Learning to Somersault
Fear of getting water up the nose is the main barrier to learning.
The best practice is to try and avoid that happening by always using a nose clip.
Break the skill down into manageable sections.
The body position can be learnt from a mushroom float, knees held tight, chin super glued to the chest.
“The smaller and rounder you are, the faster you will get around and the less time there is for water to go in”
Lots of practice for blowing through the nose, humming.Then put it all together.
NEVER attempt to teach a somersault without a well-fitted nose clip.
With Nose clip
Go into a mushroom position and the teacher flips the child over.
The Teaching point is “sweep your arms backwards, like you are skipping backwards”
Next try two continuous rotations without stopping. Teacher helps with a gentle push on the back of the head.
Once they can do two rotations keeping the body position and sweeping the hands, they are ready to try one without the nose clip
Go underwater together Practice blowing through the nose under water.
“Now just try one – without the nose clip, keep humming.”
If they wobble or bail out, go back to nose clip and two rolls without stopping until they get the body position and hand movement right
Other ideas: Holding a lane rope, do a 360 without letting go; same with holding two dumbbells.
Mushroom float – Push & Glide – P & G and mushroom – P & G and handstand – P & G, handstand, flip over – then repeat without touching the bottom
“Swish your arms backwards like you are skipping backwards”