My friend has an eight year old daughter who enjoys swimming and water activities more than anything. She joined the local swim club last September, and progressed quickly until the club coaches introduced rhythmic breathing. For about seven months she has really struggled with it.
Essentially, she pauses in the water when taking a breath and greatly exaggerates her stroke while breathing. For some reason, rhythmic breathing has also caused her to wiggle while she swims. Her form/issues with breathing have not really improved much in seven months, and the child even attended a summer swim camp where they worked with her. The coaches have advised that the issues with wiggling are common for children her age, but they do want her to make some progress with her stroke while rhythmic breathing.
This season, the form issues have caused the coaches to keep the child with the beginner group while all of her friends have advanced to the "pre-team" section. The child is very sad about this because a) she wants to move up and be with her friends, b) she'd get to swim more every week, and c) her ego has been hurt.
Several coaches, and her father and I have tried to work with her on her form while breathing, but we have not been able to make much if any tangible progress.
Can anyone recommend form drills, or perhaps videos or books that we can use to help a young child with rhythmic breathing?
Essentially, she pauses in the water when taking a breath and greatly exaggerates her stroke while breathing. For some reason, rhythmic breathing has also caused her to wiggle while she swims. Her form/issues with breathing have not really improved much in seven months, and the child even attended a summer swim camp where they worked with her. The coaches have advised that the issues with wiggling are common for children her age, but they do want her to make some progress with her stroke while rhythmic breathing.
This season, the form issues have caused the coaches to keep the child with the beginner group while all of her friends have advanced to the "pre-team" section. The child is very sad about this because a) she wants to move up and be with her friends, b) she'd get to swim more every week, and c) her ego has been hurt.
Several coaches, and her father and I have tried to work with her on her form while breathing, but we have not been able to make much if any tangible progress.
Can anyone recommend form drills, or perhaps videos or books that we can use to help a young child with rhythmic breathing?