What’s the key to learning how to swim? What is the secret or actual skill?

[Anonymous]

I taught swimming for many years in high school, college, and beyond OP. I specialized in teaching the fearful/freaked out. The key is to try to relax. Take a breath, close your eyes, and image something positive. Try walking in the pool first. Practice breathing. Practice kicking holding to the sides. Practice going underwater. Ask the instructor to guide you once you take your feet off the ground.

Good luck! The more you practice, the better you get. Remember, the best Olympic swimmers even need to practice every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you black? When I was in boot camp all the brothers looked like they were being electrocuted in the water.

Yes

Op here. Not sure which PP responded. But I am as well. I am South Asian and African American.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thank you all so much for your kind replies and tips!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a near drowning at age 5 and was rescued. I’ve since taken classes as a teen and could not coordinate my limbs to pass those.

What is the key to learning to swim and float? Is it moving your hands and feet or legs a certain way?

I’ve signed up for classes again that begin tomorrow. How does one stay afloat? Is it all in breathing in and out?

I remember being told people can swim if they are thrown in as a child but I jumped in over 6ft of water as a child not knowing you needed to hold your breath or how to swim at all and ended up almost dying. None of my family members were or are swimmers fwiw. This will be a first. My father even grew up around lakes but never swam.

I never took lessons, just swam in public pools a lot by myself or with friends. I stayed in the shallow end until I could hold my breath, float, etc… I remember holding onto the edge of the deeper side. Eventually I flapped my arms and legs almost like a frog and could swim and hold my breath. If you want to learn strokes then you will have to take classes and find a lane pool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I’m so sorry that happened to you as a kid. That’s really scary! Do you have any balance issues, btw? Or do you get stressed out in water? Those could be affecting you. I commend you for getting lessons!

Honestly, swimming (staying afloat and being comfortable in calm water, not serious swimming) is like riding a bike. Once you can do it, it’s hard to remember what you had to learn. Generally, people gently paddle with their arms and legs (“doggy paddling”). People are naturally buoyant; it’s panic that often gets people into trouble (and rough water or needing stamina, but assuming you won’t be going to do that soon).

To answer a few of your questions - yes, I have some balance issues that I take PT for and see a Neurologist. I am also one of the people who once knew how to ride a bike and forgot over the years. I never rode frequently and when teaching my kids I realized I completely lost the skill altogether . That is another skill that I will have to take on again.

I’ll make sure to tell my instructor about my balance issues.

Thank you everyone for the tips as well!

Makes sense. I know that sometimes balance issues can make learning to swim more difficult, as you can feel more disoriented in the water if your body does not have full control over a center of balance. (I know someone with inner ear issues who struggled with both swimming and biking, but they worked on it a lot.) I think a lot of practice and getting comfortable will go a long way towards feeling and being safe in the water.

[Anonymous]

Thanks PPs! Are some people naturally more buoyant than others? I’ve been reading up in preparation for swimming and saw some agreement to this and other disagreement. I also read about fat to muscle ratio and how more muscle sinks faster. I then saw a disagreement on this and statement that being naturally buoyant or not is key.

[Anonymous]

Where are you taking lessons, OP? I need to take them. DC is all full through the summer.

[Anonymous]

Remember to blow out under water. Learners tend to hold their breath and don't have time to breath out and in when they turn their heads and panic.

[Anonymous]

I think adult learners can be impatient. Kids accept gradual improvement over several seasons.

Once you have some basic skills you need to keep practising and coaching helps. Remember how scared you were learning to drive but after you did it more and more it became like second nature.

When I learned to swim, I was pretty slow and got exhausted, but eventually it clicked. I ended up being an international swimming rep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks PPs! Are some people naturally more buoyant than others? I’ve been reading up in preparation for swimming and saw some agreement to this and other disagreement. I also read about fat to muscle ratio and how more muscle sinks faster. I then saw a disagreement on this and statement that being naturally buoyant or not is key.

Fat is more buoyant.

[Anonymous]

My kids always panicked at swimming. Would not stop holding their noses, somehow water would get in their ears, scared of letting go to float.

Then we went on a week-long vacation at a hotel with a nice pool with warm water and each day we would have the kids practice floating. With one kid, there was some stern talk involved. Both finally relaxed and let go.

Think it was the daily practice and inviting pool that did it. They now are both strong swimmers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you taking lessons, OP? I need to take them. DC is all full through the summer.

There's a swimming forum in DCUM. People might have some ideas.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to say that I hope today went well for you! I hope you’ll keep us posted on how it’s going.

[Anonymous]

Try touching the bottom of the pool in, say, 5 or 6 foot depth.
I challenged both my kids to this after each one of them mastered treading water.
When they realized how hard it was and that they had to fight against their natural buoyancy, they were like fish in the water.

We accomplished this in one afternoon with the help of strategic pool breaks, ginger ale and a bag of doritos.
Keep it relaxed.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing your story, and I’m so sorry you experienced such trauma. You are brave! If you are in NoVA, I know some of the Fairfax Rec Center pools offer adult swimming lessons. I’m in a mom’s FB group, and recently many moms were asking about learning to swim as an adult. Some of the private pools also have lifeguards who offer lessons, and often you do not need to be a member to do it. Perhaps you can look at the closest private pool to you and contact the appropriate board member with an inquiry?