Hello Everyone.
So today I'm going to be introducing you all to gliding which is one of the best swim moves any swimmer can have. Gliding is simply the act of pushing off the wall with both of your legs and gliding through the water with your hands stretched out. This movement is the second part of swimming I introduce beginner swimmers to and it is done mostly in the second or third class after the swimmer is now less hydrophobic, more confident and comfortable in the shallow area of the swimming pool. This movement is quite simple to carry out but not everyone gets it right in their first trials due to so many factors (It takes so many trials but is one of the fun aspects of swimming for beginners). However, learning and mastering how to glide through water is of great advantage to swimmers as it helps them cover a good distance before using their hands and legs for pulling and kicking respectively. It also helps them reserve energy for long distance swim.
HOW TO GLIDE
To glide through the water you want to make sure your in a squating position with your head just a little bit above the water and your hands stretched out with one on top of the other.
Next, you jump up a little bit to plant your feet on the wall and then you push as hard as you can with both legs.
As you push, you keep your head in the water and keep both your hands together stretched out until you are at a good distance and no longer have the speed you had when you pushed off the wall.
MISTAKES MADE WHEN GLIDING.
Here are some mistakes many beginners make when gliding and how they affect the swim.
Not pushing off with both legs won't give the swimmer a good stability and won't take the swimmer very far. The goal is to push as hard as you can and you can only do that with both legs.
Also, raising your head up when trying to glide or as you push off the wall of the pool will only make the lower part of your body sink as you push off; your body won't be streamlined and you will find it difficult to glide very far in the water. It is best to keep your head in the water (looking down at the bottom of the pool) as you push off to keep your body straight and streamlined as you push off.
Separating your hands as you glide also affects the glide. Separating the hands causes resistance and decreases the speed of the swimmer as they glide. Putting your hands together (one on top of the other and stretched out) will give that swift and fast movement you need to glide through the water.
Gliding is one of those aspects of swimming that when mastered, would always give the impression of an expert swimmer. It is used alot in competitive swimming and is of great benefit to anyone who can do it so well. So when next you visit a pool, try it out and feel free to drop feedbacks.
Please ensure you swim under the supervision of a swim coach or life guard. Thank you and I hope you found this post useful.
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