Swimming
Little Swimmers Big Achievements – Mum Jen
We bring you the inspiring journey of a swim Mum Jen, through our Little Swimmers Big Achievements blog. In 2016, she started her incredible journey at Hampton Swim School, enrolling her little ones in our BabySteps swim program. She’s a big fan of our devoted and focused teachers, and she loves seeing her children, along…
HOW FAR THEY HAVE COME
Our little Piranha class have been swimming with Miss Bec since they were 8 weeks old. They have been consistent in coming to lessons and she has loved watching them grow and learn through each part of our babysteps program. Miss Bec cannot believe how fast the 3 and half years have gone and will…
BABYSTEPS-SEAHORSE LEVEL (Submersions)
SEAHORSE LEVEL WEEK 1-4 (6mths old) The focus is Submersions in a side swim position to parent with the start of letting go of babies for 1 second before they are assisted by parent at wrist to recover to parents shirt. This encourages and gentle slow natural swim pace for baby to be prepared to…
Little Swimmers Big Achievements- Miss Kate
We bring you the inspiring journey of our beloved teacher, Miss Kate. Testimonial from Miss Kate. I chose Hamptons swim school for the children, because it was in my local community and I liked their philosophies regarding teaching swimming- (nurturing, child focused program) this is also why I guess I chose to work…
Let’s Talk Backstroke.
Backstroke- Did you know competitive backstroke swimmers swim 90% on their side and only on their back for starts, turns and finishes! Why? To make our arms longer and to stretch back further, the body needs to be rotated. How to get the most out of your Backstroke? The start The propulsion from the wall…
Little Swimmers Big Achievements
Testimonial from mum Becky. In just four months, our water-fearing 4-year-old boy has transformed into an absolute water-baby who is now swimming on his own, floating on his back, and diving under the water for sinkies! In fact, it is hard to keep him above the water now! We are truly overjoyed and blown away…
Why core strength is important for swimmers.
Core strength is crucial for swimmers, as it directly impacts your performance in the water. Let’s explore how core strength relates to different swim strokes. Water is not as solid as one might think, and swimming through it is not easy. When we walk our feet pushes against the solid ground to move us forward.…
What is relay swimming?
What is relay swimming? Relay swimming is a team event in competitive swimming where each swimmer on a team completes a specified distance using a particular swimming stroke. There are various relay events, but the most common ones are the 4×100-meter and 4×200-meter freestyle relays, as well as the 4×100-meter medley relay. Here’s an overview…
what is the Individual Medley?
What is the Individual Medley (IM)? The Individual Medley (IM) is a swimming event that combines all four competitive swimming strokes into one race. The four strokes involved in the IM are: Butterfly: Swimmers use a dolphin kick and simultaneous arm movement below and above the water with both arms moving in a circular motion.…
Which turn to use for which swim stroke?
For our symmetrical strokes, butterfly and breaststroke, we use ‘touch turns’, which requires a two–handed touch and quick tuck-and-turn to continue with speed. Whilst this may seem the simple technical turn, it still requires concentration and timing to ensure a full stroke before the glide phase. The fastest way to change direction at the wall…
Touch Turns for Breaststroke and Butterfly
For our symmetrical strokes we use ‘touch turns’, which requires a two–handed touch and quick tuck-and-turn to continue with speed. Whilst this may seem the simple technical turn, it still requires concentration and timing to ensure a full stroke before the glide phase. Performing a touch turn in breaststroke and butterfly involves smoothly transitioning from…
Tumble Turns for Freestyle and Backstroke
The fastest way to change direction at the wall when swimming freestyle or backstroke is using a tumble turn, also known as flip turns. Tumble Turns are a technique used to transition from one lap to the next without stopping. This is where we start our somersault with our head tucked down. Please see below for…
Laps for Life Fundraiser
Join our ‘Laps for Life’ fundraiser this March to raise money for young people with mental health difficulties. This March, we are raising money for ‘ReachOut’, the leading online mental health service in Australia and we’d love you to join us by swimming ‘laps for life’ to raise money,…
Important Dates
Stay up to date with Hampton Swim School’s important dates, activities and events:
Hampton’s Team Feeback
Did you know our combined team tenure at Hampton Swim School equates to over 120 years? We are so proud of the longevity of the team and the consistency and comfort that brings to our swim families. As you know, our team are selected for their positive, fun and nurturing natures, and are trained in…
BabySteps Program Relaunch
At Hampton Swim School, we pride ourselves in being an industry leading swim school and we are constantly striving to deliver an exceptional swim program to our families. We understand that every child is different. Every child has different levels of experience with water, has different confidence, nervousness, anxiety, and emotional and developmental needs. Therefore,…
Top tips for Perfecting Turns
Flipping, turning and rotating uses every single muscle in your body, and that is what is needed to maximise your turns, for each stroke. Each stroke has specific rules and directional positions, which are covered in the below top tips for turns. Let’s talk turns for each stroke: Freestyle: The fastest way to change direction…
SWIMSTART vouchers for Queensland Families
Hampton Swim School are delighted to be confirmed as a registered SwimStart activity provider! The SwimStart program, launched by the Queensland government, allows eligible families to apply for vouchers up to $150 for swimming lessons for their children aged 0 – 4 years of age, making swimming lessons more accessible for Queensland families. Parents, carers…
How to swim a perfect breaststroke
Breaststroke is the slowest of the four competitive strokes but uses more muscles than any of the other three strokes. Breaststroke is what’s known as a ‘short-axis stroke’, which means you pivot your body around your mid-point across your waist, while your upper and lower body are moving up and down at opposite times, just…
How to swim Butterfly
Butterfly is arguably swimming’s most challenging stroke. If you’re like 95% of swimmers, then you’ve probably had trouble mastering the ins and outs the butterfly. However, when it’s done properly, butterfly can rev up your metabolism, build impressive muscular strength and give you one hell of a workout. It requires strength in all parts of…
Top tips for improving your backstroke
Top tips for improving your backstroke: Are your knees above water during the kick? When you’re practicing your backstroke, use a kick board and place it over your knees. Then kick while keeping your knees under the water. Think ‘ballerina toes’ to keep your legs straighter, as it will minimise bending of the knees. You can…
How to improve your Freestyle Kick
“How do I improve my Freestyle Kick?”. Great question and we have a number of suggestions to help you on your way. The kick that comes with freestyle is called a flutter kick. It is simple and efficient, if done correctly. Some things to watch out for and work on to create the perfect flutter…
How Long Does it Take To Learn To Swim?
