Winging And Kicking
The best drowning-prevention method to teach campers?
By Greg Schmidt
As an old-timer in aquatics, I’ve taught literally thousands of hours of swimming lessons. I became a water-safety instructor (WSI) in 1977 and water-safety instructor training (WSIT) in 1984, and have maintained those certifications. In those 45 years, I have learned about what matters most when it comes to drowning-prevention. Many people believe that being deep-water safe is focusing on the crawl stroke (aka freestyle). This stroke is used by nearly 100 percent of swimmers when doing laps, so it’s natural to think that swimmers use this stroke. But they really don’t. Swimming is merely propelling oneself in the water using arms and legs. Therefore, it seems logical that the easiest stroke should be taught first. In reality, instructors should teach winging and kicking before the crawl stroke.
© Can Stock Photo / mariakraynova
So, what’s so good about winging and kicking? It’s the easiest stroke there is and requires only balance/body position on one’s back and the ability to flap one’s arms like a bird (thus, the name “winging”). Even if a kick provides virtually no propulsion, winging still works to propel one through the water. Because the stroke is face-up and no breathing pattern is required, the learning curve is curtailed.
Skills Progression
However, there are lead-up skills for winging and kicking in order for one to be competent in deep water:
First:
The ability to be comfortable on one’s back, and to maintain a chest-up, head-back position.
The ability to do a back glide with flutter kick, while maintaining balance to avoid submerging the head.
The ability to flap one’s arms and push the water towards the feet with the palms of the hands. To reduce form drag, keep the elbows close to the body.
The ability to put those skills together into winging and kicking.
Second:
The ability to jump into water over one’s head and return to the surface.
The ability to level off onto one’s back into a swimming position.
The ability to change direction in order to orient oneself toward safety.
The ability to turn over once back to a wall or ladder, in order to grab onto it and climb out.
The ability to remain calm when water splashes over one’s face while in the supine position.
© Can Stock Photo / kromkrathog
The learning sequence is very important. Students need to feel comfortable in a horizontal position on their back first (supported is OK, especially for those learners who are somewhat non-buoyant). Next, the glide is added, then the kick, and lastly the arm stroke.
Build On The Basics
Note that the back float and treading water are not listed as essential skills. It isn’t necessary to be able to do a motionless back float in order to perform winging and kicking. Actually, winging and kicking is far easier than a motionless back float for most swimmers. The motion when winging and kicking helps support the hips and prevents the legs from sinking.
Treading water is a more difficult skill to master, due to the vertical orientation. In calm water, as in a pool or lake, it isn’t necessary to tread water when the only objective is to return to safety. Treading water becomes important when there is significant wave action. In the supine winging and kicking position, water may continually wash over a swimmer’s face. Hopefully, anyone who ends up in open water is wearing a Coast Guard-approved, personal flotation device (PFD), so treading water isn’t required to keep the face out. Even when waves are present, swimming supine with the head forward, while wearing a PFD, will slowly return one to safety. If the water is near or below 70ﹾF, one should hold still and assume the HELP position to maintain body heat.
For those wondering if a new swimmer must put the face in the water in learning to swim, the answer is no. One does have to learn face-down/prone swimming to swim properly in a prone position. Of course, these skills will be taught alongside winging and kicking, but when the top priority is drowning-prevention—and this should always be first—teach winging and kicking. It’s a lifesaving stroke. Just wing it!
Greg Schmidt is the Aquatic Center Manager at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Wash. Reach him at leos@ewu.edu.
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What Is The HELP Postion?
HELP (Heat Escape Lessening Posture): A position for floating in cold water when wearing a life jacket and awaiting rescue. One draws up the knees to the chest, holds the arms at their sides and folds the lower arms against the chest.
(Source: American Red Cross)