Levels and Classes at Palo Alto Swim School
During the first lesson, our instructor can take the swimmer through our in-water progression to assess skills and ensure where the lesson will start.
Level 1 (Starfish)
This beginner class focuses on increasing your child’s enjoyment, confidence and comfort in the water while introducing basic water safety skills.
For children who are comfortable being away from parent.
Skills:
- Face in water
- Comfortable submerging in water
- Back float assisted & unassisted
- Front float assisted & unassisted
- Bobs and rhythmic breathing
- Assisted flutter kicking
- Enter & exit water safely
Level 2 (Octopus)
This class continues to refine water safety skills as well as develop body position and kicks. Children build on foundational skills that will lead to success in the stroke classes to come. Swimmers must be water safe to enter this level.
For swimmers who are comfortable being away from parent and are water safe.
Skills:
- Comfortable in depth over head, deep end
- Freestyle arm assisted
- Freestyle with back float breath
- Assisted side breathing
- Flutter kick on front and back
- Safety skills
- Streamline
- Drop and push
- Kick distance in streamline
- Kick distance on board
- Dolphin duck dive from chest deep
Level 3 (Seal)
Freestyle & Backstroke
Swimmers learn Freestyle beginning with proper body position, efficient flutter kicks, freestyle arms and side breathing, while developing overall efficiency within the stroke. Swimmers will continue to review and improve upon their Freestyle while learning Backstroke. Swimmers will develop proper body position, rotation, efficient flutter kicks on back, and backstroke arms through hands-on instruction.
Skills:
- Kick in streamline front and back
- Freestyle with side breathing multiple cycles – assisted & unassisted
- Backstroke
- forward rolls/somersault
- Sitted dives
- Safe backstroke finish
- Circle Swim
- Main Pool
Level 4 (Dolphin)
Breaststroke & Butterfly
Swimmers will continue to review and improve their Freestyle and Backstroke while learning the difference between the short and long axis strokes emphasizing the importance of proper kick and glide. Instructors will isolate the four parts of the stroke (glide, kick, breath and pull), yielding a successful Breaststroke. Swimmers will continue by learning Butterfly; including the importance of full body dolphin kick and undulation, timing of kicks with pull and recovery and complete the stroke with the addition of the breath.
Skills:
- Breast kick
- Breast arms
- Breaststroke
- Fly undulation/Rhythm
- Fly arms
- Fly swim
- Kneeling dives
- Open turns
Deals
Youth scholarships are available. Fill out the form online for more information.