Improving/Learning to swim

Not sure if this is the right thread but I just wanted advice on improving my swimming.
I've recently taken it up again after many years. Now I'd say my technique is OK but I'm struggling trying to get the breathing right. Basically having to stop because I'm not getting the inhalation right.
I'm aware of the theory.
Breathe out underwater and continue while turning the head then inhale; one goggle in the water; inhale bilaterally ideally; turn body and head; keep the hips up so the head is level; etc.
Gleaned mostly from expert swimmers on YouTube.
But I'm having difficulty putting it into practice.
Is it normal when starting out to have difficulty with breathing.

Any drills I could do.
I have wondered about "quietening" down my arm movement for now and just concentrating on getting my hips up and practising turning my body and head.
Any advice.

take everything wrote: »

Not sure if this is the right thread but I just wanted advice on improving my swimming.
I've recently taken it up again after many years. Now I'd say my technique is OK but I'm struggling trying to get the breathing right. Basically having to stop because I'm not getting the inhalation right.
I'm aware of the theory.
Breathe out underwater and continue while turning the head then inhale; one goggle in the water; inhale bilaterally ideally; turn body and head; keep the hips up so the head is level; etc.
Gleaned mostly from expert swimmers on YouTube.
But I'm having difficulty putting it into practice.
Is it normal when starting out to have difficulty with breathing.

Any drills I could do.
I have wondered about "quietening" down my arm movement for now and just concentrating on getting my hips up and practising turning my body and head.
Any advice.

I'm in the same boat - I am fairly fit and my general stroke is OK, however my breathing is terrible. I usually end up swallowing a bit of water and then my stroke goes off and I end up flapping everywhere and have to give up.

breadbin wrote: »

I was in the same boat too and still am when I don't swim for a while. What worked for me is to slow down. I used to just swim hell for leather but like that couldn't breathe enough. So I just slowed down and built up speed. Find a speed that you can breathe properly and it will all come together!

Ye I'll do that next time I'm out - I do try to take it slow, but I don't swim that often so maybe I need to just keep at it.

Great thread. I start swimming lessons on Friday, I'm terrified.

Murphyj7 in the whitford hotel in wexford.

Lots of useful information in that article.

You need to find a teacher with experience and a good reputation! Find out their
experience and if possible watch a lesson given by the teacher, you will have a better
idea of what is involved. Sometimes a teacher can put someone off by not being
the right fit for the individual. There is more at stake than learning to swim! Personal development, confidence building and a personal challenge for some necessary on medical advice.

It is important to give the teacher relevant information about past experiences, good and bad so that a personal plan can be designed to suit each individual, we are all different and learn in different ways, at a different pace, different levels of fear, and a good working relationship is also important.

Group lessons are not for everyone, if you have little or no fear, it can be fun and you
will learn to swim, but if you have real fear, give yourself a chance and have a one-two-lesson or with a friend.

To be successful you need to find a teacher with experience and a good reputation. Do a little research and make sure the person is properly qualified and experienced so that you improve quickly and gain lots of water skills in a shorter time. Find out their experience and if possible watch a lesson given by the teacher. You will have a better idea of what is involved. Sometimes a teacher can put someone off by not being the “right fit” for the individual. Most times there is more at stake than learning to swim! There are other considerations at play, e.g. personal development, confidence building, personal challenge for some, getting over a lifelong fear of water, or because swimming is now the only option, for medical reasons.
It is important to give the teacher relevant information about past experiences, good and bad so that a personal plan can be designed to suit you personally, ask about this before you decide on the teacher.
We are all different and learn in different ways, have different styles of learning and we do not all learn at the same pace. There are also different levels of fear so you may want to have the teacher in the water with you when you are having your lessons, make sure this is an option.
Group lessons are not for everyone, if you have little or no fear, it can be fun and you will improve and learn to swim, but if you have real fear, give yourself a chance and have a one-two-one lesson or with a friend.

Can anyone recommend someone in Dublin for private lessons? I am currently doing group lessons and have progressed as much as I am going to at the moment due to nerves. I really feel having an instructor in the water will help me over come my fears.

Firstly, great thread, thanks one & all.

I'm in a similar situation to many on here, always had a fear of the water & never thought I'd get to the stage where I could put my face & head under, managed to conquer that particular fear last year (other than still managing to get some water up my nose which admittedly freaked me out slightly) on holidays with our 3 yo twins & decided to bite the bullet & take lessons...

