Other ‘’Essential’’ Aquatic Psychomotor Competencies

In this article we explore psychomotor competencies other than strokes, which are also considered an ‘’essential’’ part of the psycho-motor aspect of water competence. One is not well protected against aquatic accidents without the full profile of these essential psychomotor competencies and which, at the same time are integrated with the cognitive and affective competencies (i.e. the full profile of ‘water competence’) (1) (2).
In this article we focus on the essential psychomotor competencies other than strokes. We remind the reader
that while many people think of swimming as stroking, it is indeed far more. We have chosen to treat the
essential psychomotor competencies in three parts to allow us to cover the wide variety of these competencies
in more detail. In reality, the beginning strokes (Part I), the other essential strokes (Part II) and these supporting/ foundational competencies discussed in this article (Part III), are inseparable. Because they are integrated in reality (e.g. a potential risk scenario), they should be integrated when teaching. Essentially, we need to imitate typical risk scenario as the learner progresses. An excellent example would be the pairing of entry and exit. One cannot exist without the other. Having entered, at some point in time one must exit.
What was once called ‘’watermanship’’ can be described as a profile which covers virtually all possible physical needs, especially regarding safety. In addition to the essential strokes, this profile also includes orientation, safe entry, breath control, buoyancy control, survival floating, balance, surface diving, swimming under water, treading water, safe exit, and more.