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swimming teacher resources for professional development
If you’re new on poolside, the hardest part isn’t enthusiasm—it’s knowing what to teach next and why. These swimming teacher resources give you clear progression, proven drills, and teaching guides you can lean on from your first lesson onward.
Choose your teaching resources
These resources develop you into a stronger, more confident, more capable swimming teacher. They go beyond giving you activities to fill a lesson - they:
- deepen your understanding of progressions
- sharpen your technical eye
- strengthen the way you communicate and adapt on poolside
Whether you’re just starting out or refining years of experience, each guide, drill collection, and structured plan is designed to build your professional judgment, expand your teaching toolkit, and help you deliver lessons that genuinely move swimmers forward.
Start with the definitive “How To Be A Swimming Teacher,” dip into 101 adaptable lesson plans, or sharpen your stroke coaching with drill collections for each stroke. Whether you’re building confidence or refreshing your toolbox, you’ll find practical structure you can apply immediately.
My Best-Selling Swimming Teacher Resources
Enhance your swimming instruction with by best selling swimming teacher resources.
Incorporating these resources into your teaching toolkit will simplify lesson planning, provide structured guidance, and enhance the overall effectiveness of your swimming instruction.
How To Be A Swimming Teacher
The Definitive Guide To Teaching Outstanding Swimming Lessons
What this does:
- Teaches you how to think like a swimming teacher
- Develops your observation skills
- Improves how you correct technique
- Helps you deliver structured, progressive lessons with clarity
Think of this as your mentoring handbook - the guidance many teachers wish they had when starting out.
For more details, click through to How To Be A Swimming Teacher.
A Note From Mark: "When I first started teaching, I spent hours sweating over what worked and what didn't. This book came out of years of trial and error - it's what I wish I had on day one. The drills, tips, and structure here are all things I've used personally to teach hundreds of kids and adults with real, measurable success."
101 Swimming Lesson Plans
Ready-Made Lesson Plans For Swimming Instructors That Take The Hard Work Out Of Planning
What you get:
A professional development library you can use as lesson plans.
- Shows how progressions are built
- Demonstrates structured skill layering
- Encourages adaptation and interpretation
- Builds your lesson design confidence
For more details, click through to 101 Swimming Lesson Plans.
A Note From Mark: "I wrote these plans after getting the same question over and over from new teachers: "Where do I even begin?" These plans are written to spark ideas and give a general structure. They are not meant to be followed precisely, although you can do so if you choose to. They're designed to be flexible, easy to follow and entirely open for interpretation by your professional judgment, even if you're new to teaching."
Teaching Adults How To Swim
Unlock The Art of Adult Instruction and The Challenges of Adult Swimming Lessons
What you get:
- Understand adult psychology in the water
- Learn how to dismantle fear safely
- Develop empathy-based instruction
- Master subtle communication shifts
A specialist skill that sets you apart from the average teacher.
For more details, click through to Teaching Adults How To Swim.
A Note From Mark: "Teaching adults is a completely different experience. I remember working with a man in his 50s who had never been in deep water. He was embarrassed and nervous, so we went very slowly. We started with breathing and floating - no strokes, no pressure. Within four sessions, he was swimming a full length. That moment inspired this book."
Why Swimming Teachers Trust Swim Teach
Thousands of instructors have already transformed their lessons with these easy-to-use swimming teacher resources.
Here's what some of them say:
“Mark’s lesson plans have given me so much headspace because I don't have to think about the content of my lesson and I can completely focus on my delivery. My students are experiencing the benefits!” – Jenny M, Swim School Owner.
Technical Drill Libraries to Sharpen Stroke Mastery
What it is: Drill books designed for each stroke — with clear illustrations, step-by-step instructions, and key teaching points.
Why it helps: Reinforces proper technique and helps correct common mistakes.
Use it for: Adding skill-specific drills to any lesson plan or using as warm-ups or progressions.
Click here for more about freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
Structured Progressions That Build Real Skill
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What it is: Stroke-specific lesson plans for teaching front crawl from scratch, broken down into manageable steps. |
What it is: A focused guide for teaching breaststroke through technique-driven lessons and visual cues. |
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What it is: Lesson plans tailored to teaching backstroke, complete with progressive drills and teaching points. |
What it is: A complete framework to teach butterfly technique, focusing on timing, body wave, and breathing. |
What it is: Stroke-specific lesson plans for teaching front crawl from scratch, broken down into manageable steps.
Why it helps: Makes teaching front crawl easy, even for hesitant or struggling swimmers.
Use it for: Progression from floating to full-stroke execution with streamlined drills and cues.
What it is: A focused guide for teaching breaststroke through technique-driven lessons and visual cues.
Why it helps: Clarifies common challenges (like timing and glide) and supports skill development.
Use it for: Structuring beginner and intermediate breaststroke sessions.
