Combination Skill (CMB)

INTRODUCTION

Combination Skill develops the ability to perform multiple skills consecutively and/or simultaneously, specifically focusing on transitioning between and sequentially performing skills from separate Aquatic Safety Competencies. It is characterized by demonstrating the following skills in order: recover, tread, swim on back, float, orient, swim on front, exit. Becoming proficient with the Combination Skill develops Combining Skills Competency, as well as Safe Entry Competency, Safe Exit Competency, Breath Control Competency, Stationary Surface Competency, Orientation Competency, Propulsion Competency, and Risk Competency.

Blending components of, or transitioning between, multiple physical skills, cognitive skills, and affective skills allows individuals to adapt to the circumstances of any given situation. This is critical for remaining safe in aquatic environments, which are innately dynamic. Proficiency with independent skills is not enough to ensure safety. For example, it is not uncommon for individuals to be able to maintain a position at the surface while propelling but are unable to transition to resting while floating or into a vertical position to waive and call for help. Combination Skill is an opportunity for students to develop proficiency linking multiple skills sequentially, and become more comfortable transitioning between independent physical skills they have previously practiced.

When first learning to combine skills the focus should be on transitioning between skills sequentially and on skill combinations that are known to blend well together. An example of a well known combination is the act of traveling and turning to navigate towards safety, which is so common that it is often overlooked as being a combination of propulsion and orientation skills. The act of combining skills is a skill in itself, and the emphasis when learning should be on performing the combination, rather than focusing on proficiency with the individual components. Because of this, it is important that individuals have a base level of proficiency with the individual skills before learning how to combine them.

As individuals become more comfortable performing multiple skills sequentially, the focus should shift towards blending components of skills and performing them simultaneously. Importantly, this includes not only the combination of multiple cognitive skills, multiple physical skills, and of multiple cognitive and physical skills at once, but also the incorporation of additional stressors; for example recalling knowledge, performing assessments, and planning ahead while performing strenuous physical skills. Emphasis should be placed on learning how different skills (or skill components) will interact, as well as learning when to combine skills, in order to provide greater efficiency or more specificity when accomplishing tasks.