The Best Ways to Learn to Swim

The Best Ways to Learn to Swim
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Knowing how to swim is important for both safety and physical fitness. Swimming is a fantastic total body workout and a great way to have fun. Learning to swim on your own is difficult and unsafe. You should never swim alone in any situation even if you are a very experienced swimmer. Swimming is a skill you can use at any point in your life.

Watch

It is essential to watch people swimming. Pay attention to their body position in the water. Is their head up high or down in the water. What are their arms doing? How do they move their legs? Get accustomed to what swimming looks like. Imitation is a great way to learn. Mimic the motions you see outside of the water. Whether you watch swimming on television or in person, it is important to see the skills you want to perform.

Take Lessons

Swim lessons are very helpful when learning to swim, and are typically taught by certified instructors who can provide valuable information on how to swim. Instructors can give you feedback on your technique and teach you more swimming strokes and skills. They see things in your stroke you may not be aware of and can help correct your errors.
Swim lessons can be taught by level so beginners aren't instructed in skills they aren't ready for. Lessons will help you slowly learn and give you opportunities to practice swimming.

Practice

The greatest way to learn to swim is to actually try swimming. Do this with proper supervision of a lifeguard or someone else outside of the water. If you don't try to swim you will never learn how.
Water resistance makes swimming in water much harder than practicing strokes on solid ground. First, try to float. The ability to float is important for both safety and swimming. After floating, begin to kick and try arm strokes. You should practice your swimming as frequently as possible to build muscle memory, making it easier to swim with proper technique.
In addition, the more time you spend swimming, the easier it will become.

References

Article reviewed by Melissa Heyboer Last updated on: Jun 20, 2010

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