Adult swimming lessons issues

Kwijiboe

I would like to learn to swim and have enquired about lessons in my vicinity and there is some. My issue is my body because as a male of 33 years I'm not exactly hairless in fact quite the opposite, I'm pretty much covered head to toe/ back and front with body hair and with swimming your revealing so much. I'm so self conscious about the whole thing its putting me off signing up for the lessons.'

anyone else in a similar position or just some advice maybe

I'd be going by myself as well most friends and colleagues already know how to swim which also doesn't help

ABajaninCork

I really wouldn't worry about it. You get to see all sorts at the pool. Just try to concentrate and enjoy learning to swim!

If you're feeling really uncomfortable about showing your body, then you could try waxing. Plenty of fellas are now into it, and the beautician will be well used to waxing men.

Kwijiboe

yea its really a confidence thing. if I was confident I wouldn't give a flying f*^k about how I look, next lessons start on tues/thurs the 9th/11th april

not a lot of time to prepare but hopefully I wont let it put me off, sign up is 5th april we'll know after that if I did it or not.

LegacyUser

I wouldn't worry at all about body hair. At the pool everyone is so self conscious about their own bodies that you barely notice anyone elses!

You could try wearing a rash vest along with your trunks, these are allowed at most pools.

Best of luck with the lessons, its never too late!

Czarcasm

Kwijiboe wrote: »

yea its really a confidence thing. if I was confident I wouldn't give a flying f*^k about how I look, next lessons start on tues/thurs the 9th/11th april

not a lot of time to prepare but hopefully I wont let it put me off, sign up is 5th april we'll know after that if I did it or not.

OP instructors won't bat an eyelid either if you choose to wear a black tee shirt and a pair of shorts, they'll be looking to assess how comfortable you are with the water.

You couldn't possibly do any worse than myself at 17 when qualifying for my indoor lifeguard exam I had to be pulled out of the water- not the best time to be wearing a pair of speedos when the canary escaped the cage and dropped the eggs just as I was being laid down on my back on the bank and the whole class of about thirty men and women including the instructor were standing over me looking on! :pac:

I also taught my wife how to swim last year at 37 years of age and she wasn't very confident in the water at first, now she enjoys the relaxation she gets from swimming and isn't at all as conscious of those bombing up and down the pool in the lanes beside her.

It's also been very beneficial for her muscle tone, definition and overall health, and if you were really conscious OP, perhaps overkill IMO, but not unheard of, is a surfer suit. They're available in a good many sports shops now hanging up beside the swimming gear.

fiona-f

Good for you on learning to swim. However I would say you are five times more conspicuous in a pool setting if you wear some kind of t-shirt than if you just go for it in normal swimwear. If you haven't swum before, you won't be aware of how much the water obscures your body once you're in there, plus as in so many sports settings, other users aren't there to look at you, they'll be doing their own training.

I wouldn't advise waxing - I imagine it's a huge commitment to keep such a large area waxed, not to mention the pain and the cost - but if you do, be aware that your skin can react and be sore and inflamed for some time after so make sure to allow probably 3 days between your first waxing appointment and your swimming lesson.

Those who teach adult swimming have helped people deal with all sorts of body and confidence issues so a mere bit of hair on a healthy adult male definitely won't be an issue.

Enjoy!

anthony4335

get yourself a rash vest better than a tee, and like the rest said do not worry about it. You can get them in surf shops . Also not lacking in the body hair department myself it makes me laugh a little when I put my swimming hat on which only covers a balding head and yet my body hair is free to float away.

red_diesel

I'm pretty hairy, have it everywhere to be honest! I shave my back but not anywhere else. I like to keep in shape, so I think this gives me the confidence to not let it bother me too much. Go for it, don't think anyone will notice really!

username123

You could always get waxed prior to the lessons if you really wanted to avoid the self consciousness?

But seriously, I swim a couple of times a week and I see all sorts of people in the pool, hairy, smooth, fat, thin, wearing skimpy swimwear, wearing shortie wetsuits, old, young, with a variety of rashes, scars, etc....!

No one will pay any attention to your body hair.

Edited to add: Im female and I think male body hair is attractive btw, some women find it attractive, some dont, same as any other feature.

Love2u

Kwijiboe wrote: »

I would like to learn to swim and have enquired about lessons in my vicinity and there is some. My issue is my body because as a male of 33 years I'm not exactly hairless in fact quite the opposite, I'm pretty much covered head to toe/ back and front with body hair and with swimming your revealing so much. I'm so self conscious about the whole thing its putting me off signing up for the lessons.'

anyone else in a similar position or just some advice maybe

I'd be going by myself as well most friends and colleagues already know how to swim which also doesn't help

I say "dive in" , don't worry about being hairy or hairless. We all come in different shapes and sizes, no one takes any heed of how you look except yourself.

