Is It Finally Time to Learn the Pool Crawl?

Your student or child now knows how to dog paddle, tread water,breaststroke, and even some backstroke. What next? The “crawl.” Yikes! Are you ready for that? They are. But remember, even if it feels more serious to you, and the child is older, they still learn best through fun—just like us.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Demonstrate the crawl. Without a word. Just do it. Once, twice, three times. And then, again without a word, invite them to try it. While you watch. Just watch, like they did. Your example is worth a thousand words and what you learn about their road to the crawl is just as valuable. (You may learn they are not ready for it. That’s fine, too!)

Watch. Try again. Let them sink. Let them flounder. That’s natural. Laugh at how bad it is. It’s like a beard growing in: the intermediate stages can be a bit gruesome, but funny too.

*ZPD—ANOTHER GREAT KEY

If you can, find a child close to their age for them to watch. Preferably a child who has just learned the crawl and has not perfected it yet. Why? So they can see the BIG pieces—and be encouraged—and start to believe that they can learn how to crawl one day.

BREAK IT DOWN

Resist the urge to introduce everything all at once—instead, break it down. Choose one aspect to work on. It doesn’t matter which one. “Poke out the eye of the sky—with your elbow up high.” Or instead of “Look ma, no hands!—make it “look, ma, all hands!” After you work on that one detail, have them try the crawl again.

SPLASH CONTEST

For example, if you decide to work on the “pull,” turn around and have them practice the pull as a splash. A big splash. A HUGE splash. Keep increase the distance between you—until you’re halfway across the pool. “Bet you can’t reach me over here!” Laugh when they do. As you add new details, invite them to watch you and try it for themselves before you give it a name. Make the name something fun: “check out my otter paws!” (closed fingers).

LET IT HAPPEN

The in-the-water crawl is like the on-the-land crawl: it develops organically. Trust that. Let those organic connections happen. Give challenges that cause the natural details to emerge from the stroke.

REACH FOR THE SIDE

You want an example? How about one of the weirdest and coolest things about the crawl: side-breathing. Make a triangle in front of you. Pull back one arm—then REACH, exaggerate that reach. Stress leaving one arm fixed as you stretch and reach for the other. When you pull back, your body naturally rolls to its side, then rolls back to face down as you reach. It’s a challenge to keep the “resting” arm in place as the “reaching” arm stabs the water to touch it and reform the triangle. But a fun one!

DISCOVER YOUR SIDE

Ah! We have found our side. Enjoy it! Stay there. Really lay your cheek in the water, pretend it’s your nice soft pillow at the end of a fun-filled summer day. Do nothing! Have them dog paddle gently or flutter kick as they move, drift almost across the pool. Ask them to sniff their armpits—if they’re into that sort of thing. Stress—ha!—working less hard. We’ll revisit that.

BACK TO BASICS: BACK TO SUPPORT

Remember when you had to support as they learned how to swim? Do that again. Why? So they can take their attention off staying afloat and on the details of the crawl they are trying to master.

GET UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE

DIGITAL IMAGEDemonstrate the crawl again, only this time have them watch you from underneath the surface so they can see the catch, pull, and release. Then ask them to crawl—and watch them from underneath. Stay under, adjust and guide the catch, pull, and release. Let them feel how that drives them forward. Ask them how it feels. Laugh when they say lousy.

MASTERY

The crawl never gets old. It wins gold medals and gets you from Cuba to Florida**. Master swimmers swim thousands of meters of it each week. Why? Because it makes us practice a guiding principle—which will start to guide everything we do in the water: “do more with less effort.” How? By improving your technique—unique to you because it draws on your experience and your body.

As always, thanks for listening. I gave examples above, but there are SO many more. In fact, I’d love to hear yours. I’m always interested in all ideas about how to teach and learn the crawl. It’s a fundamental and beautiful stroke. Entire books have been written about it! Please leave comments, and links to inspiring books here.

Cheers!

About the Author: Robert Rogers
Robert is a Sunsational Swim Instructor in Santa Rosa, California.
In his work life, Robert has taught people how to sing, act, and swim—and birds how to fly. Okay, well not exactly. But he did train birds for shows at state fairs, zoos, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. His only regret is not having learned how to fly himself—yet! You have to crawl before you can fly—or butterfly, right? Favorite animal movie of the moment: EIGHT BELOW!

Book your lesson with Robert or any of our swim instructors!