Our Method

What is Survival & Beyond?

Survival & Beyond is a survival swim program. Emphasis is placed on teaching students the life-saving skills they need in an emergency situation first. These survival-swimming skills then serve as the foundation for learning proper stroke technique when basic swimming strokes are introduced.

Why use the Survival & Beyond Method?

Children are naturally drawn to water. Infants and toddlers generally have little fear of the water. As children get older, they tend to develop fears due to recognition of the water's depth and negative water experiences. Traditional instruction methods require motor skills most children achieve between the ages of 3 and 4. The Survival & Beyond Method is specifically designed to teach infants and toddlers, keeping in mind their developing motor skills. It teaches necessary life saving skills before your child develops a fear of the water, building your child's confidence, and developing an incredible sense of achievement.

How does your program work?

The Survival and Beyond Method is broken down into the following "Schools":

Baby & Me (6mos to 3yrs)

Emphasis here is on beginning swim skills and water acclimation. The goal is for students to become comfortable in the water environment while in the hands of someone they know and trust.

Pre-Stroke School (6mos to 5yrs)

Emphasis is placed on water safety and survival. Upon successful completion, students will independently back float and swim-roll-swim to exit the pool.

Stroke School (5+ or completion of Pre-Stroke School)

Emphasis is placed on efficient kicking, body position, and proper swimming technique. Upon successful completion, students will independently swim multiple stokes with good form and efficiency.

How does Survival and Beyond differ from traditional swim programs?

Pre-Stroke School

Traditional swim instruction methods teach children to lift their heads to breathe while swimming face down or to tread water. This causes their bodies to become vertical in the water making it difficult to rest, take a breath, and return to a swimming position. In an emergency situation, this leads to exhaustion.

Our Aquatic Specialists teach children to roll completely over onto their backs to float, relax and breathe, always keeping a horizontal body position, reducing the effort and energy needed to survive.

Stroke School

Traditional programs introduce kicking and arm movements together, "swimming" a few feet then standing to breathe and recover. Kicking and arms are refined simultaneously.

We take a different approach. Our stoke school is broken down to teach each of the parts of a proficient freestyle and backstroke, maintaining a horizontal swim or float at all times. Our Beginner Stroke School teaches front, back and side streamline body positions with efficient and fluid flutter kicks utilizing rotation drills. Each of the drills is designed to master the various body positions involved in a well-defined freestyle and backstroke. Once a streamlined position and efficient kick is mastered, students progress to Intermediate Stroke School, where arms are introduced and refined resulting in a proficient freestyle and backstroke.

What can my child realistically achieve?

Active infants can develop a kick and be able to swim short distances before rolling over into a back float position to breathe. Older children (12 months to 6 years) are able to learn a more highly developed progression. Children in this age range will learn to open their eyes, hold their breath, turn toward the edge of the pool, and swim/roll/swim so they can safely climb out. If you have any further questions about the program or your child's progress, please give us a call. We will be happy to explain our program in more detail.