I need help learning to swim properly...

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm a few days shy of 20 years old and I've never learned proper swimming form. :eek: I can tread water, and I can get where I'm going by doing my little froggy kick arm thrust move (hard to explain), but I feel foolish when I go to the pool because I have no form, and can't even do the whole freestyle (?) motion... Any pointers for me? I did take swim lessons when I was little, but I don't think I ever graduated past "minnow"... It was only last summer that my husband convinced me that I wouldn't drown if I went under water without holding my nose. So, any help you can offer? Or constructive criticism? My husband suggested that I call the club and ask if they give lessons to adults, but I'm SOO embarrased! I really want to learn to swim properly, because I LOVE to swim and it is excellent exercise.


Edit: Spelling:rolleyes:

Missy - they have always had adult swim lessons at the bases where we were - and no shortage of students either. Don't be embarrassed. Lots of adults never learned to swim - or never really learned *properly* - no big deal at all!

You DID know how to swim at one time - and made it past tadpoles and minnows - but never really practiced - more interested in playing and then flirting with the lifeguards -that is all:D

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Originally posted by sirrahbed
but never really practiced - more interested in playing and then flirting with the lifeguards -that is all:D

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Well those lifeguards were pretty darn cute! What was a little girl to do?:D :D :D

Great advice there "Mom"

Go for it Missy.

I know how to swim but i'm afraid of deep water. If my feet can't touch the ground, it's panic city, big time, for me. (Due to childhood trauma in water:( )

Don't feel bad...I can't swim properly or dive. I had a traumatic childhood experience also, so I have never been a big swimming person.

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Originally posted by Tonya
Don't feel bad...I can't swim properly or dive. I had a traumatic childhood experience also, so I have never been a big swimming person.

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Same here...I also cannot go underwater without holding my nose.

Have DH teach you! He is a pretty good swimmer himself. (Except for the time I had to save him from drowning).
Don't worry- I don't have much form either- and I refuse to go underwater at all because I have to hold my nose (shh- that one is a secret!)

I wish I had some brilliant suggestions for ya. I've never NOT known how to swim. Been swimming since I was 3, then took SCUBA and all that nifty stuff. My gf, on the other hand, is a hydrophobe. She's terrified of water! Anything bigger than a bathtub bothers her. So she can't really swim. Best thing I can tell you is to take the adult classes at the Y or wherever. Don't be embarassed. :)

Don't be embarased at all! Siriously, lots of people don't know how to swim properly. In todays society it really isn't an empasised life skill. When is the last time a lake tried to swallow you in the middle of the street? My hubby, *He is going to glare hidiously at me for saying this :D* sinks like a rock in any water deeper than a toilet bowl lol. He LOVES the water though and manages not to drown himself. Me on the other hand, I spent a lot of time near oceans and rivers so I had to learn how to swim to keep from getting sucked into nasty currents. Funny thing is is that I have an aversion to water that rivals most cats lol. You should see me react to just rainwater :rolleyes:.

Hey Debbie, don't be so hard on her for staring at the lifeguards. When I was younger, thats the only reason I ever went to the pool!

don't be embarassed, my dady just learned how to swim and he's 38...(or 39 :o) he was so proud of himself lol

I taught myself how to swim.....from a boy scout handbook...
This was way before they had Swimming for Dummies books.

Check around on the Boy Scout web site under water safety......

It sounds dumb but it really helped me!

good luck!

Richard, I never know when you are being serious or not:rolleyes: :D :D but I will go look at that site just in case:D

I am not that great a swimmer either, I do sort of a cross between the crawl, and frog kick lol I move my legs like a frog, and my arms like the crawl. my favorite thing to do is swim under water like a dolphin, I stand straight up, arms at my side(in the water) jump up and dive under the water, I move by wiggling my body almost like a snake exept up and down inside of side to side if that makes sence(exept that I plug my nose lol) thats fun, and you can acually move pretty quickly that way. I dont know how people can go under the water with plugging their nose, I cant, I have tried everything people have told me to try, nothing works water keeps going up my nose, and makes me sick(and no I dont breath though my nose under water lol) I tryed blowing out threw my nose while going under, as many peopl ehave told me to try, water still gets up my nose :rolleyes:

I don't know how to swim either. I can float on my back though. So at least I won't drown... but I can't really move anywhere. :p

I've been thinking about taking lessons too.

I don't remember ever NOT swimming. You could never get me out of the pool when I was little.


A story I do remember though, was when I first got really good at swimming. My dad had no clue.


We always swam at my neighbors house, and my neighbor taught me how to swim. Well, we were having a BBQ there, sitting around the pool and all. We had this all planned out, to trick my dad...


I was walking around the pool and pretended to fall in the deep end, Splashing and all. As my dad jumped up, and got ready to jump in with all of his clothes on, keys and wallet in his pockets, I started swimming perfectly to the stairs. :p

I'm sure he gained a few gray hairs that day. :D

I learned how to swim as a kid, at the town pond, officially, but that was just to learn proper "form," I guess! I open my eyes underwater, don't hold my nose, just my breath! Haven't been, except in my sister's pool, for years, but once you learn, you are set for life! Check the local YWCA, they often have adult swimming lessons. I cannot imagine NOT knowing how to swim, my form may not be beautiful, but I can get where I need to go!

Missy, I used to teach adult swimming classes (well, I really taught all different levels). I had ladies in my class that were 60 years old and afraid to put their face in the water! You are way ahead of that! Don't hesitate to get in some lessons. You know you already have half the battle won because you aren't afraid of the water, plus you can "swim", you just want to learn the proper form. Go for it! Swimming is wonderful exercise, plus it is fun!!! I have been swimming since I was 3. My mother couldn't/still can't swim and she had us learn at a very young age because she needed us to be able to save ourselves since she couldn't. I was swimming on my YMCA swim team when I was four.

You know if you don't want group lessons, you can probably find someone who would teach you privately, but it will cost more, I'm sure, but would be worth it for you to learn! It won't take much for you to nail the proper stroke and you'll be doing laps!!! :D

Good luck!
Logan

I've never known not how to swim. We had a pool in our backyard growing up. You either swam, or missed out on all the fun.

Most ymcas offer adult classes. Go. I think it is WAY more important to swim than not to swim. Too many situations come to mind. Plus, fear is not a good thing.

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Originally posted by Sirrahsim
Richard, I never know when you are being serious or not:rolleyes: :D :D but I will go look at that site just in case:D

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Cross my heart!
REALLY!

I used to teach swim lessons as well, and I was a lifeguard for a long time too. The first thing we always start with is floating - practice floating on your back, and on your front. Try to fill your chest cavity with as much air as you can, and flutter your hands at your sides to help keep you afloat. This will get you comfortable in the water, and floating on your stomach will help you get confident holding your face in the water. Once you're confident floating, teaching swimming is nothing more than adding arms and legs, teaching breathing rhythms, and perfecting it. Good luck!! :D