Young children with a good grasp of buoyancy and breath control, and who are comfortable with how their bodies move in the water, are ready to begin coordinating kicking, gliding, and big-arm movements for a more efficient swim-breathe-swim pattern.

At Nashville Swim Academy, our program ensures thoughtful, structured progression from our FUNdamentals stage into the SAFEty and TECHnique stages. Our classes are designed to build each young swimmer’s confidence, strength, and trust in the process as they learn how to move through the water efficiently and safely.

Every lesson is grounded in a supportive philosophy built on positive reinforcement and individual recognition, so swimmers feel encouraged, capable, and proud of their progress every step of the way.

If you’re exploring swimming classes for your child, understanding how swimmers advance through our SAFEty and TECHnique levels can make all the difference.

SAFEty and TECHnique: Trusted Swim Lessons in Nashville

Skill Builder classes fall within our SAFEty vertical. They’re for kids who are comfortable moving through the water but haven’t yet mastered their breathing skills. They can swim short distances but need to stop and hold onto the pool’s edge or an aquatic platform to take a breath.

At this level, the focus is on refining foundational skills, teaching kids how to roll onto their backs to breathe, and connecting kicking with big arm movements. They learn how to push off the wall into both front and back positions, jump independently into the water, and identify safe places to swim toward. Instructors refine essential skills such as floating, gliding, breathing, and directional movement in a calm and supportive manner. Step by step, kids experience their progression and can feel proud of their accomplishments as we guide their technique and celebrate every success.

A big piece of this process is strategic class placement. The SAFEty level is divided into classes for kids aged 3, 4 to 6, and 7 to 11, and grouped by ability so kids learn alongside peers who are developing at a similar pace. This approach creates a positive, motivating environment where young swimmers feel encouraged to try new things together.

We never want swimmers to feel overwhelmed or like they’re underperforming. What we want is for kids to develop a lifelong love of the water, and we know their swim lessons play a vital part in this.

Parents searching for swimming classes for kids that prioritize both safety and skill-building progression will find a program tailored to their child’s abilities and comfort in the water at our state-of-the-art facility in The Nations.

TECHnique Classes: Where Skill Meets Precision

Classes at the TECHnique level reinforce the skills and confidence kids have gained in their previous classes while refining strokes and proficiencies.

Stroke TECHnique 1 is for swimmers six years and older who are comfortable in deep water and have mastered the basics of freestyle and backstroke. The focus is on improving body positioning when pushing off from the side, streamlining front-to-back transitions, and improving side breathing skills to enhance freestyle endurance and rhythm. They’re also introduced to the basics of breaststroke and butterfly, as well as proper diving techniques. 

Stroke TECHnique 2 builds on that foundation by advancing freestyle and backstroke while strengthening the basics of breaststroke and butterfly. Swimmers establish proper breaststroke and butterfly kicks, which they practice during targeted drills, and they learn about proper lane etiquette when they’re practicing circle swimming. We also teach them how to dive with confidence for better starts in competitive swimming and how to use the pace clock for training.

By the time swimmers reach the highest level of our program, Stroke TECHnique 3, they have a strong command of freestyle and backstroke, and a solid understanding of the key elements of breaststroke and butterfly. The focus here is on strength, endurance, and refining technique. Graduates of Stroke TECHnique 3 will know how to execute skillful racing dives with dolphin kicks to propel themselves forward. They’ll have mastered breath control and rhythm during breaststroke and butterfly, and refined their flip turn. They’ll also be able to complete a full 100 I.M. with proper transitions and stroke techniques.

If your child has their sights set on becoming a competitive swimmer, our TECHnique classes provide all the tools they’ll need to begin this exciting new chapter.

A Program That Builds Lifelong Skills

For more than a decade, Nashville Swim Academy has been a premier learn-to-swim program, building the confidence and skills that lead to a lifelong love of the water.

Whether you and your kids are visiting Nashville swimming pools around the community or attending lessons at our new facility, our goal is to ensure every swimmer understands and respects the rules of a pool environment, is armed with vital safety skills and knowledge, and can draw on everything they’ve learned in our classes to have a great (and safe) time in the water.

For swim classes in Nashville, TN taught by highly trained instructors and offering a natural skills progression rather than a rigid lesson template, you’re in the right place when you’re at NSA.

Find the right class for your child and enroll today!