GET USED TO THE FEEL OF IMMERSING YOUR BODY IN WATER AND BEGIN TO REALIZE HOW BUOYANT YOU ARE.1

A Beginner’s Guide to

Swimming

HOW TO SWIM: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE

So step into the swimming pool and walk around the shallow parts. As you get morecomfortable, you can go deeper, until the water reaches your shoulders. For some people, this may take a few tries and that’s perfectly OK.

THE NEXT STEP IS TO LEARN HOW TO BLOW BUBBLES UNDERWATER. 2Go to a shallow area of the pool (chest deep) and grab hold of the side of the pool. Then start blowing bubbles as you put your face in the water.Practice this and as you get more comfortable, go deeper into the water. Breathe in with your face out of the water and breath out with your face in the water.

IT’S TIME TO LEARN HOW TO FLOAT.

3 Don’t go in the deep area of the pool yet. Stay on the side, and don’t go beyond chest deep. Take a deep breath and then slowly lift both feet up as you lean backward.

You may not be able to do it successfully at first but keep trying. Do it repeatedly until you can float for half a minute or more.

NOW TRY TO DO ONE LAP BY USING YOUR ARMS. 4That means swimming from one end of the pool to the opposite end. Use a flotation device such as a styrofoam noodle. You can rest at any point if you’re tired.

DO ANOTHER LAP, THIS TIME USING BOTH ARMS AND LEGS.5It may make you feel very tired at first so if you need to, you can rest every few seconds.

WHEN YOU CAN ALREADY SWIM ONE LAP WITHOUT STOPPING, YOU’RE READY TO SWIM WITHOUT A FLOTATION DEVICE.

6You can be close to the edge of the pool so you can easily grab hold of the side of the pool in case you get tired.

Seems easy enough, right? Not exactly. But you really need to relax. If you’ve ever seen pro swimmers, you’ll know that they seem very relaxed in the water, which makes them seem like they are gliding effortlessly. So relax your whole body and focus your energy in moving your body forward.

01RELAX

HELPFUL SWIMMING ADVICE AND TIPS

If you do, you will feel out of breath and you will tire easily. Instead, breathe in and breathe out at a steady, normal pace. I recommend inhaling on your third stroke.

02 DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH

Make sure each stroke is separated from the next with a quick glide. To do this, keep your arm fully extended for a few moments before it enters the water right over your head.

03GLIDE

The waterline should cut the top of your head’s center and you should be facing straight at the bottom of the swimming pool.

04KEEP YOUR SPINE PROPERLY ALIGNED

Your torso should not go past 45 degrees and your lower legs and head should also not rotate – just your torso and hips.

05DON’T OVER-ROTATE YOUR BODY

www.recreationinsight.com