Swimming tips for beginners
Whether you want to learn to swim for fitness, water safety or something else, it doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking or strenuous experience. Swimming is a great workout for your whole body, and you never know when you might need it! We’ve put together some swimming tips for beginners below:
- Firstly, we recommend getting used to the water. Head down to your local swimming pool and walk around the shallow end, the more confident you feel, the more you can head further into the water. Whilst in the pool, ensure you keep your breathing under control as this will allow you to gain more confidence. We provide full support through water fears at the Swim School so if more support is needed to get you ready to take the plunge, get in touch and our friendly team will be able to help!
- Once you know you are ready to tackle the water fully, it’s a good time to go and buy some ear plugs and goggles; sometimes having the water in your eyes and ears can be distracting for a first-time swimmer – plus, if you look the part, you probably feel the part too!
- Use these top tips to make sure you pick the right pair of goggles; 1. Press them onto your eyes without the strap, they should suction onto your face for a few seconds meaning you have a good seal. 2. The strap should not leave marks around your eyes or face as this often means they are on too tight, instead, make sure the goggles are securely fitted without feeling like they are uncomfortable and away you go!
- Next, it’s time to get in the water and learn to float; you can use the side of the pool to help you do this. Slowly bring your feet up and lean backwards, you can gain the stability of your body by holding the side. It may take a few attempts to do this, but aim to feel fully under control of your body whilst floating, and allow yourself to let go of the side of the pool. Aim to do this for around 10-30 seconds.
- It’s time to choose your weapons; we wouldn’t recommend using floats that are positioned around your waist or arms as these can often restrict you. Instead, opt for a kickboard as a great starting point. All you need to do is grab it with your hands and hold it out in front of you, try to get your body in a horizontal position and begin kicking your legs. (Tip – start by kicking off the wall of the pool as this will help with your movement in the water).
- Once you feel comfortable kicking your legs, the next step is to add in your arms. Grab your kickboard for support and begin to push your arms outwards and back towards you, keep repeating this until you feel confident in both your legs and arms. Try moving your legs in different motions, such as using an outsweep and insweep action to begin to formulate the breaststroke position.
- The final step may feel like a brave one, but all that’s left to do is remove your kickboard. Simply move your arms in a similar position to your legs; creating an outsweep and insweep motion and there you have it, the breaststroke!
Are you a beginner when it comes to swimming? Learn to swim with us no matter what your age or ability, our teaching staff are all fully qualified swimming teachers and trained first aiders and lifesavers and are always there to offer support and guidance throughout your swimming journey. For more information on our lessons, venues and availability check out our website here.
