By Susana Soares, André Vieira Cruz Artur André Sousa Borges, Cristiano de Jesus Ferreira, Gonçalo Lima Correia, José Diogo Moreira Machado Ferreira
I CAN glide further with my arms extended in line with my body.
I KNOW that I glide further at a depth of 1 meter.
The student performs the glide by placing their arms extended above their head (hydrodynamic position) before pushing off the wall, and maintains this position throughout the entire glide.
The student states that they can glide a greater distance when performing the exercise at a depth of approximately 1 meter.
Deep or shallow water pool.
One lane.
Groups of 3 members
Similar skill level within the group, preferably students with little experience
Instructor out of the water
15 minutes. At the beginning or end of the lesson.
Proficiency in the front crawl (freestyle) and backstroke techniques.
Students out of the water
Ask the students if they know how to glide in the water after pushing off the wall.
Then ask if they have an idea of the distance they can glide.
Enter the water by jumping from the pool wall or starting block.
Students start one at a time, in intervals.
Each student practices the first glide, and the distance is recorded.
Do not give any instructions to the students on how to perform the glide. After the first glide, ask the students what they could change in their bodies to increase the distance.
If no suggestions are given, help by suggesting the arms above the head with hands together throughout the glide.
Practice the second glide and record the distance achieved.
Refine the alignment of body segments (e.g., keep the head down, feet pointed, legs together).
Practice the third glide and record the distance obtained.
Ask again for more suggestions, this time indicating that it is not related to body position.
If no suggestions arise, suggest gliding at different depths:
At the surface
Approximately 1 meter deep
At the bottom of the pool
Practice the fourth, fifth, and sixth glides and record the distance obtained.
Compare the distances of all the glides performed.
Ask the students to identify all the key points to pay attention to for an efficient glide.
