Thoughts on Swim Lessons in Singapore.

This is a very blunt exclamation/comment on how the current swim lesson syllabus adopted by Swim Safer has affected our swim business and more importantly, the ways of learning of our students.


After testing many students under the swim safer syllabus, I've seen how co-testing can become a double edge sword. The main difference is in the practical aspect of the test, the previous NASSA test seem to focus a lot of long distance swim from bronze (8 laps) to gold(30 laps) and the current SS test was supposed to be more focused on the technique of swim strokes (bronze 1/4 lap per stroke for 4 strokes --- gold 2 laps per stroke for 4 strokes) and even incorporated lifesaving techniques to enhance the chance of survival/being saved.

First of all, the idea is a feasible one and I personally applaud the implementation of such a system amidst the number of older generation of coaches who are more reluctant to changes (nothing to deny here, unless you start seeing tonnes of kids swimming much better breast stroke kick which is the most commonly taught stroke, you have to agree that most of them still do a diamond kick and 75% of them don't even teach dorsi flexion properly).

However, I am very sad to see that the standard has not improve at all. The only changes that are commonly seen at pool now compared to previously are not technical changes to the kids' strokes or an update in the coaches' knowledge of proper swimming techniques. In fact, the changes are just coaches carrying more and more tools to the pool to facilitate practice of the Test, and also the kids doing more and more wrong strokes because fundamentals are not taught properly causing the mistakes to be brought forward to one stroke and another.

First of all, I am only a NCAP Level 1 (there are total of 3 levels) NROC swim coach and Lifesaving Instructor (lowest level of teaching cert) and by fundamentals, I really meant the most basic and general physic/rules of water works. I implement them throughout all my swim classes regardless of levels of performance expected.

By fundamentals, I meant:

1) Head position and its effect on body position in water (streamlining, horizontal bod position)
2) Inhalation and exhalation and conscious relaxation
3) Sculling - Fundamental of propulsion in water
4) Stroke rhythm - e.g: Pull->Kick->Glide for Breaststroke; Upon entry of one arm, the other arm exit for Backstroke
5) Ankle flexion for different strokes
6) Proper recovery techniques
7) Cause and Effects of drag
8) Basic reasoning for items performed in the pool, especially for Lifesaving techniques.

All of the above are the most, repeat: MOST fundamentals of water works for without any of the above, the kid just cannot swim efficiently.

The coaches reluctant to changes often gets enraged in such discussion by saying:

"Bro, we're not teaching competitive swimmers leh."
OR
"Bro, you teach HORlympic Swimmers is it?"
OR
"Bro, the parents keep wanting the kids to go test, just pass to you and you quickly pass them for me la"
OR
"Bro, you stupid la.. why go and focus so much? Can move in water from 1 end to another can liao"
OR
"Bro, there are some things YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND... we must have a standard.. and here, we're just teaching KIDS how to swim.. don't need to go so in depth la"

I mean, SERIOUSLY, if you don't go in depth now, when then go in depth? You expect them to drop into the sea and drown once then get resuscitated and come back to you and say "eh.. i think the things you taught before not good enough leh.. i almost drown leh.." and you reply "ah.. don't worry, last time you kid ma so cannot teach you too much details so now you come back i teach you how to swim PROPERLY ok?"..

And come on, if you call what I mentioned above in depth, you might as well go retake your swimming instructor license.

There is no difference in Competitive swim strokes and Non Competitive swim strokes. The only difference is that one is swam at a higher intensity than the others.

Do you call the people who jog in the park as JOGGERS but those who run slightly faster RUNNERS? Seriously?
So what do you call those who swim at a leisure pace?

There is only "strugglers" and swimmers in water, the difference is that the former have a diagonal to vertical body position in water and the latter has a near horizontal body position. One is splashing all around and creating loads of bubbles in the water while pulling/kicking, the other is gliding through the water effortlessly.

Effortless, is the key to leisure swim/run/cycling/walking isn't it? Unless you are telling me that you walk with your toes to make it more leisure and walk with the whole feet when you want to walk faster in a walking competition.. cycle with one leg to make it more effortless cos only work one leg and cycle with both legs if you want to go faster in a cycling competition.

You don't alter the techniques to do a leisure effort of exercise, especially in the case of water works because of the density of water and the drag caused by inability to streamline.

Last but not least regarding stroke techniques imparting. Yes, they are kids but it is UP TO YOU as the COACH/TEACHER to find ways to express your points to the student so they can understand and absorb your knowledge. The age groups are to be chosen by YOU YOURSELF and if you choose one group that you can't manage to impart what you feel and learnt about swimming then you're simply being IRRESPONSIBLE and MONEY MINDED.

Inability to express your teaching to the different/lower age group does not automatically give you the right to discount what the students need to know about the fundamentals of water works even if the students are of low age.

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Back to the co testing formula. I only test students from Sam's dad and Sam herself. Sometimes, we do teach together but I make sure that I let Sam test those I am in charge of and I test those she is in charge of. Some sabotages have been attempted and threats have come to me that we may get complaints if we test our own students.

My reasonings:

1) Sam and I teach together but she has her own level and I have my own level of students. We only pass students to each other when they are ready for the next level and once passed over, they are no longer handled by the previous teacher and thus getting tested by a "ex" teacher doesn't sound like "testing my own student" at all.

2) No offence but if you can't swim better, teach better and know better than what I know about swimming, I will not let what I taught go to waste by getting them to be tested by you and still paying you because you will simply NOT APPRECIATE WHAT I'VE IMPARTED TO MY DEAR BOYS AND GIRLS.
Sam herself undergo a LOT of preaching from me and I constantly updates her and ensure she understands the concept behind proper water work. And teaching together allows us to learn from each other and implement our consistency and insistency in fundamentals of water work across all ages. Other than her, I do not entrust my students to others, also because if she passed any of them who didn't perform well, I WILL FAIL THEM PERSONALLY WHEN PREPARING THE CERTIFICATES TOGETHER. No reluctancy or hesitance.

I have seen so many tests being carried out and some of them are really just going through the motions. The reason being the instructors/testers can be friends and integrity seem to be hard to find in most cases when monetary rewards are involved in the testing directly to the tester himself from the testees.

It is sad to see that happening and while some do uphold their standards in swim testing, it is hard to say that most have changed the way they view teaching swimming/water work is a neutral topic in itself that spreads across the board for kids versus adults and leisure swimming versus competitive swimming.

I write this post fully with my own enraged opinion because the supposedly improved system does not preach deep enough to the mindset of the coaches but implemented the system as "just another change, a little bit more major in the syllabus that's all.".

To me, the kid come to you for swim lesson, to learn the work of survivorship in water and this is probably the last lesson he or she is going to take for the rest of his or her life. If you do not teach him or her properly, then she'll be entrusted with a flawed technique that will complicate if emergency does arises and panic sets in that causes tension throughout the body and mind.

Egoistic as this post can be, the number of 'I's I've used, I teach to impart skills that last a life time through ensuring of proper understanding of water physic and works. I teach to ensure that when they meet a danger in life in the water aspects, they remember "TEACHER KK AND SAM TOLD ME TO KEEP MY CHIN TUCKED IN AND MY HEAD UNDER THE WATER SUBMERGED SO I WILL FLOAT PROPERLY TIL HELP ARRIVES"--- whatever age they took swimming from me til the day they die. That's one of my basic principle in this profession of mine.

Regards,
KK