It seems almost mandatory that when summer kicks in, parents start enrolling their kids in various summer classes. Perhaps one of the most famous would be swimming lessons. I mean, whether you love swimming or not, it’s almost necessary to at least know the basics. I however, never learned to swim. It’s not that I never tried… I did. My parents enrolled me 3 times when I was younger (Yes! 3 times), but somehow, my fear of drowning always got the better of me.
When I got older, I again tried my hand at swimming. As usual, I was taught the same routines – bubbles, kicking, kickboards, etc. As much as I appreciated it I unfortunately never got too far (literally). There was often something wrong with my form and I just couldn’t figure it out. I’d spend so much energy kicking and trying to swim, and barely understood anything. Thankfully, there’s a swim school called Streamline Sports Instruction where the instructors teach a more efficient and less taxing way to swim.
Streamline Sports Instruction was established in 2014 as a swim coaching business with an expanding interest in triathlon coaching and multi-sport events. Streamline currently provides high quality swim instruction at venues around the Makati, Pasig, Quezon City, and Taguig area. SSI caters to people of all ages – from infants under 1 year old to adults in their 70s, and of all skill levels – from those who would only like to conquer their fear of the water, to those who participate or compete in swimming and multisport events.
About Streamline Sports Instruction and what sets them apart:
Streamline Sports Instruction was established in 2014 as a swim coaching business with an expanding interest in triathlon coaching and multi-sport events. Streamline currently provides high quality swim instruction at venues around the Makati, Pasig, Quezon City, and Taguig area. SSI caters to people of all ages – from infants under 1 year old to adults in their 70s, and of all skill levels – from those who would only like to conquer their fear of the water, to those who participate or compete in swimming and multisport events.
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Streamline Sports Instruction has a combined local and international teaching experience of over 40 years. Our coaching team is a synergy of various swimmers — Philippine record holders, triathletes, and national water polo players — who share a passion for teaching and the joy of swimming. The methodologies of world-renowned swimming institutions such as Austswim, Total Immersion, and World Aquatic Baby Convention have also been adopted and integrated into the curriculum of the Streamline Sports Instruction swimming program. If you’re looking for quality instruction and a genuine commitment to help you or your child learn one of life’s most enjoyable yet vital skills, you’ve come to the right place!
*Total Immersion (TI) is a method of swimming instruction, developed by Terry Laughlin, an American swimming coach. Its primary focus is to teach swimmers to move through the water efficiently. (Wikipedia)
My Experience with Streamline Sports Instruction:
Last week, I got to experience a session with Streamline Sports Instruction. The session only lasted for an hour, but what I learned there was the equivalent of what takes other swim schools 4-5 sessions to teach. Unlike other swim schools, Streamline Sports Instruction’s main goal is to teach you how to swim by raising your awareness. It is important for students to first identify water as a friend, not the enemy. To learn how to swim, one must be able to relax in the water and be aware of how each body part moves.
During our 1 hour session, we were taught step by step on how our body moves and how each subtle movement contributes to the big picture. First, we focused on our arms and head. For the first time, I was totally focused on how my arms were just moving along with the water and how looking straight down fixed my form altogether. I didn’t need to focus on my back, my hips, etc. Then, we were made aware of how it feels when we kick the water. Usually, swim coaches just make us kick and that’s it. With Streamline Sports Instruction, we had to really know how it felt like when the force hit the top of our feet. Our coaches explained how it should feel like. That’s the first time anyone ever explained it that way to me.
Me with fellow bloggers Allan Enriquez (runningfreemanila) and Redg Candido (onereyna)
Eventually, we were doing freestyle (without the breathing). My favorite part was just watching the coaches swim so EFFICIENTLY. There weren’t any big splashes or rapid arm movements, everything was just done so smoothly but they still got far. When it was my turn to try, I experienced the same. I didn’t have to panic and keep “flipping my fins” or kicking like crazy, I just did each movement slowly, noticing how the water pushed me, feeling my hands and my feet cut through the water… and when I got up, I’d always be surprised how far I’ve swam.
“Swimming is for everyone. You can learn at any age and still be good at it, with the right teaching approach,” shares Noy Basa, Co-Founder and Head Coach of Streamline Sports Instruction. “We believe in the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle through sports and learning how to swim is a step towards that direction,” ends Basa.
Streamline Sports Instruction Swim Programs:
First Swim: Infants and Toddlers (ages 1 to 4 years)
Coaches use a learning-through play, non-traumatic approach where we sing songs, play games, and use toys for the children to have fun and for them to have an enjoyable experience. The 30 minute classes aim to teach the following water safety and familiarization skills:
- Buoyancy or threading
- dipping their head in the water and holding their breath when submerged
- going in and out of the pool safely
- diving and floating on their backs
The Aquanauts: Learn to Swim/Advanced Kids
Breath control, buoyancy and propulsion are what the kids will learn first. Once these safety and familiarization skills are covered, learning the four strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly) comes much more easily. The Aquanauts Program consists of the following levels:
Starfish: Water Safety Skills
- relaxed breathing
- proper posture in the water
- dipping head in the water
- floating on the back
Beaver: Propulsion in the Water
- flutter kicks
- floating on back while kicking
- rotation, gliding, and propulsion
Guppy: Intro to the Long Axis Strokes (basic freestyle and backstroke)
- catch-up straight-arm freestyle drills with flutter kicks for freestyle
- rotation on the back with arm drills for backstroke
Shark: Long Axis Stroke Refinement
- advanced freestyle drills, with high elbow, proper arm timing and rotation
- advanced back stroke drills, with proper arm timing and rotation
Dolphin: Intro to the Short Axis Strokes (breast stroke and butterfly)
- undulation drills (body dolphins) for breaststroke and butterfly
- froggy kicks and pull drills for breaststroke
- arm drills with undulation for butterfly
Race Ready: Swim Squad
It’s all about speed and power through the water without compromising form and efficiency. Your kids will gain the confidence to perform in a competitive aquatic environment. We’ll get them race ready and be the best swimmers they can possibly be!
Streamline Sports Instruction Triathlon Programs:
Swim-Bike-Run 101: Triathlon Workshop for Beginners
Basic information on what it takes to finish your first triathlon
- Training principles for swimming, biking and running, and how to integrate this with your day-to-day responsibilities
- The importance of having an efficient swim technique to cover longer distances
- Key info on cycling gear and maintenance, safety, and ideal bike routes for training
- Having an efficient running form to finish strong
- Training and race nutrition
Triathlon Training Programs: Quarterly Packages for Triathletes-In-Training
Personalized training programs and workouts based on the athlete’s skill and fitness levels, and the race(s) he is training for. Periodic assessments will be done to track progress. Since the swim is the most challenging and technical discipline among the three, at least 2 weekly sessions are recommended. The program includes:
- Guidelines on training progression, training on tired days, rest days, and missed sessions
- Descriptions of varying workout intensity levels
- Race tips and tactics
So what are you waiting for? Grab your goggles and learn to swim!
Me with Coach Alvin (left) and Coach Noynoy (right). These two amazing swimmers are in charge of the adult classes
For more information
you can check out the Streamline Sports Instruction Facebook page.
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