Where you begin when learning to swim will depend on your level of confidence and ability. Having taught swimming to all levels; infant through adult and all levels from terrified to having no fear, I will begin at the first step: (always practice in an environment where there is a lifeguard or someone with you for safety purposes)
Getting comfortable with water:
- Get comfortable with water on your face and in your ears and eyes. While standing in water at a level that you are comfortable with; waist or chest level, splash your face with water and using a small cup or container, pour water over your head.
- Practice blowing bubbles in the water, first with just your face in the water and then when you are more confident, put your whole head under water and blow bubbles the whole time until you bring your head out of the water.
Learning how to move in the water:
- Holding onto the side of the pool or having someone assist you, practice laying face up in the water. You might float and you might not, depending on your level of relaxation and body fat. Make sure you are in a straight line; head back until ears are submerged. Your body will follow your head so keep putting it back until your legs rise. RELAX and let yourself float as if on a cloud.
- Now try doing the same exercise on your stomach. Hold onto the side of the pool with both hands and face the wall or have someone assist you. Put your face in the water and let your legs float to the surface. Make sure you are blowing your bubbles the whole time. Get comfortable with floating and learning how your body feels being independent in the water.
- Depending on your level of confidence at this point, have someone either hold both hands or stand to the side and hold you at your waist. Now putting your hands out in front of you and your face in the water, let your legs float to the surface and start kicking them. Make sure to blow your bubbles.
- When you are ready, let go of the pool or the person, and in water you can stand in, put your face down, arms out, blow your bubbles and start kicking. Have someone close by for safety, but try to do this alone without assistance.
Learning how to breathe:
- Holding onto the side of the pool or having someone hold your arms, put your face in the water and kick your legs. When you need air, turn your head to the side and inhale a breath. When exhaling, turn your head so your face is underwater and blow your bubbles. Practice this until you are comfortable and confident.
- Now holding onto a kickboard with your arms or someone assisting you, practice kicking and moving through the water while turning your head and breathing.
Learning the arm stroke:
- Standing in chest high water, put both arms out in front of you and face in the water, blow bubbles. If you breathe on the right side, begin with your right arm or vice a versa for the left. If starting with the right, pull the arm down through the water to your waist, turn your head the right, inhale, keep the arm moving in a circle and turn your face back in the water and exhale when the arm is at the starting position. Keep your head down and blow bubbles as you make a circle with your other arm. Continue this practice until your start to feel confident and get a rhythm.
- Now with someone nearby for safety, put all your skill together; begin with your face down float, blow bubbles, kick and start your breathing while stroking. You will feel yourself want to rotate in the water. THIS IS OK! If you try to remain flat in the water you will be fighting against yourself. Rolling from side to side as you stroke and breathe is the proper way and will assist you in breathing. Just relax and let your body move naturally in the water. The rolling also helps with drag and makes you more streamline while moving.
Swimming is just floating with forward movement and relaxing is key to being successful at it. I have seen many a swimmer struggling and flailing away and then exhausted because they didn't understand this concept. There are many misconceptions about the proper way to swim. My suggestion is to go to a lap pool and observe good swimmers and how they move in the water. If the opportunity presents itself, get in the water and using goggles or snorkel mask, observe them underwater too. A picture paints a thousand words and if you can observe swimmers in motion, you will learn that much faster.
Now that you have mastered the basics, PRACTICE! Get out there and have fun! For safety purposes always swim with a buddy or in a safe environment. Now you can be one of the millions that enjoy the water and all the fun it offers. No longer do you have to turn down invitations to the parties that include water because you are too embarrassed or afraid to swim.
CONGRATULATIONS!
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