What it is: Lesson plans tailored to teaching backstroke, complete with progressive drills and teaching points.
Why it helps: Gives you a clear roadmap to help students feel confident on their backs — a common challenge.
Use it for: Teaching beginners proper body position, arm movement, and kick rhythm.
What it is: A complete framework to teach butterfly technique, focusing on timing, body wave, and breathing.
Why it helps: Breaks down this complex stroke into teachable chunks, using smart progressions.
Use it for: Confident beginner, intermediate or advanced swimmers learning butterfly step-by-step.
Need some quotes for swimming lessons? I've got you covered!
Stroke Mastery Guides for Teaching with Precision
Basic Front Crawl Drills
Get your teaching points across to your pupils clearly and easily and have them fine-tuning each part of their front crawl with these easy-to-teach basic drills. 22 fully illustrated exercises, each one comes with its own teaching points, pupil focus points and common mistakes to look out for. From body position through to the timing and coordination, not forgetting the ever-tricky breathing technique - all stroke parts are covered. Detailed, concise and simple. Click here to check out some examples.
Basic Breaststroke Drills
Use the 21 fully illustrated breaststroke drills to help your pupils learn what each part of their body should be doing, when to do it and how to do it. Each drill comes with its own teaching points, pupil focus points and common mistakes to look out for. From an effective leg kick to the timing of the all important glide - all stroke parts are covered. One of the most useful swimming resources for teachers. Detailed, concise and simple. Click here to check out some examples.
Basic Backstroke Drills
Having clear and simple drills laid out for you makes delivering them to your pupils easy. The 20 fully illustrated backstroke drills each come with teaching points, pupil focus points and common mistakes to look out for and they cover all parts of the stroke. Teach your pupils how to kick with a relaxed kick, to pull with an effective arm technique and all whilst maintaining an efficient body position. Detailed, concise and simple. Click here to check out some examples.
Basic Butterfly Drills
A difficult stroke to master the basics of, butterfly can also be tough to teach effectively. These 16 basic drills make learning what each body part does, much easier. From the all important undulating body movement to the powerful arm and leg technique, use the teaching points and pupil focuses to ensure your swimmers perfect each part of the spectacular swimming stroke. Click here to check out some examples.
Front Crawl Lesson Plans
Looking for some simple, ready-made lesson plans? Look no further - You have found one of the most valuable swimming resources for teachers. These lesson plans take the hard work out of thinking about what to include in your lessons. Taken from my book 'How To Teach Front Crawl', the plans cover each body part, tailored to suit beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and the assessment tools for each lesson, making assessing your swimmers a quick and easy job. This leaves you to focus on the individuals in your classes and fine-tune your practice as a successful swimming teacher. Click here to check out some examples.
Breaststroke Lesson Plans
Looking for some detailed and effective breaststroke lesson plans? These lesson plans take the hard work out of thinking about what to include in your lessons. They cover each body part and are specific to beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The assessment tools for each lesson make assessing your swimmers a quick and easy job. Swimming resources for teachers that really make a difference. Click here to check out some examples.
Backstroke Lesson Plans
Grab some detailed backstroke lesson plans and take the hard work out of thinking about what to include in your lessons. They cover each body part and are specific to beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The assessment tools for each lesson make assessing your swimmers a quick and easy job. This leaves you to focus on the individuals in your classes and fine-tune your practice as a successful swimming teacher. Click here to check out some examples.
Butterfly Stroke Lesson Plans
Grab some varied and comprehensive butterfly lesson plans and take the hard work out of thinking about what to include in your lessons. They cover each body part and are specific to beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The assessment tools for each lesson make assessing your swimmers a quick and easy job. Click here to check out some examples.
How To Teach Front Crawl
Teaching the most popular swimming stroke is an essential skill for all swimming teachers. How To Teach Front Crawl contains everything you need:
- a sound knowledge of the technique
- basic drills that cover each body part
- detailed lesson plans
- effective assessment tools
One of the best swimming resources for teachers for saving time and enhancing your practice. Click here to check out a preview.
How To Teach Breaststroke
Teaching breaststroke to both adults and children is an essential skill for all swimming teachers. How To Teach Breaststroke contains everything you need:
- a sound knowledge of the technique
- basic drills that cover each body part
- detailed lesson plans
- effective assessment tools
One of the best swimming resources for teachers for saving time and enhancing your practice. Click here to check out a preview.
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Thanks for checking out my website and all the information here about learning to swim and teaching swimming. I really hope you have found some inspiration and support. If you're as passionate about teaching swimming and learning to swim as I am, feel free to follow me on any of these channels: Cheers!  |
Thanks for checking out my website and all the information here about learning to swim and teaching swimming. I really hope you have found some inspiration and support.
If you're as passionate about teaching swimming and learning to swim as I am, feel free to follow me on any of these channels:
Cheers!
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