Improvers - National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS)

Lower Improvers 1 - NPTS Level 7

1. Swim 50 metres - Backstroke
2. Swim 50 metres - Front crawl
3. Swim 50 metres - Breaststroke
4. Swim 50 metres - Butterfly
5. Perform a movement sequence of 1 minute duration, in a group of 3 or more, incorporating a number of the following skills:
Sculling - head first, feet first: Rotation - forward/backward somersault, log roll; Floating - star on the front/on the back, tuck float, create own;
Eggbeater - moving, lifting one or both arms out of the water link skills with strokes and sculls.
6. Perform a sitting dive
7. Swim 50 metres continuously using one stroke
8. Swim 200 metres, using a minimum of 3 different strokes
9. Tread water using egg beater action for 30 seconds
10. Complete an obstacle course (using minimum of 4 objects) with feet off the bottom throughout.

Lower Improvers 2 - NPTS Level 8

1. Complete a set lasting 400m (e.g. 16 x 25m) on a specific turn around time set by the coach (E.g. 1.00min for each 25m)
2. Swim 400m continuously using one stroke
3. Kick 25m Backstroke with/without using a board - swimmer's choice
4. Kick 25m Breaststroke with/without using a board - swimmer's choice
5. Kick 25m Butterfly with/without using a board - swimmer's choice
6. Kick 25m Front crawl with/without using a board - swimmer's choice
7. Perform a Backstroke turn from 10m in to 15m out
8. Perform a Breaststroke turn from 10m in to 15m out
9. Perform a Butterfly turn from 10m in to 15m out
10. Perform a Front crawl turn from 10m in to 15m out

Middle Improvers - NPTS Level 9

1. complete a set lasting 800m (E.g. Either 16 x 50m; 8 x 100m; 4 x 200m) on a specific turn around time set by the coach (E.g. 1.30min for 50m's; 2.45min for 100m's; 6.00min for 200m's)
2. Swim 800m continuously choosing one stroke
Swin a continous 100m IM using legal turns
4. Perform a 15m underwater kick on front in a streamlined position
5. Perform a Backstroke start then Butterfly kick in a streamlined position underwater until 10m from the start point (wall), transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m
6. Perform a Front crawl start, underwater kick in a streamlined position until a minimum of 10m from the start point (wall) is completed, transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m
7. Perform a Butterfly start, kick in a streamlined position until a minimum of 10m from the start point (wall) is completed, transfer into stroke and complete the remainder of the 25m
8. Perform a Breaststroke start, perform a 11/2 pull under water, transfer into and complete remainder of the 25m.

Upper Improvers - NPTS Level 10

1. Complete a set lasting 1600m (either 16 x 100m; 8 x 200m; 4 x 400m) on a specific timed turn around set by the coach (e.g. 2.30min for 100m's; 5.30min for 200m's; 12min for 400m's)
2. Swim 1500m continuously choosing one stroke
3. Perform a continuous 100m IM kick without using a kick board
4. Swim a continuous 200m IM using legal turns
5. Perform a 15m under water Butterfly kick on back or front in a streamlined position
6. Perform a Front crawl relay take over - as an incoming Swimmer
7. Perform a Front crawl relay take over - as an outgoing Swimmer