ASA National Plan for Teaching Swimming (NPTS) – most swimming teaching programmes are based on this. The scheme develops the non-swimmer from first splash, encouraging and gaining confidence and competence in the water. It includes a foundation stage, seven progressive general stages followed by three further specialised stages specific to particular swimming disciplines.

A brief overview of Stages 1 - 7:

• Stage 1 – At this stage we concentrate on developing basic safety awareness, basic movement skills and water confidence. Swimmers may use arm bands and or floats.
• Stage 2 – Develops safe entry into the water, including jumping in, basic floating, travelling on front and back up to a distance of 5 metres, plus rotation to regain upright positions. Swimmers may use aids such as arm bands and or floats.
• Stage 3 - Develops safe entry including submersion, travel up to 15 metres on front and back, progress rotation skills and water safety knowledge. At this stage, the Swimmer will be assessed without the use of aids or support.
• Stage 4 – Develops the understanding of buoyancy through a range of skills, refining kicking technique for all strokes, and swimming 20 metres to a given standard as directed by the ASA.
• Stage 5 - Develops 'waterman-ship' through sculling and treading water skills and complete rotation, also performing all strokes for a distance of 50 metres to the given standard as provided by the ASA within the NPTS resources. Be able to perform a continuous stroke for 100m.
• Stage 6 - Develops effective swimming skills including co-ordinated breathing across all strokes plus swimming a distance of 200 metres using a stroke of the swimmers choice; developing the water safety aspects and understanding of preparation for exercise.
• Stage 7 - Develops quality stroke technique up to 200 metres, incorporating skills acquired and combining them to develop a linked routine and complete successfully an obstacle course that combines a variety of skills accomplished throughout stages 1 - 7.
• Stages 8 to 10 - Once the Swimmer has developed the core range of skills required to be confident, competent and safe in the water through stages 1 - 7, the
• Swimmer may then have the choice to take part in different aquatic disciplines.

Long Term Athlete Development Plan

Nutrition Information: -
Do Sports Drinks Really Work? (Times article)
Swimming Nutrition, Diets for Swimmers, Swim Parents, and Swim Coaches
General Nutrition for Swimmers
Nutrition Guide for Junior and Age Group Swimmers

Drugs Information: -
Amongst the information on drugs and drug testing proffered by British Swimming, you can now access the DID (Drugs Information Database) UK Sport Page. The DID provides easily accessible and accurate responses to queries about the status in sport of licensed pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medicinal products available in the UK and Canada. The status of the substances in this database reflects the current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list and results are shown as one of the following outcomes: not prohibited, prohibited, prohibited - particular sports.

Before consuming any drug, substance or medication product, athletes should always check its WADA Prohibited List status.
The product list is available on the 100%ME website.