Starting my first ever swimming lesson tonight in the NAC & am both excited & nervous at the same time, my wife thinks I'll be fine as she reckons I look far from nervous when standing in the water & messing with the kids in water but I still have that fear of letting go & trying to float or lift my feet... I'm determined to do my best to get over this & genuinely feel if I can get over that I'll love the whole experience... so fingers crossed it goes well & I manage to make some progress. I just hope I'm not the only lame duck so to speak starting tonight as I'd hate to feel like I was the only one starting out from scratch.

Reading this thread has given me a whole new perspective on breathing & how important it is (well obviously, but you know what I mean) & I think if i can control that rather than panicking I'll be half way there.... at least I hope so.

RonanP77 wrote: »

How did the lesson go? I started doing lessons in December and was nervous going to the first one, I thought I'd be the only absolute novice and would make a show of myself. It was fine, most of us were at the same level. I'm still at it now and it's going well but I haven't fully lost my fear of the water yet. Progress has been slow enough for me but I'm up to doing 25 or so lengths of the pool each lesson now with either front crawl or back crawl.

Had two lessons now, the first one started off at a pace I wasn't expecting though in hindsight that wasn't a bad thing, in 45 minutes the instructor had me doing stuff I never imagined I'd be able to do. Namely gliding across the pool with my legs up, kicking all the time with my face under water & exhaling at a nice steady rhythm. Struggled at the end of the first lesson with the standing up from a face down position, instructor said I was trying to do it too fast & for was not getting the coordination right. Second lesson started slowly as I got a tad nervous with the breathing exercises in the warm up but soon got a bit of confidence back, still struggled a bit with the standing up from face down position but fine with it from the dead man's float which I got the knack of quicker than I ever thought possible.

I'm still nervous, & I don't see that changing in this first course of lessons if I'm honest, but I'm seeing progress & that's encouraging. If I can comfortable with the standing up I reckon It'll give me the confidence to push on. I'm easily the biggest novice in the class, the rest could already do the basics if not more & seem to be progressing at a far greater pace, they can do full widths for example where I'd have to stand up (badly) a couple of times & have yet to start using my arms (am just gliding & kicking for now) but to be fair the instructor is great & gives equal time to us all despite being at varying levels of competency. I'll be sticking with it though, thats for sure.

DvB wrote:

Anyone else ever been in this position or experienced something similar? I felt determined & excited at the outset but seem to have been unable to control my nerves (not helped by the timing admittedly) to the extent now I'm wondering if I need a fresh start or if I should give up & accept the fact I'll never be able to swim...

Go back for the last few lessons and when you get there, relax. Everyone doing lessons has bad days. I certainly had a few lessons where I felt I took a big step backwards. I've been doing lessons for 6 months now and I'm still afraid of the water but I'm doing alright.

The thing I notice with most people is that if they think about it too much they'll tense up and it'll go badly. Take your time, keep trying, don't put so much pressure on yourself and you'll be grand.

Does anybody know if the prices for group lessons are the same now?

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Don't want to start a thread for this question & have tried searching. I'm planning on starting to swim more often at Seapoint in Dublin, what do people do with their car keys when they go swimming on their own? I'd just be conscious of leaving them with my towel/bag if I'm in the water for an extended period of time.

I put mine in a tow float and bring them with me. Although I have never had my bag interfered with there

I've been doing one to one lessons for a few weeks now. Progress is really slow but I've lost my fear of water and no longer tense up. Being shown how to push up from under the water and stand was huge for me as I'd always have panicked before.
My problem now is floating. No matter what I just can't do it. I'm thin with strong legs from running and I'm short. Not a huge deal of fat on me, so I think this is my problem. From reading up it seems unlikely my body will float naturally so maybe I just need to focus on my stroke and kick and the movement will come.
Anybody similar stature have any advice?

Family got me swimming lessons for Xmas.

Never swam. Always had a fear of water as a youngster, can't explain why. Always got a note to get me out of swimming at school.

Only since I started Sun holidays with kids in the last handful of years have I got over the fear and will now get into pools ok. I don't mind walking up to my chin but can't keep my head under water or hold my breath. I'm am embarrassment !!

So a bit apprehensive about starting the lessons. Think they are 1 to 1, and don't want to appear like a big baby. Hopefully it will work out as id love to be able to jump into a pool in the heat and have a swim, like my young kids!