How to Overcome Your Fear of Learning to Swim

For those with a strong fear of swimming, learning to swim can be a significant challenge. Preparing by facing your fears of water and swimming, and then gradually acclimating yourself to being in water, can help you reduce your fear, and focus on learning to swim.

Part1

EditFacing Your Fear

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   Accept your fear of swimming. It is common to experience feelings of shame surrounding a fear of water or swimming, but remember: you're not alone! Nearly half of all American adults report a fear of swimming in deep water. ^[1] Once you have acknowledged and accepted that your fear is perfectly normal, you can begin taking steps to correct it.
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   Demystify water and swimming. Reading about the process of learning how to swim, and about the scientific principles of water and buoyancy, is a great way to prepare yourself for learning how to swim.^[2] A simple internet search for articles related to swimming or fear of water will provide you with many informative options to choose from. The more you learn, the more you'll come to understand that there's nothing magical or complex about learning to swim.
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   Practice relaxation techniques. To help you avoid becoming overwhelmed or panicked by your fear of swimming, practice deep breathing or other physical relaxation techniques prior to any attempt to enter the water. Relaxing will reduce your fear, and make you more receptive to learning and instruction.^[3]
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   Use visualization to curb anxiety. When you find yourself suffering from fearful or anxious thoughts about learning to swim, focus on imagining yourself successfully swimming in a comfortable, stress-free environment. This will help reduce your anxiety, and will make it easier for you to focus on learning to swim.^[4]

Part2

EditGetting Comfortable in Water

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   Practice with a friend. Whether you are taking a swimming class, or learning independently, learning to swim with a trusted friend can reduce your stress, and make you more comfortable. ^[5]
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   Start in shallow water. Practicing in water shallow enough that you can easily touch your feet to the floor without submerging your neck or head will help you feel secure as you learn the basics of swimming. ^[6] If you get fearful, just stand up, take a deep breath, and relax.
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   Dip your legs in the water. Sit at the edge of the pool with your legs dangling in, and take a few moments to get comfortable. Remember, there's no rush. Spending some time relaxing and focusing on the task at hand will help your confidence.^[7]
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   Enter the water gradually. If a pool ladder is available, enter the water one step at a time, taking as much time as you need to feel comfortable and secure. Once you reach the floor of the pool, take a moment to breathe deep and relax. ^[8]
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   Practice submerging your face. One of the biggest hurdles for many beginning swimmers to get over is the fear of submerging their face and head. Start by splashing water over your face, as if washing it. Once you're ready, practice taking a deep breath, and then squatting down to submerge as much of your face as you are comfortable with. Keep practicing, submerging more and more of your face until your whole head is under.^[9]
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   Practice floating. Now that you can submerge your face and head, you are ready to try floating. Most human beings are naturally buoyant, so, while it might seem like a challenge, there's really nothing to it! Simply lay your face in the water, as you've practiced, and allow one, and then the other, of your legs to relax and leave the floor of the pool, stretching your arms out on the surface of the water. When you are ready to stand again, calmly lower your legs to the floor. ^[10]
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   Find a swimming class. Once you're more comfortable and confident in water, you can begin learning to swim. Professional instruction is a great option for those suffering from a fear of swimming, and because fear of swimming is so common, beginner swimming classes for adults are widely available.

   • A simple internet search for beginner swimming lessons should point you in the direction of classes in your area.
   • Alternatively, visit or call a gym or community center with pool access, or a local public swimming pool, to inquire about beginner's lessons.

Resource: wikihow.com

How to Dolphin Kick

You've probably seen Olympic Swimmers use that motion that propels them forward underwater after diving in, and at the underwater turns. The Dolphin Kick might be the fastest way to get from A to B, but keep in mind that there's great difficulty involved in performing this move. Read on to find out how to properly execute a Dolphin Kick.

Part1

EditPreparing Outside Of The Water

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   Practice on dry land. Before you hit the water, it's useful to connect with your body on land, where you're probably most comfortable moving^[1].

