**Sculling:  How to Teach It**

Sculling it the quickest way to achieve that elusive “feel” for the water, yet most swimmers and teams don’t do enough of it.  One reason is that sculling can be difficult to teach and to learn.  This week, with help from Steve Haufler, we’re sharing our secrets for *teaching* the critical skill of sculling.  Come join the discussion!

**Monday**

**Better Pushoffs: Vertical Sculling**

Vertical sculling allows you to learn the basic movements of sculling without having to worry about air.  It also allows the coach to TALK to the swimmer, giving real-time feedback to speed the learning process

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2976-vertical-sculling>

0564 working on a soft field using flotation

1044 Watch the slight pitch of the hands 

1214 thumbs down on the out

1390 pinkies down on the end

1881 soft kick to stabilize

2808 arm stable from shoulders to elbow

3288 only movement from elbows to hands

4144 at fins

4659 seems stability with the hands

5033 alternating hands

5279 move to symmetrical

5590 soft kick no fins

1-0142 working on stability of the head

11842 straight legs

12319 more intense

**Tuesday**

**All Strokes: The Ins and Outs of Sculling**

Images to help you understand why and how sculling works to move you forward.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1569-all-strokes-the-ins-and-outs-of-sculling> 

0425 same look as vertical scaling only horizontal

1617 trying to develop an overall feel for the water

2326 stable from shoulder elbow

2460 elbow hand pivoting the palm

3035 stay soft

4586 feeling pressure has been a game we’ve played forever

4885 learn how to pitch the hand impacts the element around it

5935 just play with the water

1-0169 keep the fingers open

10424 keep the fingers closed

11100 finger slightly open

11779 stability

12593 only movement from the elbows to the hands

13306 would prefer the elbows are in front of or even with the shoulders

13854 shoulders in a better position stability

14724 soft hands

20269 soft hands

21949 only movement from the elbows to the hands

23724 heads stability

30379 take the vertical

30698 start to lean forward keep the arms doing the same thing

30965 eyes down and continue to do the same thing

30376 instead of creating Lyft you’re creating forward propulsion

**Wednesday**

**Steve Haufler: Toys:  Strapless Paddles**

Learn Steve’s genius progression for teaching swimmers how to scull.  Strapless paddles are just one of his secrets.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1274-strapless-paddles>

0472 the ability to keep the palms on the paddles means constant pressure

0973 Play in the water

1700 try to isolate the feeling of the hands

3813 slightly grip the paddle so it doesn’t fall off

3873 let go of the paddle so you’re not gripping

3955 grip to recover

4809 grip to hang on

4834 let go to learn press

10247 the goal being to keep the paddle facing backwards for as long as possible

**Thursday**

**All Strokes: Trailing Hands Sculling – On Your Back**

Sculling in all directions will help you understand how to make a constant connection with the water.  This also allows coach to give real-time feedback to the swimmer.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1512-all-strokes-trailing-hands-sculling>

0910 always watch the softness of lead athletes hands

1430 front skull strapless

1671 see the slight bounce in the head

2464 try to keep the fingers down

On your back

2922 fingertips up pushes you backwards

4088 fingertips down push pushes you forward

5317 this is not sculling

5935 which ever way the palms are facing you will go in the opposite direction

10664 fingertips up going away from the wall

**Friday**

**Kevin Clements: Sit Scull**

Sure, you’re giving up some yardage when you scull.  But think of the gains!  Heightened feel for the water and abs like this guy’s!

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1496-sculling-sit-scull>

0999 Head looking forward completely out of the water leg showing from knees to toes

1431 stability

1730 knees to toes connected with the surface of the water

1910 shoulder to elbow stable

2083 elbow to hands moving

2925 expose the shins

3321 continue looking forward

3664 stability and control of the entire body

4659 Full ab workout

5091 a combination of lift and propulsion

5717 this is a workout

**Saturday**

**Glenn EP:  Sculling vs. Pushing**

A video is worth a thousand words of teaching.  Images like these can help swimmers visualize and understand the difference between sculling (productive) and pushing (not so productive).

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/3263-sculling-or-pushing>

0342 pushing

0676 where are you creating force

0699 slicing the hands in

1362 EVF

1390 fingertips down

1435 fingertips down

1476 Palms pitched backwards

1534 Palms pitched backwards

1672 shoulder to elbow stable

1803 elbow hands movement

**Sunday**

**Masters:  Masters Teaching – Front Scull**

When we teach sculling, we like to have the swimmer transition repeatedly from sculling to swimming – putting into practice the lessons of the scull.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1579-masters-teaching-front-scull>

0541 Front skull with buoyancy

1528 lift air when necessary

1961 go from skull to swim focusing on high elbow

4313 elbows on the surface of the water

4512 give a target

4690 fingertips down

5069 watching the fingers

10165 all the focus is on the fingers to the elbows

10428 compare the catch position with the sculling exercise

11656 shoulder to elbow to hand position

11978 shoulder to elbow to hand position


Sign In to watch video

Dec. 10, 2024 - Sculling: How to Teach It