How long does it take…? This is one of the most ‘googled’ questions when it comes to swimming lessons. And the search results will show you a pool of different answers. Why? Because learning to swim is the same as learning to walk, learning to read, learning to talk, to use the potty, or ride…
Flotation Aids
Floaties: yes or no? There is no debate the #1 reason parents enrol their children in swimming lessons is to enhance their child’s safety in and around the water. However, before, during and even upon completion of the learn-to-swim process, parents may consider having their child use a flotation aid as means to provide…
Why are toddler drownings on the rise?
“Twenty seconds and a few centimetres of water is all it takes for a toddler to drown”, states Kidsafe Victoria chief executive Melanie Courtney. “Besides swimming pools, potential drowning hazards included portable pools, baths, buckets, eskies with melted ice, dams, fishponds and even pet water bowls.” Toddler drownings have doubled Drownings have doubled among young…
Swimming throughout the cooler months
We live in a tropical climate, and even though we call the upcoming months ‘winter’, they really are ‘just cooler’. There are so many benefits to swimming year round. In this blog we would like to write them down, AND tell you how we and you can keep your swimmers comfortable and warm throughout the…
“Our fear was that our kids would forget their knowledge and lose confidence around the water”
On 29 June 2021 it is exactly a year since our swim school re-opened our doors and pools after the big COVID-19 lockdown! We were so happy to get back into it and see our swim families again. Some re-started a little later, others were back that very first day. We asked a few of…
Older Australians Drowning
A Disturbing Trend in Drowning Statistics in Australia While the media coverage of drowning incidents tends to focus on the tragic loss of young lives, a disturbing trend in the number of deaths of older Australians (55+ years) by drowning has emerged in recent years. Last year, more than 100 adults aged over 55 drowned –…
Social Development and Swimming
The physical benefits for children of swimming at all levels, from birth through to competitive swimming, are numerous and well known. Less well known perhaps, is that swimming serves as a wonderful aid to the development of the social skills and behaviours of the child. Infant, toddler and pre-school swim classes provide the child with…
High School Squad Swimming: Why You Should Encourage Your Child to Continue Swimming Lessons in High School
High School Squad Swimming Early teens and high-school students are spending less time participating in physical exercise, and indications suggest that this age group is engaging or playing sport for less than an hour a week. When it comes to the pool, a significant decline in participation is recorded in children of the primary to…
Toddler & Pre-School Aquatics
Are Swimming Lessons Beneficial For Toddlers & Pre-Schoolers? Toddler and pre-school aquatic programs (13 months to 4 year age bracket) afford an opportunity to introduce young children to the associated joys and risks of being in or around water. These lessons conducted within these programs generally focus on developing water familiarisation and confidence and learn-to-swim…
Dangers of Bath Aids
Bath aids are used to support infants while in a bath Baby bath seats and other aids are designed to keep a baby’s head up and out of the water, leaving a carer’s hands free to wash their infant and often easing the strain on the carers’ back. A range of bath aids specific to…
Major Causes Of Drowning At Home
Causes Of Drowning Many parents are well aware of the potential dangers that residential swimming pools and bathtubs pose to children of all ages. However, even if you don’t own a pool, there are less obvious drowning hazards that might be overlooked by discerning parents wanting to provide a safe environment in which to raise…
Child Drowning Prevention and Safety – Top 10 Tips for Safer Holiday Swimming
Stay Safe These Holidays at Home and Away Summer holidays are fast approaching– soon our children will have finished school for yet another year! For many of us, at least some of the Xmas school holiday period is spent away from home visiting relatives or catching up with family and friends, and of course enjoying…
Hampton & School Lessons: An essential partnership
There can be a distinct difference between school swimming and a Hampton Learn to Swim Class. School Swimming Swimming at school is a component of the Health & Physical Education classes. We provide our expert Teachers to several local schools as Teacher Aides for these programs and wholeheartedly support them as a complimentary addition to…
TEAM ACCELERATE IS HERE!
