Learning How to Tread as a Non-Swimming Athlete (Start with Mobility)
A big coaching moment for me this year was realizing that a group of land athletes were unable to tread because of the lack of mobility in their hips, knees, and ankles. Once we started practicing treading with mobility / flexibility drills on the pool deck (as a treading rest period) the group started being able to tread. Here is how we taught the egg-beater kick to non-swimming / land athletes:
Egg-beater Kick Misnomer - Personally the term "egg-beater" is an inaccurate name for the kick you are trying to do. It is more of an alternating breaststroke kick vs thinking you have to spin your legs in a horizontal circle like an egg-beater. Think of if as more of a vertical plane / ellipse pushing water downward with the inside of your feet. Imagine kicking a soccer ball with the inside of your foot to the bottom of the pool with each kick:
If you are not pushing down with the inside of your feet and shins, you are not creating downward force to keep you above the water during a treading activity.
See the above in video movement - Check out this video because the alternating scissor kick is still a decent option if you cannot get the egg-beater.
The Frog Pose Series
Try this Treading Drill Each Time You Do a Swim Workout
Warmup with a tread with no hands. Go for as long as you can then stop. Mark the time. Now get out of the pool and stretch foam roll on the pool deck for that same time you just treaded. Keep repeating until you have built up to 5 minute treads with no hands and 5 minute stretch periods.
You will find by doing this 3-4 times a week you will build the flexibility and mobility in the joints needed to actually tread well. Within 3-4 weeks, you will see a night and day difference between your treading abilities.
Treading with Fins - You will also need to be able to tread with fins holding a weight of 10-15 lbs in your future (Dive phase). Make sure you do this type of treading on leg days (2-3 times a week) as well. This kick will be a steady medium sized flutterkick so work the hip flexors and ankle mobility to handle the stresses of the fins in that flutterkick movement.
Try this Mobility Day Sequence of Events:
Repeat 5 times
Bike, elliptical, swim, or row 5 minutes
Foam roll / stretch 5 min
Combo of stretch / foam roll each set:
Set 1 – Feet, ankles, calves, shins, knees
Set 2: knees, hamstrings, thighs, ITB (sides)
Set 3: Hips, butt, lower back
Set 4: Torso, shoulders, arms
Set 5: Anything that is tight…
Now Go To The Pool and mix in Treading and Drownproofing Drills to Add to Water Confidence
Swim and Drownproofing Events Workout
(tied hands / feet are simulated)
It's best if this is done in a 9-ft. deep pool with simulated tied hands for DP events in bold italics.
Swim 100 meters freestyle of side stroke
Bottom bounce 2 minutes
Swim 100 meters freestyle of side stroke
Float 2 minutes
Swim 100 meters freestyle of side stroke
Travel 100 meters (only using dolphin kick)
Swim 100 meters freestyle of side stroke
Front flip. Start flip off bottom of the pool and repeat 2-3 times in 2 minutes.
Swim 100 meters freestyle of side stroke
Back flip. Start flip off bottom of the pool and repeat 2-3 times in 2 minutes.
Swim 100m freestyle of side stroke
Mask Retrieval (pick up mask with teeth from bottom of the pool)
These are all of the events of the Navy SEAL Drownproofing test, but let's add in a few more events.
Swim 100 meters freestyle of side stroke
Tread holding 5-10 lbs. weight (mix of no hands snd one hand) for 2 minutes
Swim 100m freestyle of side stroke
Simulate buddy breathe with snorkel while treading on the surface (AF PJ test) for 2 minutes.
Swim 100 meters freestyle of side stroke
- Never swim alone.
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