SWISH! Swimming: Methods of Determining Progression by Level
THE CLASSES
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THE FINI CLASSES (PARENT-IN)
The average age of children spanning these three classes are from 4 months for the Mini's to 24 months old for the Rockets.
Mini Fini Classes: Guide Age 4 - 24 Months
These classes are grouped entirely by age and not skill. The Mini-Fini classes are all about learning to enjoy the water, gain confidence and settle the kids into all the positions necessary prior to their progression to “stroker” level.
Bubble Fini: Guide Age 18 - 24 Months
- Parent accompanied class
In this class, it is assumed that your child has either had swimming lessons before, or spent a considerable amount of time with parents swimming together. It is also assumed that your child can successfully swim underwater between parent and coach unaccompanied (however they would not necessarily know how to "pop-up breathe" confidently yet).
The focus of this class is breath control - a step that is often overlooked or "rushed past" in an effort to move children through swim levels. However mastery of breath control is needed to be an efficient swimmer, and it is the number one issue identified in adult swimmers who say "I was taught how to swim, but I just can't seem to complete a lap". Rushing past this level will cause problems with swim mechanics in all future strokes.
This class will also continue to focus on:
1. Continued confidence (fun)
2. Breath control (holding and then bubbling)/ Pop-up breathing
3. Propulsion (legs/arms)
4. Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
5. Jumps, Dives, retrievals
6. Entries/Exits/Wall grabs (monkey)
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In Bubble Fini, a child can float on their back for the duration of a song which demonstrates they are comfortable in the water on their back. A vital element of water safety.
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Please note, that moving from Rocket Fini to Zuma Paddler, the child has to be aged 3.5 years old and have gone through the “Fini” swim levels.
If the child is 3.5 years old with limited swim experience and has not been through the “Fini” classes, they will go into “Zuma Beginner”, not “Zuma Paddler”.
As we move to Rocket Fini the focus of teaching shifts from water confidence to skills development.
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DID YOU KNOW…
… that the term “front crawl” and “freestyle” refers to the same stroke and can be used interchangeably. Front crawl is the stroke name, but given it is the fastest stroke, this is the stroke every competitive swimmer will use to compete with when a “freestyle” race is entered. Technically, a swimmer can perform any stroke they would like to in a “freestyle” race, hence the name “freestyle”!
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Rocket Fini Guide Age: 2.5 - 3.5 Years Old
Rocket Fini - Parent accompanied
This is the last level before a child moves to a "parent unaccompanied" class at 3.5 years old, and assumes extreme comfort in the water and a successful history of swim lessons.
This class will assume that breath control has been mastered, and a major focus will be on streamline kick (both front and back).
Streamline body position and kick is the basis for successful freestyle/front crawl and backstroke.
These classes will also continue to incorporate activities to develop:
1. Confidence
2. Breath control
3. Propulsion (legs/arms)
4. Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
5. Jumps, Dives, retrievals
6. Entries/Exits/Wall grabs
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THE ZUMA CLASSES (PARENT-OUT)
Once we get to the Zuma Levels the children are normally reasonably accomplished. Parents and guardians are no longer needed in the water. Our Zuma's can range from 3.5 years old to 7+. Please remember that age and ability and the fact every child is unique is an overwhelming factor in how quickly they will progress to this level and to the subsequent levels within the Zuma category.
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Zuma Beginner 1 Guide Age: 3.5 - 4.5 Years Old
This level is for children 3.5 years and over who have not participated in swimming lessons before.
(Note, if your child has shown fear of the water, please consider our "Zuma Stressless" class)
ZB1 is a "parent unaccompanied" class, so children will be gently introduced to the pool, and taught how to safely follow instructions, while they will also be introduced to activities that will develop them in the following areas:
1. Confidence (Conditioning)
2. Breath control
3. Propulsion (legs/arms)
4. Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
5. Jumps, Dives, retrievals
6. Entries/Exits/Wall grabs
As our classes are progressive, if your child develops comfort and skills quickly at this level, a more advanced level will be suggested for them - they do not need to "stay" in this level for a set period of time.