We are excited to welcome you to our NEW squad swimming program for children and adults of all ages. TEAM ACCELERATE, launching at Hampton Swim School on Monday 31 July! The Top 10 of TEAM ACCELERATE: The brand new squad swimming program at Hampton Swim School to replace the existing Junior, Intermediate and High Performance…
Swimming Lessons When Sick: When You Should Keep Your Kids at Home for Everybody’s Sake
It’s not always easy to know whether your child should attend swimming lessons when sick, or stay home. That’s because ‘sickness’ in children can mean anything from a dry, week-old cough, to a fever, or even full-blown vomiting and diarrhoea. So to help make your decision easier, we’ve outlined below when you should keep your…
Pool Supervision Essentials For Parents
Pool Supervision Essentials Everybody needs to remember not to be complacent about SUPERVISION as the primary layer of protection in the prevention of drowning. Vigilance is required, no matter how confident a young swimmer may be. Home pools are becoming more common every day. It is estimated now that more than 1 in 5 Australian homes…
When is my Child Ready to Stop Swimming Lessons?
Oftentimes parents will assess the suitability of continuing swimming lessons. This usually happens several years after a child has begun swimming lessons, often at one of two critical points. The first being, the point in which the child has reached a level of competence, and the parent believes the child is now ‘water-safe’. The second,…
The Life-Long Benefits of Childhood Swimming: 7 Reasons to Learn to Swim Early in Life
Kids swimming lessons teach life skills that aren’t limited to the pool. As a child revels in their progress and success, they will gain a confidence within themselves that continues once they step out of the water and into other aspects of their lives. Swimming lessons are also a great for promoting teamwork, trust in others…
Want learning experiences that promote physical development in toddlers?
Swimming lessons offer so many benefits for toddlers. Firstly, there’s the big one: learning a skill that may save their life. But there are also many physical and cognitive benefits. So if you’re looking for learning experiences that promote physical development in toddlers, swimming classes at Hampton Swim School is one of the best things…
How swimming lessons help with other sports and improve performance
Most people don’t know this little secret—but swimming lessons can help kids perform well in other sports. But not just kids: swimming lessons can improve performance in sports for people of all ages, including professional athletes. Swimming has many health-and-fitness benefits and helps build coordination skills. With regular swimming lessons, your child will find other…
How swimming lessons help children transition to daycare and school
When your child starts daycare, preschool or school, it can be a challenging time of change for them. And let’s face it—for us parents too! In times of change and uncertainty, kids thrive on some stability and familiarity. So, if your child is already in swimming lessons, we’d recommend keeping them in these classes as…
How swim lessons help your child to learn at school
If your child is having learning difficulties at school, your first instinct might be to pull them out of their existing extracurricular activities to ‘give them more time’. This makes sense in theory, but not always in practice. In this post we’ll explore how swim lessons help your child to learn at school. Giving your…
Why is swimming good for asthmatics? Does swimming reduce asthma symptoms?
Exercise plays a vital role in leading a healthy, balanced life. This is especially the case for asthma sufferers, as keeping fit is an important component of successful asthma management. Swimming is not only good for asthmatics, it’s also a proof that asthma sufferers can become world-class athletes. Some of Australia’s greatest Olympic swimmers (Dawn…
Learn to Swim Week
We are proud to be in partnership with Laurie Lawrence’s, Kids Alive – Do the Five and over 500 other swim school Australia wide, as we band together to spread the message about how important it is to teach kids to swim so we can as a community can work towards zero drownings among Aussie…
CPR On a Child – Steps to Perform to Save a Child’s Life After a Life-threatening Accident
Parental CPR Responsibility The arrival of the hotter summer months and the return to the aquatic environment is usually accompanied by a sharp increase in drowning or near-drowning incidents, especially involving children of the under 5 years age bracket. The majority of these episodes occur in backyard swimming pools, and it is often a family…
Winter swimming at Hampton Swim School
Winter Swimming –It’s Benefits For Football, Netball and Hockey Playing Kids Autumn and winter are when kids tend to flock to the outdoor courts and fields across Brisbane for the usual cool weather sports. Football in all its codes – soccer, rugby league, rugby union – netball and hockey are the mainstay of so many families,…
Swimming all year at Hampton Swim School
Swimming all year – Why It’s Good to Keep Swimming Through Winter As the days get colder and shorter, swimming all year is a must through the winter months. At this time of year we all slow down a little – that’s us adults and the kids – we’re indoors more, we wear more layers of…
Catch up (Make up) Swimming Lessons at Hampton Swim School: Keep Your Child on Track With Developing Their Swimming Skills
Catch up (make up) swimming lessons – what your child is really missing out on Sickness, important social events or extended holidays can all impact your children’s swimming lessons. Any of these may mean your child needs to miss one or two lessons in a term. We completely understand. There’s no controlling when a child gets sick,…