Step-by-Step Guide to Learn Swimming for Beginners
Swimming is a skill you can never learn too late. If you never had the chance as a child, you can still learn to swim as an adult. Although being in the water may feel bizarre or even a little worrying, with time you’ll become acclimated. Thus, gaining a level of confidence you may have previously thought impossible.
Once you learn how to swim, you’ll be able to enjoy numerous benefits. For example, swimming is an impressive form of exercise. It’s also relaxing and can relieve your tension and calm your nerves.
So, are you a beginner who's looking to learn how to swim? This article is for you, as it broadly discusses the easy tips to learn swimming. Once you find your way around it, swimming becomes a breeze!
you are never too old for swimming lessonsTop 7 Steps to Learn How to Learn Swimming as a Beginner
1. Protect and Prepare Yourself
First and most importantly, before getting started, you must have the proper swimwear ready. Since you are a beginner, you have to protect yourself from possible harm during your lessons and wear proper gear. This includes your goggles and a proper swim dress. You also have to use sunblocks to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays that can cause cancer.
For extra protection, you can opt to buy UV swimwear, which gives you the maximum UV protection, even when sunscreen wears off after a few hours of diving into the pool.
As you know, UV rays can cause timely ageing of the skin and signs of sun damage, including liver spots, leathery skin, wrinkles, and many more. So it is advisable, you get a certified UPF swimwear, that includes goggles, swim cap, a well comfortable swim top and well breathable swim pants or a swim bottom. It is always wise to use certified fabric of highly warranted UV protection.
It will also be best to wear a swimming cap during your lessons. Beginners are usually asked to submerge their heads under the water numerous times. If you have long hair, it can get in the way of learning.
2. Start in the Shallow Pool End
Having got your necessary swimwear in place, it's time to swim! A way to overcome the initial fear is to start in the shallow end of the pool. There, you will be able to stand in the water, lowering yourself according to your satisfaction level.
Additionally, you can practise holding your breath while your head is under the surface, knowing you can come up for air whenever you wish.
3. Spend Plenty of Time In The Water
Gaining confidence and becoming a connoisseur swimmer requires that you spend extensive time in the water. The more time you spend, the more comfortable you will feel and the better swimmer you will become.
If you get cold easily and have a hard time taking a dip in the pool regularly, it is advisable to wear swimwear that covers a lot of body parts like swim pants and rash guards.
Oftentimes, it can be difficult to set aside time to regularly climb into the pool. But certainly, it’s the only way to learn how to swim. Keep in mind, you mustn't practise every day. Once a week might be enough. Allow more than a week to pass between sessions and you may find it challenging to make forward progress.
4. Be Comfortable with Your Face Under Water
One of the greatest challenges for beginners is keeping their faces in the water. It may feel uncomfortable or even cause mild anxiety for some. Backstroke is an exception, every stroke imposes your face to be underwater a significant portion of the time. Getting used to the feeling is an important part of learning to swim.
Additionally, growing comfortable is a matter of practice. Here are a few ideas for you:
- do bobs in the shallow end
- hold your breath while keeping your eyes open, your goggles will help
- use your arms and legs to move underwater while holding your breath, wearing comfortable swim pants and rash guards would be beneficial
As mentioned earlier, the more you practise, the more comfortable you will feel, and the better you become.
5. Learn the Individual Mechanics of Freestyle
Experienced swimmers make freestyle look simple. But in fact, the stroke is made up of several forms that work in concert to ensure creative and smooth movement through the water. As a beginner, don’t think of freestyle as a single stroke. Rather, think of it as a series of strokes, each of which needs your notoriety.
Also, concentrate on your wrists' positions as your hands go into the water. Focus on your elbows and forearm positions as your hands sweep from overhead to your hips. Additionally, pay attention to your flutter kick, the roll of your body, and how you exhale as your head turns downward in the water.
Freestyling becomes easy once you find your way around it. But it’s crucial to master all of the individual movements that make up a stroke. Make sure that you are comfortable with what you are wearing, maybe swim pants or swimsuits. The more comfortable you are, the more confident you can get in doing freestyles.
6. Consider Using Fins
When learning freestyle, it’s helpful if you’re moving through the water. Fins can be invaluable for that purpose, especially when starting. They will provide you with the forward movement you need to learn the individual mechanics of the stroke.
Perhaps if you never take your fins off, they may be considered cheating. But they are a helpful tool when you’re just starting to learn how to swim.
7. Enroll in Swimming Lessons
As a beginner, you should take lessons from someone with experience. That way, you will learn proper stroke techniques from the beginning. Also, you will avoid developing bad habits that may hinder your progress. So, mark dates on your diary of when you’re having a lesson and stick to it.
Furthermore, try half an hour of swimming each session. This is an optimum length of time to keep you engaged and remember what you have learned.
Conclusion
Boredom is the last thing you need when learning how to swim. A perfect way to make learning fun is turning swimming lessons into a game. Challenge yourself to swim further distances, swim through a hula hoop, or collect diving sticks from the bottom of the pool.
However, whilst doing all these, remember to stay protected from sun rays with the help of UV swim pants and sunscreens. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the must-know steps and tips to learn how to swim as a beginner. So, why wait longer? Go ahead and start swimming!
Frequently Asked Questions about Swimming
What Swimming Kit Do I Need?
The three main pieces of gear you need to buy before you start swimming are:
- proper swimwear
- goggles
- swimming cap
Are UV Swim Pants Effective?
The harmful UV rays of the sun can cause your skin a lot of damage. UV swim pants help in blocking these sun rays, adding another barrier of protection alongside your regular sunscreen.
Which Stroke Should I Work on First?
As a beginner, the first stroke you must focus on is the freestyle, also known as the front crawl. The principles of freestyle will act as the foundation for improving the other strokes. This includes your position in the water to the coordination required for efficient breathing.
How can I Improve My Technique?
Before worrying about the many lengths you can swim, it’s crucial to concentrate on nailing the correct technique for every stroke first. You can start with freestyle.
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