Published on 4 April 2023
Learning to swim as an adult can be nerve-wracking, overcoming fears and learning new skills is not easy and the challenge can be a big deterrent for many. But the good news is, If you’re reading this blog as someone that is looking to become a swimmer then you’re already making steps in the right direction!
Swimming has a variety of benefits and is proven to have a great impact on physical and mental health. Notably, swimming is a non-impact full-body workout that helps to build strength and endurance while promoting a healthy heart and lungs.
Learning to swim can save your life indirectly by promoting a healthy lifestyle, but can also be a direct difference in drowning prevention. Having knowledge of water safety and the ability to swim will make you more confident and allow you to get out of situations that could otherwise be fatal.
There is no rush – take it at your own pace. What works for someone else may not work for you, explore what is and isn’t working and adapt your methods to make you feel most comfortable.
Building confidence is key to swimming, learn to feel at ease in the water and the rest will all start to fit in place. Progress isn’t measured in one way, some might consider swimming to be a full freestyle/front crawl technique, but for others, it may just be getting their feet off of the ground.
Do what works for you and enjoy the process.
Go prepared…
There are a number of equipment and accessories that can help you to build confidence.
For most, water in their eyes or nose can hold them back. For a newcomer, placing your face into the water and blowing bubbles as a breathing exercise can be disconcerting as the unfamiliar feeling of the bubbles rising over your face can be a shock to start. Adding a noseclip and goggles could help you to relax, taking out the feeling of the water going into your nose or flowing over your eyes.
The equipment we would advise would be – two kickboards and a pool noodle, and a pair of goggles would be great too! If you need to buy these then why not check out theSwimmingShop or Simply Swim.
A pool noodle is a great tool for building confidence. You can hold onto it as you begin taking your first steps into the pool then as you grow in confidence you could wrap the noodle around your waist or chest to begin practising front crawl, or wrap your noodle around your back – across your shoulder blades and under your arms to begin practising backstroke.
Swimming can be self-taught, but progressing and building confidence in a programmed session with the support of an experienced instructor would always be advised by us. With the option of private 1-2-1 lessons or group classes, you can learn in an environment that best suits you.
Group lessons are great for building confidence with a group of like-minded individuals all looking to improve their swimming skills. If you’re feeling particularly nervous then the team atmosphere can create a really positive environment and help you to overcome your fears.
1-2-1 Lessons are great personalised lessons which are tailored to you and what you need at that time, helping to build confidence and make progress much quicker than in standard group lessons. With that in mind, they often come at a premium in comparison to group lessons.
No matter the lesson type you choose, you will make progress under the supervision of an instructor.
The first step is to go, the second step is to keep going! Push aside all doubts and fears and give yourself the best opportunity to learn, by being consistent and encouraging yourself. Booking regular lessons with a SwimExpert instructor will also motivate you further, giving you someone who is invested in your progress and helping you to become the swimmer you want to be.
Enquire today to find out how we can help you on your journey!
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