It’s not as simple as joining up at the neighborhood pool for the best swimming lesson program.
Well, if you don’t mind the possibility of being let down, it might be.
Before enrolling in adult swimming classes, you should think about a few crucial factors in order to maximize your learning experience.
Skills in Swimming
You should first evaluate your swimming abilities.
To put it another way, be truthful with yourself about your abilities in the water.
Don’t feel ashamed if you can’t swim at all or if you’re terrified of the water.
If you attempt to artificially raise your skill level, you will only hinder your advancement.
The secret to success is to first master the fundamentals and then repeatedly practice them.
Goals for swimming
Setting goals comes after assessing your degree of swimming proficiency.
A goal should always be in mind before beginning swimming lessons.
I believe the objective should be attainable and practical, but not something you can accomplish in 30 minutes.
The objective should drive you and keep you motivated. It should also help the swim instructor understand what you want to learn and how to modify your classes to increase your chances of success.
Setting intermediate goals will help you better monitor your development while you are learning to swim.
For instance, if you’re frightened of the water, make it your aim to learn how to calm down and float without experiencing sinking fear.
Once you’ve mastered that, push yourself a little farther and set a goal of covering a certain amount of pool length in any stroke without touching the bottom.
Then, why not aim to reduce the amount of work required to swim that far or increase the distance, etc.?
It is a good idea to talk with the swim teacher about your goals after you have established them and to make any necessary adjustments based on their advice.
Lessons in Self-Learning Swimming
The next step is to consider how you want to learn what you have decided you want to learn.
Some individuals prefer to learn to swim independently.
This method has gained popularity in the Internet era and may be effective as long as you adhere to a decent swimming lesson program structure (whether it be on DVD or online).
However, I would contend that eventually you will still require an outsider to assess how you are doing and modify your swimming techniques to be more successful and efficient.
One major issue with learning to swim independently is that since everyone learns differently and has various physical capabilities, it may take a long time and a lot of money to locate the proper swimming class program for you.
There is, however, no one way to learn to swim.
Many swimming training DVDs adhere to a set of rules and ill-defined processes, but keep in mind that these goods are aimed at the mass market, so what may or may not work for one person may not necessarily work for another.
These training videos were similarly created with the straightforward principle that you must first master skill 1 before moving on to skill 2.
Although this strategy makes sense, many people find it to be extremely difficult or even impossible.
The skills course will be modified by a skilled swim instructor to fit your level of competence. If you are unable to complete skill 1, you will be instructed to go on to a skill that is comparable in order to help you master skill 1.
So, to sum it up, if you really intend to learn to swim on your own, I’d suggest the following:
- Learning on your own can be challenging when you are just getting started, so it is not advised as your only method of instruction.
- Learning new abilities independently becomes easier as you get a little more skilled at swimming, but be sure it works for you before you buy it.
- The value of having a skilled swimming instructor is immeasurable.
Group vs. Private Swimming Lessons
The majority of us prefer to take private (one-on-one) or group swimming classes to learn how to swim.
Private swimming lessons, in which there is one instructor for each swimmer, can initially be more expensive, but the learning process is more quicker and more adaptable.
Since you’ll learn to swim considerably more quickly, the return on your investment will really be lot higher in terms of time and frustration saved.
(If you reside in the Helsinki region of Finland, I also provide video analysis of swimming strokes and private swimming instruction.)
However, group classes are far more affordable. On the other hand, there are not as many hands-on exercises in group lessons because there are often 5 to 20 swimmers who are all following the instructor’s instructions.
My general advice would be to go private if you don’t mind initially spending a little bit more money.
In the long run, it actually can be a better investment than taking several swimming lessons because you will learn more in less time.
I would also advise taking private lessons if you have hydrophobia (a fear of water), as you can progress in overcoming your fear at your own speed.
But whatever of the courses you select, I strongly advise concurrently looking into the various online swimming options that are available.
You never know; maybe in one of them you’ll find the explanation that makes sense to you and makes this particular swimming technique enjoyable to perfect.
The Right Questions Being Asked?
It is a very excellent idea to first go and see the specific swim instructor at work if you have the time and luxury to choose between more than one swim instructor.
The instructor’s excitement is what you should pay attention to.
Does the instructor get in the water with the student to demonstrate and explain the various methods, or does he or she remain on the pool deck the entire time?
How many people are enrolled in the swim lessons?
Does the teacher match you up with someone throughout class so you can help each other out when you make mistakes, or does she leave you to your own devices?
Are the new swimmers receiving encouragement and patience from the instructor?
Why not start with a few swimming classes and see how it goes if you like what you see.
Look for a different swimming lesson program that will suit you better if you are not very delighted with this one.
Never forget that being able to swim is a priceless ability to possess. If you make the right decision, you can learn to swim no matter which road you choose to take to develop your swimming abilities.
Is there a foolproof method for teaching someone to swim?
Absolutely not.
Since everyone of us is unique, learning to swim must be approached uniquely for each of us in order to reach our full swimming potential.