Learning to swim as an adult

[Toystory123]

I am looking to start beginner adult swim lessons and was wondering if anyone has managed to learn to swim as an adult? How did you get over the fear? How long did it take? Any tips? I’ve got a strong fear of drowning but really want to be able to. I’ve tried a couple of times in the past but gave up pretty soon so looking for a bit of motivation and inspiration

Our local pool does lessons for adults, and I did an improvers class alongside a total beginners class. The coaches were lovely and spent a lot of time just helping build people's confidence in the water before even trying strokes, and there were some folk who went from being quite frightened to splashing away after a few weeks.

Do go back and have a go if you can find the right class - it's a great life skill to have, and lots of fun when you get going!

I could already swim but only breast stroke with my face out. I've recently had 1:1 lessons to learn to swim front crawl under water and backstroke. I've enjoyed it so much.

I'm taking a beginners' class at the moment. About 4 out of 9 of us started off totally afraid of the water and after a few lessons are not afraid anymore.

One man in his sixties, I'd say, was just kicking on the spot last week just slightly out of his depth, moving in a circle, and told me he could never have done that before. He looked so happy that I was delighted for him. Then, the coach said we were going to do some diving - most of us have been "diving" from a sitting position for a few weeks now - and the same guy said he's never even jumped in let alone dived. So, she put him sitting on the edge holding on to a float and he gently eased himself in. After about three tries he was doing it on his own without the float. Next week who knows! It's all so encouraging. I'm thrilled for him and for myself.

It might be good to think about why you didn't stick with it in the past. Was it fear even when standing in the shallow end? I would say go for it and commit to doing it for a certain time period even if it means teeny tiny steps. It's such a wonderful feeling once you take off.

I did, I was about 21, however after another period of many years of no swimming now in my early 30s I've forgotten again and can no longer do it anymore sadly. Obviously I wasn't a strong swimmer or anything but I could go up and down in a few basic strikes!

A colleague of mine learned to swim recently in her early 60s.

I went to adult lessons at 16. My issue was technique rather than fear, but instructors are well used to dealing with fear first and dealing with that in baby steps at the learner's pace rather than going straight into floating and swimming.

After 4m I could swim 25m and less than a year after, I could swim a mile!

That’s great to hear - I can only imagine his joy, it really feels like a skill that I won’t ever be able to achieve. How are you getting on with it all? Are you doing it with your local leisure centre or a particular company?
Gave up in the past just due to fear and even though half of my fears surrounding it are irrational I just struggle with the panic when I’m actually in the water and because it’s not (for me anyway) a quickly learned thing it’s a lot easier to brush it off as something that’s not meant for me rather than pushing through. I’ve got a young DC now though and I really want to be able to so I can help them with it and access all that kind of stuff with them when they’re a bit older.

Great to know you could relearn if you wanted to after doing it when you were younger. Can you remember how long it took you to learn/feel confident with it?

Thats great to hear about your colleague; I find it so inspiring hearing people doing it later in life as it feels like such an impossible achievement when you’re unable to

I am a very poor swimmer only able to swim with head out of water for a short time. After a diagnosis of arthritis i decided to improve my swimming so joined an adult swim lessons. My first time was last Monday. I was nervous as haven’t swam for years but the tutor is encouraging and supportive that I even managed a few strokes with my face in the water. I’ve been swimming twice by myself since last week and am pleased that my confidence and skills are improving already. Definitely recommend lessons as swimming is a skill for life.

Op I started a thread a few years ago with the same thing. It's bravely attended adult lessons there was about 4 of us in the class and all the same level. I was slightly afraid.

I cannot tell you the freedom I felt when after a few months I actually enjoyed swimming on my back and diving oh it was the best feeling.

Now due to having young children I never made the time to continue so I do want to go back again and I will soon.

I've had prolonged phases where I've not made it swimming, but once you have the technique, it stays with you.

I now favour open water swimming in a lake
First time going into unknown depth was a bit scary, but once I was out of my depth, I was out of my depth and it's a bit of a moot point!

Do it! 😀

im 56 and learned to swim ages 46. Sure I could doggy paddle but no more. I never put my face in the water, not even the shower if truth be told.

was it hard? Yes? Was putting my face in the water scary and a challenge? Absolutely. But I went all the way back to basics and took things slowly.

i fell in love with swimming. Couldn’t get enough of it. 2 years after learning I bravely joined the local masters squad.

im still in the slow lane, but thats cos theyre all amazing swimmers, but if im in a public session, im definitely one of the faster swimmers in the pool.

unless someone I know gets in 😆😆

it’s so good for you, go for it!

let us know how you get on!

Especially given your fear is of drowning, dont worry about learning to swim initially.

The first thing you need to do and what will make the biggest difference is becoming water confident. That means you can float on your back, put your head under water, you can move around in the water and be out of your depth etc. Actual strokes and widths/lengths can come later.

If you can afford it I would suggest a couple of one to one sessions. We have a company near us that uses tiny pools, either private or hotel/spa. Mostly it's for children but they do adults as well.

You can do residential intensive courses to speed things up.

In my 20s, having never learned to swim at all, I found out that a PT in my gym was also a swimming instructor, so I paid him for about 10 1:1 sessions to teach me. By the end of it I was able to do a decent front crawl and backstroke and the bare bones of front crawl. I did some group lessons a few years later but they were pretty rubbish - however once I had the basics I was off and swimming lengths happily by myself.

Would definitely recommend finding a 1:1 instructor if you can.

Did you go to lessons?

I can swim (and love it) but my technique over the years has got lazy and I've gotten a bit fearful of front crawl for some reason. So I signed up for "improver" adult lessons.

I've had 3 lessons. I think I maybe need the next class up but I've paid for 6 classes so I'm going to them!

It's at the same time as the adult learn to swim classes and the teacher for those is lovely. There is one lady who was in tears getting in the pool the first time. She said she was only doing it because her children desperately wanted to go swimming with her. The teacher was so gentle with her and went at her pace. 2 weeks later and the lady is still visibly nervous getting in but isn't crying anymore and yesterday she put her head under the water! I know this because the whole class cheered and she was buzzing in the changing rooms.

There seems to be a growing interest in adult swimming lessons (maybe because most schools dont really teach swimming anymore).