SKIN DIVING SKILL PROGRESSION
(Flipper/Mask/Snorkel)
Skin diving is a splendid aquatic recreational activity that is gaining widespread popularity among swimmers of all ages. The requisite skills are not difficult to master, and can become the basis for enrollment in a SCUBA diving course. The sport may be particularly enjoyable for some swimmers with disabilities who have the following skills: 1) mastery of the following safety skills: swim in place, roll supine from prone, breath control and bobbing, 3) ability to control the mouth and tongue (necessary with snorkel), 4) use of at least one hand to clear the mask, and 5) instruction how to relieve a cramp in the calf of the leg or arch of the foot.. Normal safety procedures dictate that our swimmers with disabilities will NOT wear any kind of weight belt, and WILL be accompanied by the instructor or buddy. The activity is conducive to groups of instructors and students working together for some activities. Springboard use will be suspended (not permitted) when there are skin divers in the deep end.
QUICK-START
_____ 1. Fits mask, flippers & snorkel
_____ 2. Swims Human Stroke width with flippers & mask (bobbing to breath)
_____ 3. Standing at the side with mask & snorkel. Puts face in & breaths on the snorkel
_____ 4. Swims width of pool with face in, mask on, & breathing on the snorkel
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SNORKEL
_____ 5. With face out of water, properly inserts snorkel in mouth, pinches nose with thumb and forefinger, and breaths through the snorkel (mouth only) for a ten count
_____ 6. Repeats #5 above with face in the water
_____ 7. Repeats #5 above with face in the water and NOT holding the nose.
_____ 8. With the face out of water, dips just the J portion of the snorkel under water, inserts the snorkel into the mouth, pinches the nose and TOOTS to clear the snorkel of water
_____ 9. Repeats #8 above without pinching nose
_____ 10. With the face in the water, insert snorkel into mouth, pinch nose, and TOOT to clear the snorkel
_____ 11. Repeat #10 above NOT holding the nose.
_____ 12. Holding the side, with snorkel in the mouth, duck under to completely fill the snorkel (it stops bubbling) then, with the face in, clear the snorkel.
MASK
_____ 13. De-fog mask
_____ 14. Demonstrates bobbing exhaling only through the nose, including a head tilt.
_____ 15. Standing in waist deep water, bent 90 degrees at the waist - face out: puts mask containing water to face & straightens up while clearing the mask (face out of water).
_____ 16. Clear mask in the vertical position (while standing at side)
_____ 17. Clear mask while swimming under water in prone position
_____ 18. Clear mask while swimming under water in supine position
_____ 19. In shallow water, practice technique for reducing pressure on mask, and for clearing the ears in deep water.
FLIPPERS (Now with mask and snorkel in place)
_____ 20. Swim one width each using flutter kick first in prone and then in supine position.
_____ 21. Swim one width using the Bicycle kick in the prone position
_____ 22. Swim dolphin kick 1 width prone, and 1 width supine
COMBINATION CHALLENGE SKILLS
_____ 23. Swimming flutter kick, do 3 or more shallow dolphin dives - popping the snorkel after each
_____ 24. While using the dolphin kick, with face in the water, flood the mask and clear it (snorkel remains in place for use as needed).
_____ 25. Standing in chest deep water, with mask & snorkel in hand, duck under to put mask on and clear it, then snorkel in and pop it on the surface - all without removing the face from the water.
_____ 26. Perform a head-first surface dive in deep water - relieve mask pressure and clear the ears.
_____ 27. Perform a feet-first surface dive and swim 3 body lengths under water before surfacing.
_____ 28. With flippers and mask in hand: duck under to put flippers on and, while still under, put the mask in place and clear it - before lifting the face out of water.
AIRPLANE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS (Where possible, arms extended overhead throughout)
These maneuvers are designed to improve orientation in space, and to increase breath control. Sketches with small circle depict a horizontal roll on the surface: a large circle depicts a loop maneuver:
a mall hash mark on the line indicates the position of the nose (belly down or belly up)
_____ 29. Slow Roll, Swim flutter kick prone while doing a horizontal roll (smooth prone-supine-prone). Remember to pop the snorkel when returning to the prone. Repeat the kicking horizontal roll
in the opposite direction (left or right).
_____ 30. While using a flutter kick, perform a 4-point roll (brief pause at each quarter of the horizontal roll)
_____ 31. Slow roll using the dolphin kick. Repeat to the opposite direction.
_____ 32. Perform a 4-point roll using the dolphin kick.
_____ 33. Wingover. On the surface roll supine and arch down to broach the surface (& pop the snorkel) in the opposite direction
_____ 34. Wingover-Immelman On the surface belly down à half roll to belly-up position and start a loop to the bottom (cross bottom belly down) à continue arc to surface, arriving belly-up à roll to belly-down and pop the snorkel
_____ 35. Outside loop. Starting on the surface face down, make a top to bottom loop (crossing bottom with face up) arriving at the surface to pop the surface in the face down position.
MORE CHALLENGE COMBINATIONS
_____ 36. Buddy-breath. Two swimmers with one snorkel. Swim the length with the face in the water the whole way (exchanging the snorkel for necessary breathing)
_____ 37. Retrieve varying numbers of objects from the bottom … at increasing depths.
_____ 38. Contest to see how many time you can flood and clear the mask on a single breath.
_____ 39. Tow partner one width using hair carry and wide flutter kick on the side.(instead of grasping the hair - grab the wrist of victim who places his hand at the top of the head).
_____ 40. Follow the leader. Followers, in line, attempt to replicate the maneuver of the person immediately ahead.
_____ 41. Blitz lead-up. Partner taps skin diver on shoulder then does one of the following: 1) displaces mask, or 2) removes snorkel from mouth. Skin diver responds appropriately while keeping the face in the water.
_____ 42. Full blitz. Three or more players stalk each other, while being stalked themselves, to 1) displace the mask and/or the snorkel. NOTE RULES: 1) The game is played in standing depth water, 2) Equipment may not be totally removed, 3) combat is NOT permitted - if mask or snorkel are grasped by someone - you must submit to the displacement, 4) If a swimmer is recovering from an emergency (clearing mask or snorkel) he/she must be given time recover and begin swimming again before returning to the game, 5) swimmers leave the contest by removing the mask and swimming supine, or standing up.