Swimming is a sport that does not come natural to everybody. Walking, running, biking, all of these are quite easy to master; however, it takes some coordination and determination to learn how to swim. Here are five tips that will help you conquer the world of water:
Get assistance from a swimming buddy.
This can either be an experienced swimmer you personally know or a swim lesson instructor. Having a swimming buddy in the water with you is comforting and inspiring. They can remind you of what you need to be doing and they can point out where you are making good progress with your stroke technique. They can also support you in specific positions while you get a feel for them.
Develop a feel for the water.
Water is something most everyone is not used to being in. Start off by learning how your body moves and feels in the water. While in shallow water, start off by walking in the shallow end while moving your hands and arms freely in the water. Get a feel how your body is moving with and against the water. As you warm up to the water, try squatting down in the water and continuing to move your hands and arms. When you squat down in the water you will feel the water take your weight off.
Blow Bubbles
Holding your breath in the water adds feelings of anxiety and makes you feel more stressed. Instead, develop a new way of exhaling into the water. Start in the shallow water where you can stand and practice putting your face into the water and simply hum through your mouth or nose to generate a long steady stream of bubbles. Once you become more relaxed with the bubbling idea, try to squat in the water and blow bubbles.
Break it down into manageable chunks.
Attempting to perform the whole stroke of any stroke without any training is a recipe for disaster. The key of learning strokes is to break things down into small manageable chunks, called skills. Skills are an exercise that allows you to work on one part of swimming technique without having the difficulty of doing the whole stroke all at once.
Look into Swim Lessons
Swimming is lots of fun for people of all ages and children especially love getting in the water and enjoying themselves. Learning to swim is a skill that once learnt is rarely forgotten and it is open to people of all ages. Everyone needs the chance to learn how to swim because it’s the one sport that has the potential to be a true life saver one day!
To view our swim lesson opportunities click here.
By Nicole Culbertson
Swim Lesson Coordinator
Four Seasons Health Club