How long it takes you to learn swim?

wendy1201

I am learning swimming these days but I am really tired and confused~I still can not swim after several courses of training. I guess I am just too clumsy to learn it... How long it usually takes you to learn and learn well?

HappyMJ

Should only be around ten 30 minute lessons and a LOT of practice on your own. Lot's of short sessions in the water so you don't tire out and make it longer each time. Most children can learn to swim to a very basic standard the same day that they get in the water for the first time so it depends on your age and also your fitness level. Although I can swim very well as I haven't done so for many years if I were to attempt to swim now I would also get tired very quickly.

dawyldthing

Learn with a float under your stomach then gradually take it away. It's the floating that's the main difficulty.

My mum and a friend taught me how to swim years ago, but took some getting

wendy1201

I couldn't take the float away... so scare without it. How long it took you to learn?

Lady_Bee

I can't comment on the learning to swim part as I am able to swim but I can comment on lessons.

I've never been a strong swimmer and don't like being out of my depth so after a scary experience of being out on open water on holiday I decided to take the plunge and have some lessons to improve my swimming. I got some advice on my technique and it has improved but the teacher quickly recognised that it was more a confidence thing for me so we worked on that. I was terrified of putting my head under the water but we worked on this and at the end of my 10 week course I was diving down to pick things up off the bottom of the pool (not in the deep end mind you!) and swimming with my head under with goggles. She was quite harsh with me and I was a bit scared of her but this is what I needed, it was a huge achievement for me.

So the point of my message is to perhaps work on the confidence side for a while rather than concentrating on the actual swimming? There was a non swimmer on my course and he really struggled as he wasn't confident to take his foot off the ground. I think he gave up in the end which was a real shame.

I would thoroughly recommend confidence lessons for anyone who is nervous, it has been the making of me swimming wise.

dawyldthing

I learnt when I was younger but it took a long while and a lot of patience of others as I kept wanting to give in. See if a friend will go swimming to help as I know on holiday I helped a friend learn how to swim a bit (she was going to have lessons during the holidays but not sure if she has)

BlueEyedGirl

I am sure in time you will get the hang of it, everyone learns at different rates. Apparently I was a quick learner, I had lessons from about the age of 3 and picked it up really quick!

PasturesNew

I've taught it. It's easy. To short-cut the system, don't try to learn to swim at all. What you need to do is to learn to float. A lot of swimming is about confidence - and the fear is that you will sink. So learn to float instead first. You're only concentrating on one part - and you don't look like a plonker when you're trying/learning to do that!

Then .... build up to swimming by moving your arms/legs a bit more and a bit more until you're going quite far/fast. Then turn over and try the front strokes for a bit, before rolling back onto your back for another float.

Most people aren't trying to learn to swim to get anywhere.... they simply want to be able to not sink.

Gloomendoom

I'll echo what has been said above. Once you learn to float, the rest will just follow on naturally.

It's a lot easier in salt water, by-the-way, although salt water pools are few and far between.

Money_maker

Lady_Bee wrote: »

I've never been a strong swimmer and don't like being out of my depth so after a scary experience of being out on open water on holiday I decided to take the plunge and have some lessons to improve my swimming. I got some advice on my technique and it has improved but the teacher quickly recognised that it was more a confidence thing for me so we worked on that. I was terrified of putting my head under the water but we worked on this and at the end of my 10 week course I was diving down to pick things up off the bottom of the pool (not in the deep end mind you!) and swimming with my head under with goggles. She was quite harsh with me and I was a bit scared of her but this is what I needed, it was a huge achievement for me.

So the point of my message is to perhaps work on the confidence side for a while rather than concentrating on the actual swimming? There was a non swimmer on my course and he really struggled as he wasn't confident to take his foot off the ground. I think he gave up in the end which was a real shame.

I would thoroughly recommend confidence lessons for anyone who is nervous, it has been the making of me swimming wise.

Lady Bee is right, it's all about confidence. I learned to swim in the last few years and still go to adult swimming classes. You will learn confidence but it can take a very long time, I was quite petrified of the water to start with.

Try individual lessons with a one to one teacher, that may help.

wendy1201

HappyMJ wrote: »

Should only be around ten 30 minute lessons and a LOT of practice on your own. Lot's of short sessions in the water so you don't tire out and make it longer each time. Most children can learn to swim to a very basic standard the same day that they get in the water for the first time so it depends on your age and also your fitness level. Although I can swim very well as I haven't done so for many years if I were to attempt to swim now I would also get tired very quickly.

Wow, you are such a quick learner! I think adults learn much slower, or for me only... But the advice of shorten sessions in water sounds quite useful! Thank you, HappyMJ!