcome • Scull headfirst on back – 5m

• Scull, float, or tread for 50 seconds (incorporated in Survival & Activity
  skills)
  Scull head-first while on • Body in horizontal position to 30⁰ from surface acceptable
  back – 5m • Lower arms/hands underwater, fingerstogether, palms facing down
• Swing lower arms/hands out and in with even pressure
• Movement in head-first direction
  Scull, float or tread water • Face clear of water
  for 50 seconds • Scull: put lower arms/hands underwater, with fingers together,
  palms facing down, swing lower arms/hands out and in with even
  pressure
• Float: back float with face clear of water, may have finning action
  with hands, slight leg action
• Tread: near vertical body position, head above water, large, slow
  movements with arms and legs.

UNDERWATER SKILLS
Skill Outcome • Swim through hoops on pool bottom for 2m at 1.2m Depth.

• No goggles
• Eyes open, exhaling through mouth and nose while underwater
• Body in streamlined position
• Using breaststroke (full arm pull to hips) and any combination of leg kick such as breaststroke leg
  kick or flutter kick to swim through 2 hoops of 2 meters apart.

MOVEMENT / SWIMMING / STROKES
Component Front Crawl
Body Position • Trunk horizontal to 30⁰ from surface

• Some body roll
• Some side-to-side motion of trunk and legs acceptable Legs
• Continuous kicking
• Legs bent at hips or knees, during downbeat acceptable
• Feet may break surface of water Arms
• Above-water arm recovery
• Underwater recovery or arm straight at elbow acceptable
• Hand enters at or above the level of the head
• Arm straight at the elbow during power phase acceptable
• Power phase finishing at hip level acceptable Breathing and Timing
• Face in water and breathes consistently to the side
• Occasional head lift acceptable
• Arms and legs show general alternating pattern

Component Breaststroke
Body Position • Trunk horizontal to 30⁰from surface during glide
Legs • Legs bend at the knees bringing heels toward buttocks

• Knees may be wider than hips and ankles
• Heels may break surface of water
• Ankles may bend throughout power phase
• Legs may be partially bent at the knees at the end of the power
  phase
• Occasional flutter kick during glide position acceptable
• Legs may not completely finish together in a closed position in the
  glide
  Arms • Hands may begin wider than shoulder width
• Arms bend at the elbow on the inward sweep, coming together for
  the recovery, where hands may be level or slightly deeper than
  elbows
• Hands may sweep beyond the shoulder, but not beyond waist
  Breathing and Timing • Fundamental form of pull-breathe-kick-glide sequence
• Minimal glide with some forward motion acceptable

Component Backstroke
Body Position • Trunk horizontal to 30⁰ from surface

• Ears may be out of water
• Chin on chest
• Hips may be bent
• Some body roll
• Some side-to-side motion of shoulder and hips acceptable
  Legs • Continuous kicking
• Occasional bicycling action acceptable
• Legs bent at knee acceptable
• Feet may break surface of water
  Arms • Above-water arm recovery – elbows below surface acceptable
• Hands may enter at or above shoulder level
• Arm straight at elbow during power phase acceptable
  Breathing and Timing • Occasional breath-holding acceptable
• Arms in opposition – hesitation at finish is acceptable

Component Survival Backstroke
Body Position • Trunk horizontal to 30⁰ from surface

• Hips may be bent
• Chin tucked
• Ears may be out of water
  Legs • Knees may break the surface of the water during recovery
• Knees may be wider than hips and ankles
• Ankles may be bent throughout power phase
• Occasional scissors kick acceptable
• Legs may be partially bent at knee at the end of the power phase
• Legs apart with occasional flutter kick during glide acceptable
  Arms • Hands may break water surface during recovery
• Arms extending above or below shoulder level acceptable
• Power phase finishing at waist level acceptable
  Breathing and Timing • Occasional breath-holding acceptable
• Arms and legs move simultaneously
• Minimal glide with some forward motion acceptable
• Little or no hesitation before beginning recovery

SURVIVAL & ACTIVITY SKILLS (WITHOUT GOGGLES)
Skill Outcome • Scull, float or tread water for 50 seconds
Dressed in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt, demonstrate:

• Swim 25m using survival backstroke or breaststroke to a PFD
• Correctly fit a PFD in water, swim 50m with PFD, then climb out of the water Swim wearing clothing
• Swim 25m slowly using survival backstroke or breaststroke.
• Face clear of water Putting on a PFD in water
• Upon reaching PFD, adjusts PFD and prepares PFD for ease of putting on
• Perform a rollover onto PFD and fit on PFD in water
• Swim survival backstroke, breaststroke with PFD (face clear of water)
• Climb out safely with PFD on Scull, float or tread water for 50 seconds
• Face clear of water
• Scull: put lower arms/hands underwater, with fingers together, palms facing down, swing lower arms/hands out and in with even pressure
• Float: back float with face clear of water, may have finning action with hands, slight leg action
• Tread: near vertical body position, head above water, large, slow movements with arms and legs

RESCUE SKILLS
Skill Outcome • Nil

SwimSafer Stage 3: Detailed Guide

Swimming Skills

• Continuous Swim: Swim 50 meters continuously, comprising:
  • 25 meters backstroke
  • 25 meters front crawl

Survival Sequence 3A: Without Goggles

1. Water Entry: In at least 1.2 meters deep water, enter using the stride/straddle entry.
2. Survival Strokes: Swim 25 meters survival backstroke followed by 25 meters breaststroke.
3. Sculling and Recovery: Scull head-first on the back for 5 meters and recover.
4. Extended Sculling, Floating, or Treading: Scull, float, or tread water for another 50 seconds.
5. Underwater Swim: Swim through hoops on the pool bottom of at least 1.2 meters depth for a 2-meter swim.
6. Resurfacing and Exit: Resurface and exit safely from the pool.

Survival Sequence 3B: Without Goggles

1. Attire and Demonstration: Dressed in swimwear, shorts, and a t-shirt, demonstrate the following:
   • Survival Swim to PFD: Swim 25 meters using survival backstroke or survival breaststroke to a Personal Flotation Device (PFD), keeping the face clear of water.
   • PFD Use: Correctly fit a PFD in the water, swim 50 meters with the PFD, and then climb out of the water.

SwimSafer Theory Online

• Online Quiz: Complete the SwimSafer Theory online quiz.

By following these sequences and completing the online quiz, participants will enhance their swimming proficiency and survival skills as part of the SwimSafer Stage 3 program

Frequently Asked Question for Swimsafer Stage 3