It is essential that participants are confident with their faces in the water and that they can demonstrate a good streamlined body position on the front, before introducing other components of front crawl. You should use the activities that are relevant to the needs of your individual participants and progress them when appropriate.

The following tables identify some progressive activities to develop the components of front crawl (legs, arms, breathing & timing).

FRONT CRAWL LEG ACTION

ACTIVITIES
  • Kicking with equipment; a noodle, two floats, one float or a ball. In that order slowly progressing from one piece of equipment to the next.
  • kicking from a push and glide position with arms outstretched in front.
  • Kicking through a sunken hoop with arms outstretched in front.
  • Kicking with some added resistance (example; a float held vertically and slightly submerged).
TEACHING POINTS
  • Floppy ankles.
  • Pointed toes.
  • Kick from the hip.
  • Legs long and together.
  • Small splashes near the surface.
CONSIDERATIONS
  • Encourage face in the water at all times.
  • When using equipment consider its level of floatation it provides as this can make activities easier or harder.

FRONT CRAWL ARM ACTION

ACTIVITIES
  • Kicking with a front paddle arm action.
  • Standing on the pool deck demonstrating correct arm action.
  • Standing in shallow water, carrying out the arm action, with face in the water.
  • Walking in shallow water, carrying out the arm action, with face in the water.
  • From a push & glide position, kicking the legs and carrying out the arm action for a short distance, with the face in the water throughout.
TEACHING POINTS
  • Gently slide the hand in the water.
  • Reach forwards.
  • Pull and then push the water behind you.
  • Elbow bent as the arm comes over the water.
CONSIDERATIONS
  • Encourage face in the water at all times. 
  • Keep the time/distance short at the start which will prevent participants needing to breather and therefore help to ensure the quality of the arm action (breathing is covered next).
  • Repeat all activities and slowly building the distance traveled.

FRONT CRAWL BREATHING

ACTIVITIES
  • Standing in shallow water, one arm stretched out in front, the other by the side, turning the head to breather.
  • Standing on the pool deck, carrying out the arm action and turning the head to breathe.
  • Standing in shallow water, carrying out the arm action and turning the head to breathe.
  • Walking in shallow water, carrying out the arm action and turning the head to breathe.
  • From a push & glide position, full stroke introducing one breathing cycle.
  • From a push & glide position, full stroke introducing two breathing cycles.
TEACHING POINTS
  • Turn your head to the side.
  • Keep your cheek in the water.
  • Take a breath in.
  • Blow bubbles when face is in the water.
CONSIDERATIONS
  • Repeating activities and slowly building the distance travelled and number of breaths to be taken will ensure the quality of breathing action is maintained.
  • Participants should experience both breathing patterns (bilateral and unilateral) in order to find out which one suits them. Evan teaches unilateral breathing as its the most commonly one thought in the leisure industry.

FRONT CRAWL TIMING

ACTIVITIES
  • From a push & glide position, carry out full stroke front crawl.
TEACHING POINTS
  • Maintain a continuous leg kick.
  • Maintain a continuous arm action.
  • Maintain a regular breathing pattern.
CONSIDERATIONS
  • Slowly building the distance traveled will ensure the quality of the stroke is maintained.
  • A six beat leg kick should be encouraged for good timing in the front crawl stroke.
  • This means for every 6 kicks you do a full round of front crawl arms.

Front Crawl

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