   • Begin by standing upright, feet hip-distance apart.
   • Close your eyes, and focus only on your breath.
   • It can be useful to engage the back of your throat when you exhale (produces a throaty sound).
   • Take about ten breath cycles.
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   Gently warm up your core. If you really want to master the Dolphin Kick, you can't afford to neglect your core. While it might seem as if all of the generated power comes from the quads and legs in general, your core is a crucial part of it. After all, your legs are connected to your core and work with it while swimming. Consider the following exercise-sequence ^[2]:

   • Start by standing upright with your feet hip-distance apart.
   • Roll your shoulders back a couple of times.
   • Draw your upper ribs in.
   • Make sure your tailbone is pointing straight down.
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   Practice the body roll. Now that you've awakened your breath and core, try performing the rolling movement while standing. It's just as it sounds: picture a wave passing through your body, and mimic it.
4. 4
   Enlist the help of a friend. Having someone else watch you while you practice can help you define your strengths and weaknesses. Do you know anyone who swims regularly? They might be an even better choice as they'll have a solid idea of what the body should look like while performing certain motions.

Part2

EditPracticing In The Water

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   Take a few laps in the pool. To warm up in the water, start by swimming in the pool as you regularly would. Get used to not being on land, and moving in the water.
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   Do the body roll standing upright in the water. At first, stand upright in the pool and perform the same body roll motion you did when you were on land^[3].
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   Flip onto your stomach in the water, and practice the undulation technique again. Here are some techniques on how to do so^[4]:

   • Lie flat on your stomach, head in line with the body. Keep your face looking down.
   • Keep your legs and feet together, and the toes pointing in the direction of the pool end.
   • Press your chest down, and then release it.
   • Press your hips down at the same time, and then release them.
   • When you release your hips, press the chest down. Start sequence over.
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   Let your hips and legs work in unison. Your legs should follow the movements of your hips for proper Dolphin Kick techniques.

   • The legs should go down when your hips do. Knees should be slightly bent during this motion.
   • The legs should follow your hips when they go up. The knees extend at this point.
   • Add some power and execute the kick.
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   Try practicing on your back first if starting on your stomach seems too hard. If you're having difficulties with your Dolphin Kick techniques, try flipping over onto your back. Dolphin Kicks tend to be easier when you try them on your back. This allows you to keep a tight core while maintaining movement in your body.

Part3

Edit

Executing The Dolphin Kick

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   Push your chest a few inches into the water, then draw it back. It's good to keep the wave-like nature of the move in mind. Try to always execute Dolphin Kick related motions in an undulating fashion^[5].
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   Push your hips into the water, and then release them. Your thighs should follow your hips in their downward movement. Keep your legs slightly bent at the knees.
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   Move your hips upward, and straighten your legs. As your hips move up you should straighten your legs, and perform a whipping movement.
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   Let your hips guide your upper legs upwards. When your hips go up, allow your upper legs to follow the upward movement. Then start the cycle over.
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   Keep your feet moving at the end of a downward pointing kick. Frequently, people are quite rigid when they execute their Dolphin Kicks. Try to avoid jerky movements with a break at the end of the downward kick^[6].

   • Once you're finished with the downward movement of your feet, start moving them upward again.
   • Remember that the kicks should be flowing and smooth. you should ideally feel fluid from your hips to your toes.

Resource: wikihow.com

How to Swim a 50 Yard Freestyle

If you are interested in competitive swimming, like the 50 yard (or FINA Meters) freestyle, follow the steps below to improve your stroke technique and stroke strategies. The 50 yard (or meter) swim is the fastest and shortest competitive swimming event. Minute details will majorly affect the overall performance, and competition in this event is quite possibly the most relentless. While this event is swum as 50 yards in many leagues in the United States, internationally, as mandated by FINA, the event is 50 meters.

Part1

EditReadying yourself for the swim

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   Step up onto the starting block. When the starter tells you to take your mark, get ready to dive, but stay absolutely still, or you might get a disqualification.
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   Select your entry point visually and mentally. Before you dive, pick your target in the water where you want to dive. This will help to psych you for the race and ensure correct entry.

