Level Up Workshops
Swimming Workshops
Our qualified instructors offer expert stroke analysis to refine your technique, boost your water confidence, or master the art of the tumble turn. Explore our full range of swimming workshops to elevate your skills in the pool.
Unlock Your Potential with Our Progressive Pathways:
Skill Workshop: From building confidence in the water to mastering advanced techniques like the tumble turn, our Level Up Swim Workshops offer a diverse range of opportunities to expand your aquatic skill set, regardless of your current swimming proficiency – whether you’re taking your first dip or aiming for full immersion.
Stroke Pathway: Open to all, whether you’re an absolute beginner or taking your first dip, or are a life long swimmer!
- Stroke Analysis (Starting Point): Our team of experts will meticulously analyse your swimming stroke, identifying areas for improvement and optimizing your efficiency in the water. They will provide valuable tips and guidance, pointing you towards additional workshops to further enhance your skills.
- Stroke-Specific Kick Workshops (Stage 1): Fundamentals are paramount, and our workshops reflect this principle. If you aim to enhance your stroke, your kick is the foundational element to focus on. It serves as the powerhouse for any swimming stroke.
- Stroke-Specific Arms Workshops (Stage 2): Taking your stroke to the next level involves refining your arm movements. These workshops are designed to help you breathe more efficiently and elevate your stroke to new levels of performance.
- Stroke-Specific Breathing Workshops (Stage 3): While breathing may seem like a fundamental skill, it takes on a new dimension in the water. These workshops will help you provide your muscles with the oxygen they need, enabling you to swim longer and more effectively.
- Stroke-Specific Timing Workshops (Stage 4): Mastering a swimming stroke requires the seamless integration of all components. These workshops bring together your refined skills, allowing you to unlock your full swimming potential. It’s the final step in your journey to becoming a proficient swimmer.
Join us at the University of Birmingham Sport & Fitness Level Up Swim Workshops and elevate your swimming abilities to new heights. Our expert-led programs are designed to empower you on your swimming journey, helping you achieve your goals and reach your full potential in the water.
These four main swimming strokes offer a diverse range of techniques and challenges, catering to swimmers of varying skill levels and preferences. Whether you’re seeking speed and power or a more relaxed and synchronized swim, each stroke provides a unique and rewarding swimming experience.
Freestyle Stroke (Front Crawl)
The freestyle stroke, often referred to as front crawl, is the fastest and most commonly practiced swimming stroke. Swimmers propel themselves forward by alternating their arm movements in a alternating fashion, while simultaneously kicking their legs in a flutter kick motion. Breathing in freestyle is typically done by turning the head to the side during arm strokes. This stroke is prized for its speed and efficiency, making it a favourite in competitive swimming.
Front Crawl Programme:
- Front Crawl 1 Legs: Hone your freestyle kick technique for propulsion and speed in the water.
- Front Crawl 2 Arms: Perfect your freestyle arm strokes, optimizing your efficiency and power.
- Front Crawl 3 Breathe: Elevate your breathing technique in freestyle, synchronizing it with your strokes for a seamless swim.
- Front Crawl 4 Timing: Perfect the timing of the front crawl stroke to ensure maximum efficiency and distance per stroke.
- Front Crawl Introduction: Introduction to front crawl, learning the basics to get you started
- Front Crawl Starts: Catapult your freestyle with explosive starts that give you the edge off the blocks. Please note that you must be able to dive for this workshop.
Backstroke
Backstroke is the only stroke performed on your back, with a flutter kick similar to that of freestyle. Swimmers use an alternating arm motion, rotating their arms in a circular fashion. While performing backstroke, swimmers rely on their ability to coordinate their arm and leg movements while maintaining proper body positioning. This stroke is a popular choice for swimmers who prefer to breathe more freely since their faces remain above water.
Backstroke Programme:
- Backstroke 1 Legs: Enhance your backstroke kick for stability and propulsion on your back.
- Backstroke 2 Arms: Refine your backstroke arm technique to make the most of each pull, and cover more distance with every stroke.
- Backstroke 3 Timing: Bring your backstroke arms and legs together with good timing and increase your efficiency in the water.
- Backstroke Introduction: Introduction to backstroke, learning the basics of body position and kick to get you started. If you are new to backstroke, this is the workshop for you! This session will take place in the shallow pool.
- Backstroke Starts: Master the backstroke starts to propel you into your swim.