I learnt to swim at 33 and I never looked back, I also went on and qualified as a life guard and a swim teacher.

Take the plunge and never worry about what people think. Remember "what people think is NONE of your business" .

Kwijiboe

Thanks for all the positive replies, some good points there as well

shalalala

My OH and I went swimming not long ago. He is hairy all over too. I thought he was the most attractive person there! And no one else batted an eye lid at him!

Love2u

Kwijiboe wrote: »

Thanks for all the positive replies, some good points there as well

Yahoo .

Love2u

shalalala wrote: »

My OH and I went swimming not long ago. He is hairy all over too. I thought he was the most attractive person there! And no one else batted an eye lid at him!

Hair is nice on a man, I expect a man to have hair, and if he doesn't have it, that's ok too

Dublin25

Kwijiboe, I'm a swimming instructor in a local pool and to be honest I would never think of batting an eyelid when it comes to something like that. Its true what previous posters have said there are so many other body types etc going on in a pool already. Having been around adult lessons before I know that everyone is self conscious to begin with but they all just focus on themselves and what they want to achieve, not giving a care to anyone else's appearance around them.

You've already shown confidence by signing up to the lessons and taking the step in learning, that should be an even bigger boost to you. You'll be flying along in no time!

Good Luck with the lessons!

Kwijiboe

Ok swimming lessons are signed up for now, and getting the swim gear tomorrow. I'm committed to it now regardless of how I feel about it, starts Tuesday evening at 8pm for 12 weeks.:eek:

ABajaninCork

Have fun!

username123

Fair play OP, you'll love it, it's my favourite form of exercise, you feel great after a swim.

Love2u

Good for you! You will really enjoy it and I'm sure you will meet some great people there. The hardest thing is thinking about it, do it and you will have no fear.

Kwijiboe

Love2u wrote: »

Good for you! You will really enjoy it and I'm sure you will meet some great people there. The hardest thing is thinking about it, do it and you will have no fear.

So true, with me a lot of the trouble is thinking about it, same with everything I ever did before I got there or started I was worried/stressed about it but once I got there and started dealing with whatever it was I was ok I was focused on the task at hand.

ps thanks for the positive comments

Love2u

Exactly, the worst part is thinking about it. We all go through it, a person once said to me "you can only think one thought at a time". I use to worry and stress about everything. I don't as much any more, life is too short and I'd never achieve anything in this world by doing so. Let us know how the swimming goes .

Kwijiboe

Love2u wrote: »

Exactly, the worst part is thinking about it. We all go through it, a person once said to me "you can only think one thought at a time". I use to worry and stress about everything. I don't as much any more, life is too short and I'd never achieve anything in this world by doing so. Let us know how the swimming goes .

will do, hopefully I wont drown and will meet some new people that are like minded.:rolleyes:

Love2u

Lol:), you will be grand.

Kwijiboe

Hey all, just had my first swimming lesson, I loved it:), one person I know was there to learn as well. Once you're there you kinda forget about your body and are focused on what the instructor is saying. Took quite awhile to stop shaking with nerves though in the water. Can't wait for next lesson :rolleyes:

shalalala

Kwijiboe wrote: »

Hey all, just had my first swimming lesson, I loved it:), one person I know was there to learn as well. Once you're there you kinda forget about your body and are focused on what the instructor is saying. Took quite awhile to stop shaking with nerves though in the water. Can't wait for next lesson :rolleyes:

Good for you OP!

ABajaninCork

Atta boy OP!

Norderburse

Kwijiboe wrote: »

Hey all, just had my first swimming lesson, I loved it:), one person I know was there to learn as well. Once you're there you kinda forget about your body and are focused on what the instructor is saying. Took quite awhile to stop shaking with nerves though in the water. Can't wait for next lesson :rolleyes:

Fair play OP, delighted for you!

Dublin25

Kwijiboe wrote: »

Hey all, just had my first swimming lesson, I loved it:), one person I know was there to learn as well. Once you're there you kinda forget about your body and are focused on what the instructor is saying. Took quite awhile to stop shaking with nerves though in the water. Can't wait for next lesson :rolleyes:

Brilliant news OP!

sReq | uTeK

Kwijiboe wrote: »

Hey all, just had my first swimming lesson, I loved it:), one person I know was there to learn as well. Once you're there you kinda forget about your body and are focused on what the instructor is saying. Took quite awhile to stop shaking with nerves though in the water. Can't wait for next lesson :rolleyes:

Good for you OP.

Funnily enough I could have wrote the same post, I'm thinking about signing up too and would be quite hairy and was always a little iffy, your post has put those ill fated thoughts to bed, I'll get cracking soon enough

December2012

Well done, keep it up!

Kwijiboe

Yea def sign up for it, glad I did though, everyone is standing in Cool-ish water well above your waste, your not thinking about how you look, your thinking its damn cold and wondering if your going to float away! LOL