Likewise, if your child is developing nicely alongside a group of peers who progress at a similar level, Swish will change the class to the next level (to maintain the group, and the time slot).
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Zuma Beginner 2 Guide Age: 3.5 - 4.5 Years Old
This level is for children 3.5 years and over who have not participated in swimming lessons before.
(Note, if your child has shown fear of the water, please consider our "Zuma Stressless" class)
ZB2 is a "parent unaccompanied" class, so children will be gently introduced to the pool, and taught how to safely follow instructions, while they will also be introduced to activities that will develop them in the following areas:
1. Confidence (Conditioning)
2. Breath control
3. Propulsion (legs/arms)
4. Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
5. Jumps, Dives, retrievals
6. Entries/Exits/Wall grabs
As our classes are progressive, if your child develops comfort and skills quickly at this level, a more advanced level will be suggested for them - they do not need to "stay" in this level for a set period of time.
Likewise, if your child is developing nicely alongside a group of peers who progress at a similar level, Swish will change the class to the next level (to maintain the group, and the timeslot).
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Zuma Paddler Guide Age: 3.5 - 4.5 Years Old
This class is not accompanied by a parent, and is for children who have already had instruction with fundamentals, such as:
Breath control
Simple Propulsion (legs/arms - tiger arms/pizza arms)
Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
Jumps, Dives, retrievals
Entries/Exits/Wall grabs (monkey)
It will focus on developing a good streamline body position (arms straight in front) while swimming on their front and back.
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Zuma Rainbow Guide Age: 4+
The Zuma Rainbow class is not accompanied by a parent, and is for children who have mastered streamline body position (good kick front and back) and are ready to focus on overarm propulsion (for freestyle/front-crawl and backstroke).
We assume the following fundamentals have been introduced in prior lessons, and they continue to be developed via activities and drills appropriate for the skill level covering the following areas:
Breath control
Simple Propulsion (legs/arms - tiger arms/pizza arms)
Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
Jumps, Dives, retrievals
Entries/Exits/Wall grabs (monkey)
Zuma Roller Guide Age: 6 - 7 Years Old
The Zuma Roller class is for children who have already mastered overarm propulsion (for freestyle/front-crawl and backstroke), and are now ready to be taught side breathing (with breath control) for freestyle/front-crawl.
It is also the level where breaststroke will be introduced as we are confident that the flutter kick (used for freestyle/front crawl and backstroke) has been mastered.
Once the muscle memory is in place for flutter kick, we are then confident that the introduction of a new type of kick (breaststroke) will not affect the child's freestyle kick and alignment. This is a fundamental difference between the AUSTSWIM program that Swish follows, and other programs where breaststroke is introduced early (which can disrupt freestyle/front crawl development).
We assume the following fundamentals have been introduced in prior lessons, and they continue to be developed via activities and drills appropriate for the skill level covering the following areas:
Breath control
Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
Jumps, Dives, retrievals
Entries/Exits
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Zuma Stroker Guide Age: 7+
The Zuma Stroker /Zuma Technical classes is for children who can already swim at least three of the four main strokes:
1. Freestyle (front-crawl)
2. Backstroke
3. Breaststroke
It is also the level where the fourth stroke - butterfly - will be introduced in its entirety - kick, breath, arms.
This class will focus on fine tuning all strokes and increasing endurance.
The class will also continue to augment skills in the following areas:
Breath control
Balance/Buoyancy/Rotation
Jumps, Dives, retrievals
Entries/Exits
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Please note, the swimming levels and information detailed above are purely a guide, as every child is unique in terms of ability, confidence and attention span, so please do be patient with their progression. Kids will go through periods of fast progress and sometimes need extra time.
Our coaches follow a series of strict guidelines that enable them to determine effectively at what level a child should be placed, based on age, ability, behaviour, attentiveness and understanding of water safety and at what point that child can move on to the next level. The guidelines are very specific and detailed but we hope this condensed version provides some clarity on our methods at SWISH! Swimming. If you have any questions with regard to the various levels please don't hesitate to contact us to discuss your child's specific needs.