Breaststroke
Breaststroke is known for its distinctive arm and leg movements. Swimmers execute a simultaneous, circular pull of the arms underwater while performing a frog-like kick. The head remains above water throughout the stroke, allowing swimmers to breathe easily by lifting their
heads during the arm pull. Breaststroke is often considered the most synchronized and graceful of the four main strokes, making it a favourite for beginners and those who enjoy a more leisurely swim.
Breaststroke Programme:
- Breaststroke 1 Legs: Master breaststroke kick technique, unlocking fluid movement and power.
- Breaststroke 2 Arms: Refine your breaststroke arm motion for efficiency and grace in the water.
- Breaststroke 3 Breathe: Dive into advanced breaststroke breathing techniques, maximizing your efficiency.
- Breaststroke 4 Timing: Perfect the timing of your breaststroke movements, optimising your rhythm for a streamlined stroke and increased speed.
- Breaststroke Starts: Launch into breaststroke like a pro, nailing your starts for a powerful advantage. Please note that you must be able
to dive for this workshop.
Butterfly Stroke
The butterfly stroke is characterized by its undulating, dolphin-like motion. Swimmers use a simultaneous arm movement, lifting both arms out of the water and sweeping them forward before plunging them back underwater. This motion is combined with a simultaneous, powerful dolphin kick. Breathing in butterfly can be challenging, as it is usually done by lifting the head out of the water during the arm pull. Butterfly is known for its grace and rhythm, but it demands significant strength and endurance due to its demanding nature.
Butterfly Programme:
- Butterfly 1 Legs: Conquer the challenges of butterfly kick technique, unleashing your power and speed.
- Butterfly 2 Arms: Embrace the complexities of butterfly arm movements, refining your stroke for a fluid flight.
- Butterfly 4 Timing: Perfect your butterfly rhythm, optimizing your timing for a dynamic and efficient swim.
- Butterfly Starts: Unleash your butterfly stroke with dynamic starts that set you up for success. Please note that you must be able to dive for this workshop.
Skill Workshops
From building confidence in the water to mastering advanced techniques like the tumble turn, our Level Up Swim Workshops offer a diverse range of opportunities to expand your aquatic skill set, regardless of your current swimming proficiency – whether you’re taking your first dip or aiming for full immersion.
- Advanced Sculling: Learn how you can use sculling to build power in your arms and improve your strokes.
- Aquatic Skills: Learn to handstand and forward roll – the perfect start if you’d like to learn to tumble turn, or if you’re just looking to show off your skills on holiday!
- Basic Sculling: Delve into the intricacies of sculling, refining your hand movements for optimal control.
- Deep Jumping: Launch into the thrill of deep water jumps, building confidence and technique.
- Dive 1 Introduction: Learn to dive from the very start – introducing you to the techniques required in diving through sitting and crouched dives.
- Dive 2 Standing: The second stage of learning to dive, or the perfect way to build confidence in your standing dives.
- Dive 3 Advance: Elevate your diving skills with advanced techniques for precision and grace during entry, our instructor will offer you corrections and tweaks to perfect your diving.
- Float & Regain: Unlock the art of effortless floating, gaining mastery over balance and relaxation as you also learn to quickly regain footing when in the shallow water.
- Introduction to 50m: Dive into the world of endurance and conquer longer distances with our ‘Introduction to 50m Swim Sessions. Get ready to build stamina and swim with confidence in this exciting program.
- Lane Etiquette: Navigate the lanes with finesse, mastering the rules of sharing the pool with fellow swimmers.
- Planning swims: Craft tailored swim sets for power, speed, and endurance, tailored to your goals with the help of one our qualified instructors.
- Pool Games: Fun in the pool! Get the family involved in some pool based games!
- Push & Glides: Master the art of streamlining to make the most of your push offs.
- Self Rescue: Equip yourself with essential life-saving skills to handle unexpected situations.
- Swim Equipment: Learn how to harness the power of swim aids and accessories for improved technique and performance.
- Treading Water: Stay afloat with ease! Master the skill of treading water with our expert-led workshop. Boost your confidence and endurance in the water as you effortlessly maintain your position on the surface.
- Tumble Turns: Master the art of seamless flips and turns, enhancing your swimming efficiency and speed.
- Water Confidence: Cultivate water confidence with our specialized workshop. With control comes confidence, make the step for making the water world your own.
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You can also book our level up workshops online. Simply log in via the link below, find the level up workshop you are interested in, and book!
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