Swimming has many benefits to offer for both the body and mind, from keeping you fit to boosting your mood. It’s also a great way to have fun with friends and family, so whether you’re a beginner or an experienced swimmer, there are plenty of reasons why you should be adding swimming to your regular routine.
Learning to Swim
One of the best things about swimming is that it can be learned at any age and level, as long as you’re willing to put in the work. There are plenty of resources out there, both online and offline, that will help you learn the basics.
The first step to getting started with swimming is finding a local pool that offers lessons for both children and adults. This will make the process of learning to swim a lot easier.
Once you’ve found a pool, find a teacher who specialises in the skills that you want to learn. They’ll have a wealth of experience and knowledge about teaching others how to swim, so they’ll be able to provide you with the most effective instruction.
Consistency is key – you need to keep up your swimming sessions as much as possible in order to progress faster. The more lessons you take, the faster you’ll become an expert swimmer.
Focus on a stroke – It’s important to pick a specific style of swimming and focus on it for the duration of your training. This will allow you to improve at a faster rate and avoid getting bored of the same technique over and over again.
Big windmill strokes – This is a good technique to practice to develop core control and body rotation, as it will allow your arms and legs to rotate to 90 degrees. The trick is to maintain a straight face while rotating your hips and chest, so you don’t move too fast or lose control.
Float on your back, stomach and feet – This is one of the most essential basic skills to master before moving on to more advanced swimming techniques. It’s a great way to get your head in the water and learn how to breathe underwater, which can be challenging at first for those who don’t have this skill.
Start with this exercise in a small sized pool and then move up to a bigger one as your confidence grows and you start to get more comfortable. You could even try this exercise on a floaty toy, or coloured ball to make it more fun!
Open turn – This is another technique that can be tricky to learn, especially when you’re not used to the water. But once you’ve mastered it, it will be a breeze to do.
To learn this technique, kick your side, belly button toward the wall and extend your bottom arm overhead, so your head rests on it. Repeat this movement for a few laps, then switch sides.
Mistake #5 – You Point Your Toes
The last thing you want to do is mess up your technique by pointing your toes. If you have this problem, you’ll waste energy by kicking harder and longer than you should. This is a common mistake, especially for beginners, so it’s important to correct it as quickly as possible.