Name

Tick Toc Around the Clock

Core Skill

Freestyle arms recovery, where to enter the water, and where to initiate an arm pull.

Who

Level 3 swimmers who are learning front crawl arms independently.

What

A game that teaches swimmers how to do freestyle arms in the correct position with each recovery

How

• Swimmers must do 10 free strokes total; 5 of each arm.
• Arm strokes start in position 11 or the 12 o’clock position. They swim 2 strokes, with the arms returning to the water in the 12 o’clock position.
• Then with the next 2 strokes (right and left arms) swimmers go to 2 o’clock with right arm and 10 o’clock with left.
• Then with the next 2 strokes (right and left arms) swimmers go to 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock.
• Finally, with the next 2 strokes (right and left arms) swimmers go to 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock.
• The underwater portion of the pull should be normal and the recover and enter the water at the listed locations like clock numbers and clock hands.

** Note:

The arms should go over the water only to the clock number for the round they’re on. Swimmers would do 2 strokes in normal position 11 water touching position after the recovery (over water part). Then, they pull underwater like normal, exit as normal, but then they put their hands in the water in a “Y” position, or at 2 o’clock and 10 o’clock (right and left).
Swimmers continue moving down the clock face and either restart at 12 o’clock, or end their attempt.

Difficulties instructors may face

• Swimmers may have trouble remembering the sequence of positions and the number of strokes.
• Swimmers may not be able to maintain a straight body line and a steady kick while doing the arm movements.
• Swimmers may not be able to coordinate their breathing with their arm movements.