RESIDENTIAL LEARN TO SWIM COURSES- ANY COMMENTS?

[sylvev]

I have recently turned 40 and am determined to learn to swim. The trouble is I hate taking both feet off the bottom of the pool! I am brilliant at water-hopping, splashing, paddling and standing in the water looking like a lemon, but I want to learn to swim. I've seen several adverts for residential swimming courses (one in Devon the other near Chester) and I wondered if anyone had tried them or knows of some other way I can learn. Many thanks.

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I learnt to swim as an adult when I was 35. I just went once a week to the local leisure centre where they were really nice and patient. I was pretty nervous but some people - teenage boys in particular! - were REALLY nervous. I'm sure your local leisure centre would do something similar. my lessons were quite late, so there were no people looking in to make you feel self conscious. Why not try an intensive course and then go to your leisure centre on a weekly basis to reinforce what you;ve learnt and give you plenty of practice - good luck!

I learnt to swim aged 33. I had one to one lessons at my local gym and it took about 10 lessons. It made holidays so much more fun especially snorkelling. So get out there it's never too late!

Go for it! I learnt to swim when I was about 25 and then nagged my mum into doing the same (she was in her early sixties at the time). We both learnt at local swimming pools. The courses are about 8 weeks, one hour a week.

I need to learn to swim since I'm 37, my daughter's 4 and I've NEVER taken here to the baths! But what is changing room etiquette? I've not been for over 20 years and I think things may have changed a little. What do you do when you get there? Is it all communal these days or are ther still private changing cubicles? Help! I'm pretty phobic about the baths but I know I should conquer it!

Tinker, yes my feelings are bordering on phobic. I have had local swimming lessons (twice) but did not manage to learn! The residential courses I've come across claim to cater for those who are scared of the water as well as those who have never learned. They seem costly but also claim a 100% success rate. (I hope I won't be the exception to the rule). Well done to those of you who have recently learned, I know how difficult it is. Regarding the changing-room scenario, our pool has some cubicles and open spaces for communal changing too. I do take my children swimming because, luckily, the pool we go to is very shallow (inches) gradually increasing to deep. My 7 year old knows not to swim too far from me and my 3 year old has arm bands and stays in the shallower water with me.

Thanks for your thoughts and good wishes I'll let you know what happens.