Level 4 | Mazinaw Lake Swim Pr

Welcome to Mazinaw Lake Swim Program's Level 4 virtual lesson page!

Today's lesson can be found at the bottom of the page! Click this link to get today's lesson!

Challenge of the week: 25m flutter kick on your front with a floatie (pool noodle, flutter board, etc.) and 25m flutter kick on your back with rocket ship arms.

(Rocket ship arms- both arms up over your head like a rocket ship taking off)

July 5th

Refresh your skills. Practice your flutter kick, your front and back floats, and your rocket ship arms.

July 6th

Front Crawl

Start in the water face down like a front float, with both of your arms out in front of your body like a rocket ship.
Draw one of your hands (either one is fine) parallel to your body towards your feet with your elbow slightly bent.(b)
Once the first arm is extended all the way back, and your hand is at your waist, bend your elbow and lift your arm out of the water. (c)
As you lift your arm out of the water and bring it forward as is shown in (d), repeat steps 2 and 3 with your other hand.
As you pull water with one hand and simultaneously bring your other hand back out in front of your body, use flutter kick to stabilise yourself and go faster.

Use the diagram below for more guidance.

July 7th

Introduction to Back Crawl, but since it's cold today you won't need to go in the water!

1. Lie down on your bed, and make sure you have room to move.

2. Start flutter kicking gently. Try not to hit anything.

3. Slowly roll your shoulders side to side.

Tomorrow we will add the arm movements for back crawl! Everything you practiced in bed will be applicable in the water.

July 8th

Arm movements for back crawl.

1. Start by doing the exercise from yesterday in the water. Now to add in the arms start with both arms at your side and your hands at your hips.

2. Bring your arm straight up so that it is now perpendicular to your body.

3. Rotate your wrist so that your pinky finger is the closest finger to the water. The palm of your hand should now be facing away from your body.

4. Bring your arm forward so that it is underwater with your hand above your head.

5. Bend your elbow and push the water towards your feet while simultaneously repeating steps

1-4 with your other hand.

Below is a diagram of the arm and leg movements.

July 9th

Today, we do a Distance swim! Try to swim 10-15m continuously with either front or back crawl. As well, try the challenge of the week, and if you complete that, keep working on your technique for front and back crawl. Remember, practice makes perfect!

Challenge of the week: Distance! 20m Front Crawl, 20m Back Crawl, 10 kneeling dives and 10 front glides of more than 1m.

July 12th

Watch this video on how to do a kneeling dive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fooCiJ_D6b8

Do 50 dives, and a special challenge, try to dive

and when you come up to the surface of the water, do 10 strokes of front crawl.

July 13th

Today you will learn the Front Glide:

1. Raise your arms above your head like a starship. Make sure your arms are tightly pressing your ears.

2. Push off of a surface (floating dock, rock, shore, pool wall, etc) and glide through the water.

3. As soon as you start to lose momentum, start flutter kicking until you need to breathe.

Here is a diagram depicting a front glide. Do this 20 times.

July 14th

Today we improve our ability to swim for long distances! I want you to do 15m Front Crawl, 15m Back Crawl, 10m flutter kick on your front and 10m flutter kick on your back.

July 15th

Today is Rhythmic Breathing day! Rythmic Breathing is where we learn how to know when to lift our heads out of the water to take a breath.

1. Grab any floating object (flutterboard, noodle, etc) and place both hands on the middle about shoulder width apart.

2. Lying facedown in the water, start flutterkicking. Count to three, and when you reach three turn your head to the left so that your ear is the only thing in the water, and take a breath.

3. Put your head back down and count to three again. This time, turn your head to the right to breathe. Do this for 25m.

July 16th

Today is a review day! Complete the challenge of the week, and practice everything you learned. Try to do 25m of front and back crawl, and this time 20 kneeling dives. Have a good weekend!

Challenge of the week: 50 kneeling dives, 20 front glides, and 25m of front and back crawl. As well, try to do 25m of scissor kick.

July 19th

It's drowning prevention week! Do you think you can tell if someone is drowning? Watch this video to learn some signs of drowning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKq_4KdlsKE

As well, do 25m of front crawl, and 25m of back crawl.

July 20th

Today we will improve our distance! 50m of any stroke! Also, do 30 kneeling dives, and 10 front glides.

This time, try to dive and glide underwater for 2-3m. As well, try to extend your

front glides to a minimum of 3m (10 feet).

July 21st

Today we will work on our Scissor Kick!

1. Start laying sideways in the water, on whichever side is most comfortable to

you.

