Swimming

The new American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim classes provide instruction to help swimmers of all ages and abilities develop their swimming and water safety skills. It is designed to give students a positive learning experience. Learn-to-Swim teaches aquatic and safety skills in a logical progression. The objective is to teach people to swim and to be safe in, on and around the water. Skills are categorized in the following way:

• Water Entry and Exit
• Breath Control and Underwater Swimming
• Buoyancy
• Changing Direction and Position
• Treading
• Swimming on Front, Back and Side
• General and Personal Water Safety
• Helping Others

The six learn-to-swim levels and the objectives for each level include:

Level 1
Introduction to Water Skills: helps students feel comfortable in the water and to enjoy the water safely.

Level 2
Fundamental Aquatic Skills: gives students success with fundamental skills.

Level 3
Stroke Development: builds on the skills in Level 2 by providing additional guided practice.

Level 4
Stroke Improvement: develops confidence in the strokes learned and to improve other aquatic skills.

Level 5
Stroke Refinement: provides further coordination and refinement of strokes.

Level 6
Swimming and Skill Proficiency: refines the strokes so students swim them with ease, efficiency, power and smoothness over greater distances. Level 6 is designed with "menu" options. Each of these options focus on preparing students to participate in more advance courses, such as Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard Training. These options include:

• Personal Water Safety
• Lifeguard Readiness
• Fundamentals of Diving
• Fitness Swimming