Swimming help for new(ish)bie?

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Brief context: was born and raised in super populated Asian country urban area where was never taught cycling, swimming etc and in general sports and exercise was neither emphasised nor in family environment.

Now, mid 30s, in UK for close to decade and a half and finally told myself I can do this. Taught myself to run with Couch to 5k and regularly go out for 20 min daily runs every weekday. Enjoy sweating; enjoy being able to do this.

Mind you; no injuries or weight issues - not sure what I weight but have been a consistent size 12 across all brands all shops for 10 plus years.

Spouse taught me a basic swim a few years ago. You know the one where your heads above water and you are on your front ambling along. Returned to the pool today for 6 am swim and was bloody embarrassed - can’t manage more than 10-15 movements to halfway down pool. Various elderly gentleman overtook me in the slow lane. Mortified :/ ended up swimming for 30 mins but only halfway down pool each time for 15 strokes each tome for about 12 rounds….

Two questions -

1. Should I keep going? Even if mortifying? How often should I go? We have a family swim membership so doesn’t cost anything extra.

1. Second - said family swim membership entitles me to adult swim lessons also no extra cost. Is it worth it? Am mid 30s and feels so late!

The aim I suppose would be to gradually become a person who can exercise and enjoys it and this would include running as well as swimming and to be able to swim continuously for half an hour a few times a week.

Lost cause? Or is there some hope?

Go for it! Especially the lessons! Really good for you and good to stretch your muscles in a different way.

I learnt to swim front crawl at a similar age - now I love it and can swim for 20 mins straight front crawl.

I could swim but very badly . I just kept afloat and wasn’t confident if I could not get my feet on the floor. I had swimming lessons in my 50s and I am so much more confident now . I find if I go to the pool regularly I can go a bit further each time .

Take the lessons!
I used to swim, although I have got out of it in recent years, but have some bad habits that adult lessons would helped avoid.

Definitely have lessons. My DH (who could barely stay afloat) had lessons in his 40's. He actually linked up with a neighbour, who was also a poor swimmer, and they went together. He learned the proper technique for breathing and strokes. It was a very small group so he got individual attention too. Well worth the money for him and as yours will be free it's a no brainer!

Oh thank you! What about the embarrassment of the morning practice slow Lane swims though where I am unable to swim more than halfway? Oh gosh so mortifying!

Do the lessons! 100%. Don’t be embarrassed, it’s not shameful and it’s not your fault if you were never taught to swim. In fact it’s really admirable that you are giving it a go and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone!

Definitely do the lessons, I had lessons as an adult to improve my technique after my competitive swimming child laughed at my breast stroke. It makes swimming so much easier when the technique is right, and you improve your fitness quickly too.

Go for the lessons, they are great even for everyone as there are a huge amount of technique improvements since many people learnt to swim at school. Swimming is fantastic exercise and so good for making you feel good, keep at it!

I did adult lessons in my mid 20s and was the youngest by far! The average in my group was probably late 40s/early 50s, no don't worry that you've left it too late.

Brazen out the embarrassment - if you keep it up you'll make progress relatively quickly (I certainly did) and in a month this will be a distant memory

Keep going!!! I started in the slow lane after first lockdown and am now in the medium lane. I found fellow swimmers very friendly and supportive. I am fat and unfit but I show up and do my best and really enjoy it!

Definitely do the lessons! And continue with the lane swimming - I guarantee noone else cares (that's what the slow lane is for!) so there's no need to be embarrassed.

Do the lessons and carry on swimming. One thing I would say is be mindful of lane etiquette, if there is a sign up saying to swim clockwise make sure you do that and if someone is sharing your lane who's a little faster just stop for a few seconds at the end and let them move on ahead of you.

Keep going, and def do the lessons. I had to relearn to swim, and at first I could do 2 strokes. But after 6 months of lessons I could do 400m, and a few years on I did a 7km swim last weekend.
You can do this!

Your post is actually inspirational! Well done you for getting where you are on your own back. Definitely get lessons. I could always do breaststroke but a few years back went to adult lessons for front crawl. I started being able to do a length of crawl, and now regularly do over a mile in our local lake. It’s so liberating! See this as a process and enjoy the journey of learning and pushing yourself!

No one is going to be looking at you, our swim for fitness sessions have people training for triathlon in the fast lane, in the slow lane there’s beginners, people recovering from heart surgery and unfit ones trying to lose weight (me). Everyone is busy doing their own thing.

Do the adult swim lessons and keep going, you can't get good at anything unless you practice.

Ah thanks everyone SO much! I’ll ring them at 9 and hopefully get either a spot on adult lessons but if they’re term time only and not starting till September can shell out money for private lessons maybe… I really want to get swimming sorted by end of 2021 and before who knows another lockdown hits (hope not!!!!!) and generally be able to go both running and swimming regularly. Made some progress with running I must say, so perhaps swimming possible too.

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Oh thank you! What about the embarrassment of the morning practice slow Lane swims though where I am unable to swim more than halfway? Oh gosh so mortifying!

Don't worry about that, everyone has to start somewhere.

Try not to feel embarrassed -- nobody cares how terrifically well or badly you swim as long as you don't get in the way of them swimming.

it's not a competition event. People care about doing their own thing not whatever you did.

Go for the lessons!

By the end of school swimming, I remained one of only 2 non-swimmers in a year of 60.

At 15, I went to adult lessons, rather intimidating fit an embarassed non-swimming teenager as it was all pensioners
After 3 months I swam my first 25m
Within a year og my first 25m, I was swimming a mile.

It gave me the confidence to get a bike and learn to ride at 15.

I ran my first 5k at 33... and my first HM at 33 too

It's an easier era now too. It's easier to find opportunities, find people at a similar stage and get advice/ technique online.

I wish DH would learn to swim. He can bob about a bit, but he never had lessons so has no technique to make it more efficient and easier for him.