Swimming tips for a beginner

[Loveg00d]

Hello everyone. I'm after any tips to make swimming easier for me please! I'm a total beginner and extremely overweight/unfit. Especially tips for the changing rooms too.

I've been going to aqua classes 3 times a week for a month now, really enjoying them, but find getting dressed afterwards really stressful. There's aren't enough changing cubicles, so I’m often just standing around freezing in a mixed changing room feeling incredibly self conscious. The showers are disgusting, open and mixed so I avoid them and shower at home. Then I get so hot getting changed I struggle to get my clothes on- I've been leaving in a dress, knickers and no bra, crocs no socks. Not ideal because I'm in a cold area and winter is coming, so can't do this for long, also my boobs hurt without a bra but I can't seem to manage getting one on (I wear the crop top type bras so I got stuck trying to get into one day and haven't wanted to risk it since!). I can't get my socks on my wet feet either so give up.

In terms of actually swimming, I can only do breast stroke and very slowly and pathetically. I have never put my face in water so I keep thinking I should just practise that, maybe by staying in the pool after class and giving it a go for a bit. I have ordered a swimming hat and prescription goggles which I'm hoping will help although I have long hair and the first hat I bought from the centre just pops off the top of my head! So I've ordered one from amazon I hope will be better.

All tips appreciated! And please be kind, this is the first exercise I've had the courage to do ever, at 20 stone.

Thank you. 🐠

Firstly sounds like you are doing absolutely fab! In regards to clothes to change into harem trousers loose long sleeve top and just maybe a woolly hat to drive home in to keep your head warm. A bit of talcom powder can help.

In regards to swimming break it all down master one stroke, so breast stroke arms straight out like an arrow and then smaller circle bend arms bring back to chest. Legs are like a frog, so we each stroke to push out in front nice strong strokes. The smoother the stroke the easier it will become nice and steady calm steady breathing. Hard to describe strokes in full writing it down but just slow it down then once your confidence is up move onto another stroke. Hope that makes a bit of sense remember you are doing great.

Congratulations on the swimming!
If you're somewhere cold, can you just pop a dry robe on top of your swimming costume to travel to and from the pool?

Make sure you're fully dry before attempting to put any clothes on! Even slightly damp will cause fabric to stick.

For winters, I have a fleece zip tracksuit that's quite baggy and I can just bash on after. I probably look a bit of a tit but it's only for the drive home to shower.

For the mixed changing rooms, you can get adult poncho towels which protect your modesty. I've never used one as our changing rooms are segregated so I'm comfortable enough.

I was similar to you in that I could only really do head out breast stroke but had a couple of sessions with a trainer to learn how to do breaststroke and front crawl more efficiently and it has made a difference.

If you can find a gym or hotel pool to swim in, the experience is so much nicer for changing rooms etc than the public pool.

Also lessons! I went decades only doing breaststroke and never putting my face in the water. With lessons I learned the strokes properly and putting my face in the water became a natural thing to do.

Go to some open sessions and have fun. Let yourself float, practice wearing goggles and putting your face in the water without the pressure of making yourself swim.

Loose fitting trousers and talc are great for dressing quickly if you are showering at home and don't want to mess around

If you are driving there, I'd get a dry robe and just wear that home, then shower and dress at home. Would you be able to have some private swimming lessons?

The pool changing rooms might get warmer in the winter when they crank the heating up. It sounds like you're struggling to dry yourself off properly and that's why all the clothes are sticking. Synthetic fabrics are better when slightly damp (e.g. sports socks & tshirts rather cotton). Could you afford a front fastening bra that's just for swimming days? Decathlon do some sports ones. At least you won't hurt, even if it's ugly.

I use the communal changing rooms so there's no rush and enough space to dry off thoroughly without smashing my elbowsagainst the cabin sides. I understand if you're not keen though.

Thanks for all of these comments! I have taken your advice and booked some swimming lessons. I'm a bit mortified to do them in a group due to my size but I think they'll be great for me as I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm on a waiting list but there's only 2 people ahead of me on it.

I just went to aqua and took talc with me, thanks for the tip, but I decided not to use it though as thought it wouldn't be nice for the next person if I got it on the floor. How do you avoid this? Thinking of taking an extra towel to put on the floor- I do wear flip flops but the floors are disgusting so this might help.

I've ordered a poncho towel for the waiting around. Thanks for that idea!

Hopeful bump for any more advice, thanks :)

Hey! Swimming teacher here! Randomly saw your thread.
How are the lessons going?