Ankle flexibility, strength and mobility will have an impact on your child's swim progression. Your child's instructor will need your help in-between classes to ensure a quicker progression.
Can your child move their feet freely in different directions? If not, this is something we need to address to assist with their swimming progression.
Below are some swim specific ankle exercises we would like the children to practice at home in between their lesson time
1. Walk on tippy toes.
2. Walk on your heels
3. Point and flex feet.
4. Duck walk in a low squat
5. Squat jumps ensuring you get low in the squat, touch the ground with your hand in between each jump
6. Inch worms
7. DrawI love swimming with your toes in the air
8. Jump rope
9. Balance on one leg (to advance this try catching and throwing a ball) be sure to switch legs
10. Perform a low squat in a narrow stance foot in neutral position, perform a low squat in a wide stance feet turned out
Fun swim fact-the way your child feet naturally point can tell us the strokes they will find easy and the ones they may struggle with. Assisting your child with ankle flexibility, mobility and strength will help lead to a well-rounded swimmer and a faster progression.