Learn Swimming

Pacing

The skill of managing effort and speed so it lasts the whole distance or event.

Breathing

The skill of controlling the breath rhythmically to sustain effort and stay relaxed.

Front crawl

The fastest swimming stroke, using alternating arm pulls and a flutter kick while face-down.

Breaststroke

A swimming stroke using a symmetrical arm sweep and a frog-like kick, with the head lifting to breathe.

Treading water

The skill of staying afloat and upright in deep water without moving anywhere.

Quick check: Learn the core skills

1. In sport, what does “Activation” mean?
In golf, a score of three strokes under par on a single hole.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.Activation refers to warm-up exercises that switch on and prime specific muscles so they contribute properly during the main session.An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.
2. In sport, what does “Kinetic Chain” mean?
A competition in which a fixed set of teams plays over a season, with standings decided by accumulated results.A point which, if won by the leading player or side, wins the entire match.A pass delivered while the passer looks in another direction to deceive defenders about its destination.The concept that the body's segments act as a linked chain, transferring force from one joint to the next during movement.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Name the core skills
Practise the two or three that matter most first
Get feedback on one skill

Common mistakes

• Chasing flashy skills before the fundamentals are solid
• Practising without any feedback loop

Practice goals

◎ Perform the core skills at a basic, repeatable level
◎ Know which skill to work on next

4

Build your technique

How specific movements and shots are performed. Learn these once the basics feel comfortable, one at a time.

Milestone: You understand how the key techniques are performed and when they are used.

Lessons

Freestyle Stroke

The fastest swimming stroke, using alternating overhead arm pulls, a flutter kick and rhythmic side breathing.

Breaststroke

A swimming stroke with a simultaneous arm sweep, a whip-like frog kick and a glide, performed on the front.

Backstroke

The only competitive stroke swum on the back, using alternating overhead arm pulls and a steady flutter kick.

Flip Turn

A fast turn in freestyle where the swimmer somersaults at the wall, pushes off on their back and rotates to continue swimming.

Quick check: Build your technique

1. In sport, what does “Activation” mean?
In golf, a score of three strokes under par on a single hole.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.Activation refers to warm-up exercises that switch on and prime specific muscles so they contribute properly during the main session.
2. In sport, what does “Lactate Threshold” mean?
The lactate threshold is the exercise intensity at which blood lactate starts to rise sharply because the body can no longer clear it as fast as it is produced.The term used in tennis for a score of zero.The process by which practice and experience produce relatively permanent improvements in the ability to perform a movement skill.A rule that penalises an attacking player for being in an illegal forward position when the ball is played to them.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Break a key technique into its steps
Practise it slowly before adding speed
Film or check your form

Common mistakes

• Adding power or speed before the movement is grooved
• Copying a pro’s style without the underlying basics

Practice goals

◎ Perform a key technique with sound, safe form
◎ Self-correct one common fault

5

Understand tactics & strategy

How the game is actually played and thought about — the tactics and bigger-picture strategy that turn skills into a game.

Milestone: You can follow how the game is played tactically, not just physically.

Lessons

Tactic

Pacing strategy

Planning how to distribute effort across a race so energy lasts the full distance without fading.

Tactic

Negative split

A pacing tactic where an athlete covers the second half of a race faster than the first.

Tactic

Interval-training strategy

Structuring a workout as bursts of hard effort separated by recovery to build fitness efficiently.

Strategy

Pacing and Energy Management

Pacing and energy management is the overarching plan for distributing a limited supply of physical effort across an event so you avoid fading early and finish strong.

Strategy

Tapering and Peaking

Tapering and peaking is the strategy of easing training load before a key event so fitness stays high while fatigue clears, timing peak form for the day itself.

Quick check: Understand tactics & strategy

1. In sport, what does “Activation” mean?
Activation refers to warm-up exercises that switch on and prime specific muscles so they contribute properly during the main session.In golf, a score of three strokes under par on a single hole.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.
2. In sport, what does “Lane” mean?
A defensive approach where a team sits deep near its own goal in a compact shape, conceding space further up the field.One of the parallel marked corridors that divides a track, pool or bowling alley so competitors race or play within an assigned strip.A mouthguard is a soft protective insert worn over the teeth in contact sports to help cushion impacts to the mouth.A defensive tactic in which defenders step forward together to leave an attacker offside just before the ball is played.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Learn one simple tactic or pattern
Watch how better players use space and timing
Try the tactic in a low-pressure game

Common mistakes

• Learning tactics before you can execute the skills
• Copying complex strategy without understanding why

Practice goals

◎ Apply one tactic deliberately in a game
◎ Explain why a common tactic works

6

Find your position or role

Where you fit in — the positions and roles players take on, and what each one does.

Milestone: You know the positions or roles and what each one is responsible for.

Lessons

Player role

Pace-Setter

The player who sets and controls the tempo of play or the rhythm of an endurance effort, dictating how fast the game or race unfolds.

Quick check: Find your position or role

1. In sport, what does “Activation” mean?
In golf, a score of three strokes under par on a single hole.Activation refers to warm-up exercises that switch on and prime specific muscles so they contribute properly during the main session.A stroke played with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot, on the opposite side to the racquet arm.An implement used to strike the ball, from the willow blade of cricket to the rounded baseball bat and, in British usage, the table-tennis paddle.
2. In sport, what does “Lane” mean?
A defensive approach where a team sits deep near its own goal in a compact shape, conceding space further up the field.A mouthguard is a soft protective insert worn over the teeth in contact sports to help cushion impacts to the mouth.One of the parallel marked corridors that divides a track, pool or bowling alley so competitors race or play within an assigned strip.A defensive tactic in which defenders step forward together to leave an attacker offside just before the ball is played.

Answer all 2 to check.

Practice checklist

Learn the positions or roles
Try more than one to find a fit
Understand your responsibilities in a team

Common mistakes

• Locking into one position too early
• Not knowing what teammates around you are doing

Practice goals

◎ Play a position competently
◎ Describe what each role contributes

7

Train your body for it

The physical qualities the sport asks for, and ways to build them. Educational — not a personalised plan.

Milestone: You know which physical qualities the sport asks for and, in general terms, how they are built.

Lessons

Interval Training

Interval training alternates short bursts of harder effort with easier recovery periods, letting you accumulate more quality work than a single continuous push.

Steady-State Cardio

Steady-state cardio means holding one comfortable, continuous pace for the whole session, building an aerobic base without the peaks of interval work.

Tempo Training

Tempo training holds a firm, controlled 'comfortably hard' pace for a sustained stretch, teaching the body to sustain effort without tipping into a sprint.

Cross-Training

Cross-training mixes different activities into your routine so you build all-round fitness and give repeatedly-used muscles a change of stimulus.

Periodisation

Periodisation is the practice of organising training into phases across weeks and months, varying the focus so you build steadily and peak at the right time.