Since I found the standards shown below for swimming the sidestroke, my laps have gotten a lot faster. I found this chart at http://www.hhc-redcross.org/stroke_chart.htm, but this link was dead last time I tried it.
| Component | Level IV | Level V | Level VI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Position / Motion | Side-lying position Some rolling of hips Head position may vary Torso may bend | Body nearly parallel to surface Body roll not acceptable Lower ear remains in water Torso straight throughout stroke | |
| Arms | Hands may break surface
Elbow of trailing arm remains close to body throughout stroke Trailing arm recovers beyond shoulders Power phase of trailing arm might not end at hip Dropped elbow of leading arm acceptable Leading arm may pull past upper chest | Hands below surface
Trailing arm recovers no higher than shoulder of leading arm Power phase of trailing arm ends at hip Dropped elbow of leading arm not acceptable Leading arm pull ends at upper chest | |
| Kick | Both knees bent during recovery Legs separate when the knees bend Occasional breaststroke kick acceptable Foot positions may vary | Knees and hips bend, pulling heels toward buttocks
Legs separate after knees bend Lower leg may drop after recovery Inverted scissors kick acceptable Foot of back leg is pointed Ankle of forward leg is flexed | Both legs remain parallel to the surface during all movements
Inverted scissors kick not acceptable Foot of bottom leg is pointed Ankle of top leg is flexed |
| Breathing / Timing | Any breathing pattern acceptable Arms must alternate Minimal glide acceptable | Inhale as legs recover, exhale during power phase
Leading pulls while trailing arm and both legs recover Leading arm recovers as legs and trailing arm apply power Glide is maintained until momentum slows |