Can anyone swim on here?

[Benny91]

As I’m 32 years old and cannot swim, (I only can swim 2 meters in the shallow end of a pool, with front crawl only) I can’t because when I was younger I suffered with severe eczema (due to the chlorine) and that made me not want to swim. However, I’m attending a swimming lesson for the first time since I was 11, so I’m obviously nervous! 😬

Good for you, OP. My mum learned to swim in her 50s, I was in awe of her.

There is no feeling like being in water- let us know how you get on!

Keep at it - I taught my mum when she was 52. Try to keep your body aligned with the water, and master your breathing early on. Get comfortable with the idea of floating and treading water by the wall - it gives you a lot more water confidence.

Its essential learning how to swim in my opinion.

Good for you! I hope you enjoy the lessons , since you can already swim two metres you will soon be powering along and overtaking the can only do breast stroke head out of the water like a turtle swimmers like me!

I can, I used to compete at County Level
When I go swimming now (I can swim as far but am still quite fast) I speed past men who are bemused that this chubby 50 odd year old women is faster than them
Keep going, you CAN swim a bit and you will keep getting better

I taught adults to swim for years and occasionally still teach the odd person who asks for help. You will do great OP, stay positive and my advice is when you get in go straight under the water so you are wet through all over, then start the lesson. It seems to make it all easier. Do not worry about anything, just try and learn to float, that is the trick, gain confidence in having control in the water, use those lungs, full of air. Think how proud you'll be when you do 25m :)

I'm 35 and can't swim.

Good luck! Hope it goes well for you.

I learned to swim in my late 50s. Like you I could do a bit of front crawl (very inelegantly in my case). I booked a couple of private lessons because I wanted to do the breast stroke.

after my lessons I practiced until I could do a couple of widths. As I was still nervous about going into the deep end, I contacted my teacher again. She swam with me a couple of times into the deep end.

it was the best thing I've done in years.

by the time I had to stop in my 70s, I could swim 40 lengths in under an hour.

no Michael Phelps, but not bad for a previously sedentary old woman who had previously hated any form of exercise.

go for it. I loved it.

In a forum with millions of members, you're asking if anyone can swim? 😅
Of course loads of them can.

I am not quite one of them though - but I took adult lessons some time ago and loved it! It was a small group of other adults in the same position, completely varied group of of six people, all very nice and friendly. We had a great teacher and it was a multi-week course. At the end of it, we had to swim max lengths - I am still very proud of myself that I got 32 lengths in the space of one lesson time.

(I didn't keep up the practice though, so I will struggle now, but I would DEFINITELY take the same course again! If you are on the fence about lessons, DO IT!)

Yes, but I grew up by the sea, so everyone learned.

My auntie took her first swimming lesson at 66, after she retired, it was on the retirement bucket list. She was no Rebecca Adlington but she became proficient enough it became her main form of exercise.

There's a guy called Mike Nitro on Tick Tock who does a beginners swimming course. He shows you in a practical demonstration and goes through a logical sequence. If you type How to Swim Beginners into the search bar on Tick Tock you'll be able to watch him. Good luck OP. Keep at it xx

Agree. Also think all children should be taught ASAP.

Get swimming OP. It's a great feeling especially when you go on holiday.

that’s totally me too!

Well done for going for it. I can swim but not very well and couldn't put my face in the water. Had some lessons earlier in the year and has made a big difference.

Yes I love swimming, I can do 72 lengths in an hour but I started very slowly just over a year ago, mainly to lose weight…I was very overweight. I’m 44 and just had a full hysterectomy and I’m itching to get back in the water, I’ve got another 4 weeks to go 😵‍💫

I can barely swim at 34. I remember being in a friend’s pool and her cousin pushed me under the dingy there. Put me off swimming for life!

I do take my dd swimming and try a wee bit. Impressed myself in the summer by swimming a whole width non-stop. It was the family session so very shallow. Any deeper and it scares me (even if I can still stand up). One day I’ll get lessons.

Obviously I can swim, what a weird question.

Good for you OP.

I couldn’t go in the pool as a child due to eczema too. It’s my main form of exercise now.

Yes I can, I’m a bit of a plodder but I enjoy it.

Good luck OP!

I think it’s pretty unusual nowadays to not be able to swim, you can’t really avoid it if you grew up in the UK.

Anyway, yes. I’m a good swimmer. I love swimming, rarely do it.

I agree. It's worded the wrong way round. It should be 'Who can't swim?'

In my whole life I've only ever known 4 friends who can't swim and I'm middle aged.

As a group of kids (11-13) we would go swimming most weekends at our local pool. Used to be about 6 of us and it was a pastime. No parents with us.

45 and can not swim. I have no interest in doing so.

But if you want to give it a go, then good luck 😊

Well done for getting lessons, it’s great to learn. Get some goggles you feel comfortable with, I also wear ear plugs and a hat as it keeps my hair out my eyes. I swam breast stroke head out for years then taught myself in my 40s to swim front crawl head in but it took a year to really feel comfortable. I then competed in a beginner’s triathlon. I can now comfortably swim 40-50L in half hour in my 50s.

Well done going for it. Enjoy it, take your time, learn to relax in the water and it will come.

One of my best memories is of doing a taster scuba session with an older lady who had just learned to swim. When we started, she had to snorkel with me on one side and a hand on the wall on the other. At the end of the morning she was on the bottom of the deep end, fin tipping and totally relaxed. The world is your oyster!