Part2

EditStarting off

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   Leap off the starting block once the starting “beep” goes off. Use your legs to spring off the block and into the water when the starting blare goes off. Be sure to leap outwards toward the flags and be in a streamline position before entering the water. Make sure you are not just dropping into the water 2 feet from the starting block.

   • Practicing and perfecting a racing dive can be critical in lowering times.
   • Be sure to cover the most horizontal distance possible while diving.
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   Use a powerful dolphin kick off the starting blocks. Continue this for around 5 yards/meters or longer if desired. Do not exceed 15 yards/meters.

   • Make sure your dolphin kick originates in your hips, and you are not relying on your knees to create power for the kick (this mistake is made very often by swimmers).

Part3

EditPerforming freestyle

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   Swim freestyle once you break the surface after about 5 yards (4.6 m) of underwater dolphin kick. Perform an aggressive breakout.
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   Roll on to the side (so that this arm is facing down towards the bottom) that is going to pull first. Be sure to be in stream line position through this step. Do not breathe on the first or second stroke from the start.
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   Take the arm facing the bottom out of streamline position and pull it straight back in a forceful motion. By doing this it will cause the rest of the body to rotate to the other side.
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   Recover the arm that has just pulled over the water quickly in a bent but relaxed position. At this point, this arm that has not entered the water yet.
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   Engage the arm that has not pulled in a slightly bent position about 6 – 8 inches (20.3 cm) below the surface.
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   Thrust arm into the water so that it is completely straight and is about 4 – 6 inches (15.2 cm) below the surface. At this point, the arm should be slightly outside shoulders width.
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   Pull the arm straight back forcefully. Be sure to engage hips before pulling in order to maximize the effect.
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   Repeat (including both parts) until you are about two yards away from the wall.
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   Remember to keep your head steady and have stamina and momentum in your arms and kick. Also, reach in front of your shoulders (all the way) and pull your hand underwater while bending slightly at the elbows for a powerful pull. This reduces drag caused by the head and shoulders. Another way of reducing drag is by keeping a steady kick and not letting your hips and legs sink. By keeping your legs elevated, you are in a more streamlined position, therefore you go faster.

Part4

EditDoing a flip turn

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   With the final arm-pull into the wall, reach and start rolling into a flip leading with the arm and following through with the head. Do not dive under the water surface; flip at the surface!
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   Bring both feet over the water quickly and place them about 10 – 12 inches (30.5 cm) under the surface of the water and on the wall. To increase speed of the flip-turn, lead the body with the head and focus on a tight flip, tuck the knees, with the legs moving very quickly when above the surface.

   • The key to flip turns is to finish it quickly and get off the wall faster. You can do that by having your hands at your sides after your last stroke before the wall. So after you take your last stroke, glide to the wall with your hands by your sides, and flip at the exact moment (about a foot and a half away from the wall). Then, plant your feet on the wall, and if you kept your hands in the same position when you glided, they should already be in a streamline position above your head.
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   Push off from the wall. As you are flipped onto your back, twist to rotate to the correct position while pushing. Use a powerful dolphin kick to quickly speed up for about 5 - 10 yards/meters.

Part5

EditThe end part of the race

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   Treat the last part of the race just like the first part, and the same rules apply.Although you may be tired, do not slow down even the slightest bit. It might cost you the race. So gather up all your last strength, and for the last 5 yards (4.6 m), sprint like you never sprinted before.

   • When finishing, focus on touching the wall while still going as fast as possible, do not breathe in the final 5 yards/meters so that you can focus on speed not on getting your next breath.
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   Repeat until you touch the wall on a final stroke at the finish of your swim. Just make sure to hit the touch pad hard enough so your time shows up.

   • Touch with the recovery arm so that the hand is above the surface, so that it moves fastest and is visible.
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   End in a sportsmanlike way. Make sure to say "good race" or "you did great" to the person you were racing. The coaches might notice you having a good attitude, whether you won or lost.

   • After you climb out, thank the timers for getting your time (which you should probably ask them after you leave the starting area). Most of them are volunteers, so it would make them feel appreciated.

Resource: wikihow.com