Swim Level Explanation

• Infant Aquatics: For ages 2 and under
• Pre-School: (For ages 5 and under)
• Level 1 (For children 5 and up)
• Level 2
• Level 3
• Level 4
• Level 5
• Level 6
• Level 7


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Infant Aquatics: For ages 2 and under

Parents are in the water with children and all skills are done with support
• Getting wet; Exploring the pool
• Under water exploration; Blowing bubbles
• Front float; Front glide
  Back float; Back glide
• Roll over from front to back and back to front
• Choosing a life jacket; Using a life jacket
• Depending on child's development: Leg and Arm action and combined stroke on front may be reviewed


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Pre-School: Water Adjustment (For ages 5 and under)

Parents are in the water with children and all skills are done with support

Getting wet

Exploring the pool
Jumping in from the side of the pool and returning to the side
Under water exploration

Enter and exit the water safely

Submerge mouth, nose and eyes
Open eyes under water retrieve objects
Exhale underwater blow bubble through mouth and nose

Explore arm and hand movements

Change direction of travel
Front float
Front glide Alternating arm and leg action
Simultaneous arm and leg action
Combine arm and leg action
Recover from back and front floats to standing position
Roll over from front to back and back to front

Discussion of water safety rules

Demonstrate how to use a life jacket and wearing it in the water

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Level 1: Skills (For children 5 and up)

Water Adjustment:

Fully submerge face for 3 seconds

Buoyancy and Breath Control:

Bounce up and down in chest deep water
Maintaining upright position for 10 bounces
Bubble blowing
Supported float on front
Supported float on back

Water Entry and Exit:

Enter and exit water independently using ladder, ramp, steps or side of pool

Locomotion:

Walk 5 yards in chest deep water maintaining balance
Move 5 years along side of pool maintaining contact with wall
Supported kicking on front
Supported kicking on back
Walk 5 yards in chest deep water alternating arms
Demonstrate alternating arm action holding side of pool


Personal Safety and Rescue:

Learn basic water safety rules
Demonstrate reaching assists and enter water

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Level 2: Skills

Water Adjustment:

Hold breath and fully submerge face 3 seconds
Submerge and retrieve object in chest deep water or
Submerge and retrieve object suspended at appropriate depth
Orientation to deep water

Buoyancy and Breath Control:

Bob 10 times
Rhythmic breathing-with or without support
Prone float or glide unsupported and recovery 5 seconds
Back float or glide unsupported and recovery 5 seconds


Water Entry and Exit:

Step from the side of pool into chest deep water and recover to a vertical position
Get out at side of pool

Locomotion:

Flutter kick on front-support optional
Flutter kick on back-support optional
Finning on back-support optional
Demonstrate back crawl arm action
Combined stroke front-using alternating arm action and kick 5 yards
Combined stroke back-using choice or arm movement and kick 5 yards
Turning over front to back and back to front


Personal Safety and Rescue:

Enter water while wearing life jacket
Float in life jacket face out of water 1 minute
Perform reaching and extension assists from deck

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Level 3: Skills

Water Adjustment:

Retrieve object, eyes open, no support, from bottom of chest deep water

Buoyancy and Breath Control:

Bob in chest deep water, submerging head completely 25 times
Bob at side of pool in water slightly over head

Water Entry and Exit:

Jump into deep water from side of pool
Dive from side of pool using kneeling and compact positions

Locomotion:

Front glide with push-off (2 body lengths)
Back glide with push-off (2 body lengths)

Rhythmic breathing:

Swim front crawl, breathing as necessary to front or side (15 yards)
(Must be proficient in rhythmic breathing)
Swim back craw (15 yards)
Elementary backstroke kick, with or without kick board (15 yards)
Reverse directions while swimming on front
Reverse directions while swimming on back


Personal Safety and Rescue:

Jump into deep water while wearing life jacket
Tread water (60 seconds)
Demonstrate H.E.L.P. positions (1 minute)
Demonstrate Huddle positions in groups of 3 or more

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Level 4: Skills - Stroke Development

Buoyancy and Breath Control:

Swim underwater, 3 body lengths

Water Entry and Exit:

Dive from side in a compact or stride position
Perform a feet-first surface dive and submerge completely

Locomotion:

Front crawl, 25 yards
Breaststroke, 15 yards Butterfly, 15 yards
Back crawl, 25 yards
Elementary backstroke, 15 yards
Swim on one side with scissors kick, 15 yards
Open turn on front and push off in streamlined position
Open turn on back and push off in streamlined position
Tread water using modified scissors, breaststroke or rotary kick and sculling arm motions, 1 minute.

Personal Safety and Rescue:

Additional rules for safe diving
Compact jump into the water from a height while wearing a life jacket
Throwing assist
Caring for conscious choking victim

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Level 5: Skills - Stroke Refinement

Water Entry and Exit:

Shallow dive from the side
Shallow dive, glide two body lengths, begin any from stroke

Buoyancy and Breath Control:

Tuck surface dive
Pike surface dive
Survival float
Back float


Locomotion:

Front crawl, 50 yards
Breaststroke, 25 yards
Butterfly, 25 yards
Back crawl, 25 yards
Elementary backstroke, 25 yards
Swim on one side with scissors kick, 15 yards
Flip turn while swimming in front
Flip turn while swimming in back
Tread water using modified scissors, breaststroke or rotary kick and sculling arm motions, 2 minute.

Personal Safety and Rescue:

Survival swimming
Rescue breathing

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Level 6 . Fitness Swimming

Copper 12.minute swim pre-assessment

Endurance:

Swim 500 yards continuously using the strokes in the following order:
Front Crawl 100 yards
Back Crawl 100 yards
Breaststroke 50 yards
Elementary Backstroke 50 yards
Sidestroke 50 yards
Butterfly 50 yards
Choice of Stoke 100 yards


Turns:

Front Crawl open turn
Sidestroke open turn
Backstroke open turn
Front Flip open turn
Breaststroke turn
Butterfly turn
Backstroke flip turn


New Skills and Information:

Demonstrate etiquette in fitness swimming
Use of a pace clock
Use of a pull buoy while swimming
Use fins while swimming
Use paddles while swimming
Describe the principles of setting up a fitness program
Demonstrate various training techniques
Calculate target heart rate
Apply principles of water exercise

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Level 7 . Lifeguard Readiness

Endurance Skills:

Swim 500 yards continuously
Front crawl 100 yards
Butterfly, 50 yards
Back crawl, 100 yards
Breaststroke, 50 yards
Elementary backstroke, 50 yards
Swim on one side with scissors kick, 50 yards
Choice of stroke, 100 yards


Turns:

Front crawl open turn
Sidestroke open turn
Backstroke open turn
Front flip turn
Breaststroke turn
Butterfly turn
Backstroke flip turn


Review Skills and Information:

Feet first surface dive
Pike surface dive
Tuck surface dive
Check-Call-Care
Call for emergency help
Care for conscious choking victim
Reaching assist
Throwing assist
Rescue Breathing

New Skills and Information:

Tread water
Tread water, kicking only
Compact jump from height with rescue tube
Front crawl with rescue tube trailing
Breaststroke with rescue tube trailing
Surface dive and retrieve object from bottom
Swim in back holding object (face out of water)
Wading assist with equipment
Walking assist
Beach drag
Hip and should support
Head splint
Using a backboard
Two-person removal from water


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©2007 Mark Kinney. All rights reserved.