Stop, Pop + Roll
Are you wondering why you’re repeating the phrases “paddle, paddle, POP” and “paddle, paddle, ROLL”? Well, it’s because you have enrolled in swim lessons at Njswim. Right now, your child’s swim teacher is focusing on breath exchange for unassisted swimming. This is helping your child to “find their float” on their back and learn to swim with Pop and Roll.
Balance – Breath Control – Buoyancy
Njswim’s ‘learn to float’ philosophy is built on three factors – balance, breath control, and buoyancy.
Balance: Achieving oneness with the water.
Breath Control: Conscious control of breathing in response to language, cadence, and counting.
Buoyancy: Proper submersion in water that builds awareness and propulsion techniques.
All of our teachers are trained in this unique swimming skill progression and approach. They use one-on-one coaching in our group swim lessons to ensure each student’s needs are being met. Whether your swimmer is just getting acclimated to the water or has already started developing their skills, our certified teachers make safety a priority. We love to teach swimming…This is how WE ROLL.
Pop and Roll Swim Methods
We use Pop and Roll to nurture children’s natural aquatic reflexes into controlled swimming actions. Getting used to being in the water and feeling comfortable takes practice. Children learn best by interacting with their environment. Pop and Roll helps swimmers find their way towards balance.
• Pop (breath exchange): The cue we use to encourage our students to lift their face out of the water, blow out air, and breathe back in air for more underwater exploration.
• Roll (to back float): The cue and movement we use to encourage our students to gently turn from their bellies to their backs in order to float with their face out of the water and calmly breathe.
Teaching to the Individual
All of that is good and fine, but WHY do we teach both skills for breath exchange – “popping” and “rolling over” for air? Here at Njswim, our team realizes that every student that walks through the door is unique. Because each person learns differently, we know that it is important to introduce a variety of ways to do essentially the same thing.
Some students are naturally “poppers” and some “rollers”. In the end, it is up to our teachers to play to their students’ inherent strengths to understand what fits them best.
Swim Class Line Up to Pop and Roll
Swimming is a physical learning experience and a multi-sensory activity. We understand the importance of a sensitive approach when challenging students to try, try again. Our curriculum is designed to coincide with children’s developmental readiness to swim. Here is where you’ll see us practicing our Pop and Roll:
Preschool and Level I – Assisted paddling + popping and paddling + rolling is introduced.
Level IA – Students are encouraged to pop up for air on their own and attempt an independent roll to their back.
Level IA/IIB – Pop and Roll skills are practiced for strength and endurance.
Both popping and rolling are important foundational skills for any swimmer. It’s a teaching technique that makes learning to float a fun and positive experience.
If you have any questions regarding your child’s class and the skills they are working on, please give your Njswim location a call today!
