Swimming lessons offered at Guiyang's primary, secondary schools

Coaches teach students swimming postures at the center on March 14. [Photo/guiyang.gov.cn]

Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, aims to gradually promote swimming among primary and secondary school students. The Guiyang Civic Fitness Center officially started offering courses at Guiyang Experimental Primary School and the No 16 Middle School on March 14.

The center's coaching team includes national athletes, national vocational skill appraisal assessors, national swimming coach assessors, and lifeguard assessors. Young athletes they have trained have gone on to win gold medals in provincial and municipal competitions.

In addition, the center strictly abides by the principle of one coach for every 12 students, and is equipped with lifeguards on site to ensure the safety of students.

The coaches lead students through warm-up exercises and teach them four strokes – backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, and freestyle.

Coaches started their lessons by teaching students how to breath underwater and float to rid them of their fear of water. Then they explained the proper body movements and guided students as they practiced in the water.

The center will offer 32 class hours of study so that students can master basic swimming skills and avoid drowning, as well as swim 50 meters independently in the water.