Non Swimmers

Are you afraid of the water? Afraid to get your toes in? Your face wet?

Does the thought of actually going underwater make you sweat and panic?

Then this is the page for you!

Anyone can overcome their fear of the water. It isn’t easy. And it takes time. The more afraid you are of the water…the longer it will take.

I’ve taught 90 year olds to enjoy the water. They even told me about dreams they had where they were gliding through the water like a fish.

Isn’t that cool?

If you want to overcome your fear of the water, learn to swim and enjoy the benefits that water has to offer then here’s what you will need..

1. A good swimming pool. The water should be warm and clear. It should have a shallow end, easy walls to grab and not be to crowded. Steps and ladders are very handy too.
2. Time. Your fear of the water wasn’t built in one day…it won’t be cured in one day. It’s going to take some consistent time in the water. Thirty to sixty minutes a day, three to four days a week for two to four weeks is what I’ve found it typically takes for non-swimmers to go to beginning swimmers.
3. A lifeguard. If not a guard, someone who can save you if you need help.
4. A good swim teacher. Sadly, many swim teachers aren’t experienced enough to help you if you’re very afraid of the water. Your typical high school or college kid just doesn’t understand and have the knowledge.
5. Goggles. Goggles allow you to keep your eyes open and let you see what’s going on. This is the first step to learning to relax and learn.
6. A good swim suit. Baggies, cut-off jeans and little bikinis make it hard to swim. You want to make it as easy as possible.
7. Floating devices. I recommend having a kick board, swim noodle for complete non-swimmers. You may also want to have a swim buoy to help you when you actually begin to swim.
8. Swim fins. Swim fins will help propel you through the water. They make you much faster and help you relax. I recommend using inexpensive fins with blades about 12 inches long. The “Zoomer” ones with short blades are for more advanced swimmers. Also, scuba diving fins which tend to be long and wide, are too heavy and require more strength to use.
9. Swim mask and snorkel. This is the easiest way I know for someone to put their face in the water and experience the joy of the water. There’s no breathing technique you have to learn. If you can seal your mouth around the snorkel you are ready to go!

Ok, so now you have the right equipment. And you’re ready to dive in. But before you do, let’s look at what you need to learn and be able to do.

The Eight Skills You Need to Be a Swimmer!

Swimmer Skill #1. You need to be able to relax around the water. This skill is best learned before you even get your toes wet. Using breathing and visualization techniques you learn to relax out of the water so you can relax in the water.

Swimmer Skill #2. Breathing and breath control. There’s a lot to getting the breathing technique down. What is natural on land, becomes more difficult in the water. Most swimming problems come from breathing wrong.

Swimmer Skill #3. Swimming underwater. We are buoyant and float. When you realize how hard it is to go underwater, you won’t be afraid to swim on top of the water.

Swimmer Skill #4. Balance and float. Many of the problems you have in the water come from not feeling balanced in the water. When you learn to balance yourself and float, the water does the work for you.

Swimmer Skill #5. Propel. There’s lots of ways to do it; arms, legs. On your stomach or back. At some point you have to be able to move forward in the water. (Notice how it’s number 5? Way down on the list!)

Swimmer Skill #6. Deep water. If you can’t swim in the deep water, then you can’t really swim. The good news is it’s exactly the same as swimming in shallow water.

Swimmer Skill #7. Entry. You have to be able to jump into the water. If you were accidentally pushed in, then you need to be able to get to the surface and swim. You have to learn and practice this skill to be safe around the water.

Swimmer Skill #8. Water Safety. There are many dangers around pools, lakes and oceans. You have to know them and what to do if something happens. For yourself or others.

Now you know what you need to have and what you need to learn. I recommend these blog posts for more details.

Oops! I’m in the process of building the site and don’t have many blog posts. Drop me a line and we can discuss.