2. With the leg that is closest to the surface of the water, bend it at the knee backwards.

3. With the other leg, push out away from your body. Your legs should look like an open pair of scissors.

4. Now quickly pull both legs together, which should propel you forwards.

5. Next, take the arm that is at the surface and place it flat on your body so that your hand rests on your thigh. Take the other hand and extend it out in front of your body with your hand facing the bottom of the pool or lake.

6. Keeping your arms in position, repeat steps 2-4 for 15m. Scissor kick is a tricky concept, but you got this!

As well, I would like you to do 25m of front crawl and 25m of back crawl.

July 22nd

As part of drowning prevention week we will look at some causes of drowning.

Some causes of drowning include alcohol, swimming alone, and being unfamiliar with the lake or pool you are swimming in. Think about why these factors can cause drowning, and think of three places where you could face these types of situations. As well, remember that drowning can occur in almost any body of water. Always be on your guard.

July 23rd

Today is a chance for you to practice everything you have learned this week, and go even bigger distances. Try to do 20m this time of scissor kick, 30 kneeling dives, and 25m of front crawl and 25m of back crawl. As well, make sure to do 20m of flutter kick. Thank-you and have a great weekend!

Challenge of the week: 5 minutes of front crawl -see how far you can go in that time- and 3 minutes of back crawl. Try to work on pulling a lot of water with each stroke. As well, do 50 total kneeling dives and 25m of scissor kick.

July 26th

Today I would like you to work on combining your rhythmic breathing with your front crawl. You do not need to have rhythmic breathing for back crawl as your face is not underwater. If you go here to the rhythmic breathing lesson, you will notice that every three seconds you were supposed to take a breath. Instead of using seconds as our way of knowing when to breath, I want you to count how many strokes you are doing. When you count three strokes, take a breath by turning your head to the side opposite your arm. For example, if your third stroke is your right arm, as you extend your arm out in front of your body turn your head to the left and take a breath. The opposite is true for the left arm. Here is a picture showing what your body should look like when you take a breath.

July 27th

Today we work on our distance! Over the course of the day, I would like you to do 100m total of front crawl and 100m of back crawl. If you do it all at once, I will be very impressed, but you can do it as 4 swims of 25m for each, 10 swims of 10m for each, etc. Have some fun and push yourself!

July 28th

Today I want you to work on your front glides. Today we will focus on our arms. When you do your front glide, keep your arms glued to your ears, extended as far out in front of you as possible, and keep that streamlined position until you feel your hands and head touch the surface of the water.

July 29th

Today I would like you to work on your kneeling dives. Here is the link to the lesson on how to do the dives. When you dive, make sure to keep your arms tight to your head just like you did with your front glides. When you enter the water, make sure you're leading with the tip of your fingers, instead of bellyflopping. And make sure to tuck your head down so that you could hold a tennis ball between your neck and chin.

July 30th

Today I would like you to work on everything you learned this week, and practice your strokes. Do 50m of front crawl, 50m of back crawl, 25m of scissor kick, 30 front glides and 30 kneeling dives. Have a great weekend!

Final Challenge of the Week! I would like you to do 50m of front crawl, 50m of back crawl, 25m of scissor kick, 25m of breast stroke, and 20 kneeling dives.

August 2nd

Today I'd like you to work on your distance, by doing 200m total with a minimum of 50m of front crawl, 50m back crawl, and for the last 100m you can do more front crawl, back crawl, or scissor kick. As well, try 20 kneeling dives today. Enjoy!

August 3rd

Today I would like you to work on your Front Glides. Remember to keep your chin down and your arms tight to your head. Do 40 front glides, and see how far you can go underwater!

August 4th

Today I would like you to work on you rhythmic breathing combined with flutter kick. First, grab a floating object such as a flutterboard or noodle, and extend your arms forward like a rocket ship. Next, begin doing flutter kick with your head down, and every three seconds (or if you can visualize the amount of time it takes for you to do three strokes) turn your head to the side and take a breath. Do this for 25m, and then use your rhythmic breathing combined with front crawl for 25m.

August 5th

Today I would like you to work on your distance! Try to do 200m of any combination of front crawl and back crawl. As well, do 20 kneeling dives and 25m of scissor kick. Have a great day!

August 6th

Today is the final day of lessons! Today I would like you to work on anything that you have not completed from the challenge of the week, and, ending on a fun note, I challenge you to do 20 more kneeling dives, as those are always fun, and to do a 15m sprint as fast as you can, maybe try to race a friend or family member, and just have some fun in the water. Have a great summer, thank-you for being part of this summer's virtual lessons, and stay safe!

Rhythmic breathing

Kneeling Dive