Swimming & Diving Schools In Miami

While a number of enjoyable outdoor pastimes exist in Miami, swimming and diving are two that can help you get in your daily exercise. According to Nancy Drake of Eagan Scuba Center, both activities offer aerobic, non-weight bearing workouts that use multiple muscle groups, while allowing you to visit the rarely glimpsed world of the deep sea. Miami is replete with schools that offer educational classes and tutorials for swimming and diving.

Basic Swimming Lessons

Before you can begin deep-sea diving in earnest, you need to know the rudiments of swimming safely underwater. Little Swimmers in Miami offers lessons to both adults and children, including those with special needs. You have your choice of male or female instructors, and can request bilingual lessons if your native language is not English. Miami Swim School and Hurricane Aquatics are other places where you can brush up on your swimming skills.

Private Tutorials

One-on-one sessions are another way to learn about swimming and scuba diving. At privatescubalessons.com, for instance, you can sign up for more personalized tutorials with a certified scuba instructor. At first, you'll practice with scuba equipment in a pool; you'll move onto an authentic ocean environment when you're ready.

Swimming, Diving and Scuba Classes

If private classes aren't your style, check out the many swimming, diving and scuba classes in and around Miami. The School of Community Education, on Kendall Campus at Miami-Dade College, has an Aquatic Center where you can engage in water aerobics, obtain lifeguard certification and scuba dive. Types of diving lessons include open water diving and underwater photography. In addition to Miami-Dade College, Blue Dream Divers and Diver's Paradise offer scuba lessons for beginners as well as experienced divers. Call the School of Community Education at 305-237-2142 to find out where else swimming and diving classes are offered in the Miami area.

Obtaining Scuba Certification

There's probably no better way to fully appreciate the thrill of deep-sea diving than by obtaining your very own scuba certification. Miami Scuba Ventures offers more than 10 separate certifications, including Rescue Diver, Underwater Photographer and Advanced Open Water Diver. South Beach Divers and Tarpoon Dive Center are two additional places where you can receive scuba certification. A specific number of training hours is not required to become certified. However, you have to complete a scuba course to your instructor's satisfaction. Although the process for becoming certified is somewhat involved, you benefit by being able to access thrilling underwater worlds whenever you wish.

Considerations

When deciding which method of learning -- private sessions vs. larger classes -- is best for you, ask yourself the following questions:

--Do you feel more comfortable learning things in a group?

--Are you a beginner at swimming or diving? If so, you may benefit from the kind of immediate attention only private instructors can give you.

In Miami, there is no shortage of swimming and diving schools, or personal instructors. Take the time to make the right decision for you.