We are teaching children to only use their mouth in the water for breathing. Breathe in with the mouth, blow out with the mouth. The goal is to for them to be comfortable placing their whole face in the water, holding their bubbles in for 3-5 seconds, and then exhaling out their mouth in the water. They need to build "muscle memory" for their breathing in the water. They can work on this in the bathtub, so it is one less skill to think about in the water.
Watch our video with a series of steps that you can work with them at home or view a pdf.
Core Control Skills for Home: Jellyfish 1 & above
- Rolling of the Interior Pelvis-This simulates in the water the body position needed to hold a float and kick correctly at the same time.
- Pelvic Tilts: Stand with your legs shoulder width apart. Try to roll the pelvic bone forwards and up, simultaneously tucking in the rear and squeezing the muscles involved.
This is a video that shows another position of also practicing the pelvic tilt.
- Superman Rolls/Log Rolls/Side Breath- This simulates how to hold a float position and kick correctly, while rolling from a front float to a back float or vise versa.
- Arms and legs up and roll from belly to back. Ensure that they are squeezing their back/bottom when on their stomach.
- It would also help to lay on their stomach in this position and kick her legs.
Pro-Tip: Ensure that the turn is powered by their shoulders and waist rather than their head!
