Buzz
Everything you need to guide a loved one to glide through water with ease
Helping someone learn to swim can be incredibly fulfilling, though it comes with its challenges. There’s a lot to teach, and it’s vital to stay alert to ensure both their safety and correct form. If you’re ready to step into the role of instructor, your learner is counting on you—so dive in and start the journey together.
Foundations of Teaching Someone to Swim
- Help them get comfortable in the water—begin at the poolside or shallow end.
- Introduce swimming motions on dry land before transitioning into the water.
- Start with short swims in shallow areas, then gradually extend to deeper parts as confidence grows.
- Minimize use of floatation aids to avoid over-reliance.
Step-by-Step Guide
Conquering Water-Related Fears
Assess your qualifications. Ideally, swimming lessons should be conducted by a certified instructor, preferably a lifeguard or someone with lifeguard supervision. However, non-professionals can teach swimming as well. The instructor must be a confident swimmer, capable of teaching the necessary skills, and exhibit patience.
- If you feel anxious about swimming, you might unintentionally pass these fears onto your student, no matter how good your intentions.
- You might not remember how you learned to swim, especially since many people learn at a young age. Some details may be forgotten or unclear.
Avoid outdated or harmful methods. Some past teaching strategies are ineffective and should be avoided.
- The "Sink or Swim"/ "Viking Swim Lesson" approach—forcing a person into deep water to make them face their fear—often only strengthens their reluctance to swim and can lead to a distrust of the instructor. This can turn swimming into something unpleasant, or worse, dangerous.
- Avoid using the term "Drown-Proofing." Knowing how to swim doesn't make someone immune to drowning. Many people who can swim well still drown, and this outdated term can give a false sense of security.
- Don't insist on perfect floating or diving. While these are important skills, they are not required to be a competent swimmer. Focus on the goal of swimming.
- A very thin or muscular person might struggle to float but still be a strong swimmer.
- Diving requires specific form and can be difficult for some, but it isn't necessary for recreational swimming or emergencies.
Foster comfort around water. If your student cannot swim, anxiety around the water is a natural obstacle. Gradually ease them into the water, starting in the shallow end of the pool. The older the learner, the more likely they are to be fearful, so this step is especially crucial when teaching adults to swim.
- Do not rush the learner to get comfortable. You cannot teach swimming skills like propulsion, floating, or breath control unless the person feels secure enough to relax and explore the water.
- Take small steps. For someone extremely fearful, even stepping into the water may be a big step forward. Respect their comfort level and gradually push them to go a little further.
- It may help to hold the learner's hand (especially for younger students) to ease their anxiety.
- Very young students can swim in deeper water with flotation devices, as long as you are confident with the arrangement. Since toddlers cannot touch the bottom in shallow areas, there is little difference between the shallow and deep ends, and it avoids making the deep end feel like a dangerous, off-limits area.
- Allow the learner to hold onto you until they are ready to let go. Let them decide when they feel ready. This builds trust and confidence.
Adopt a playful approach. A lighthearted, fun approach can help ease anxiety and encourage exploration. It also serves as a positive distraction.
- Provide colorful floating toys for children to chase in the water. This encourages them to extend their arms and see the water as a fun, playful environment.
- For adults, tossing a beach ball back and forth in the water can help shift their focus from the wall to having fun and relaxing, making the experience feel safer and more enjoyable.
Limit the use of buoyancy aids. While flotation devices can aid in developing skills and boosting confidence, they can easily become a crutch.
- Avoid using "arm floaties." These often slip off and restrict arm movement, which is essential for swimming. They also mislead children about the way water physics works.
- Kickboards are beneficial in teaching swimming, as they provide enough buoyancy to help isolate leg movement, though students shouldn't rely on them for complete support.
- "Bubbles" are helpful too. They offer slight buoyancy and encourage a horizontal body position. As the learner gains confidence, the amount of flotation can be gradually reduced.
Build confidence, not overconfidence. Your role as a swim instructor is to gradually boost a learner’s confidence by adding new skills at a manageable pace. It's important to understand each student’s limits. For example, a learner who can't tread water for long shouldn't be pushed into deep water. Likewise, someone who can swim 100 yards of freestyle comfortably may be ready for pool swims, but not yet for a triathlon.
Introducing Basic Swimming Techniques
Start with arm movements. Sit beside the pool and demonstrate basic arm strokes that you'll later teach. Have the learner imitate your movements, offering corrections when necessary. Continue practicing these strokes until they’re performed correctly. To help with buoyancy, place your hand under their stomach while they practice.
Practice kicking at the poolside. Have the learner hold onto the edge of the pool with their arms while kicking their legs. Provide guidance on proper technique, so they gain confidence for when they begin swimming. It may help for the learner to practice this on their back so they can observe their legs during the exercise.
Encourage the learner to lift their feet off the bottom in the shallow end. This is a significant milestone for some, especially without a side to cling to, and may require some patience. The usual advice is to hold the learner's hand and offer a buoyancy aid. They should try treading water—demonstrate this again if they’re unsure how to do it.
Starting with Swimming
Take the initial swimming steps. Have the learner swim small distances in the shallow end using a stroke they feel comfortable with. Don’t push them too hard; these will likely be their first few strokes, so patience is key.
Swim across the pool with the learner. This step may not occur right away. In fact, it will probably take several sessions to reach this point. Be there for them both physically and mentally—this will be a tough challenge for them.
Introduce the learner to different strokes. Let them explore various strokes to find what feels most natural. Have them try freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and other easy-to-more-challenging strokes. Keep it relaxed and fun—this way, they’ll be motivated to continue learning.
Venturing into the Deep End
Exploring the Deep End. Many beginners are taught to avoid the deep end, associating it with fear and anxiety. However, to truly master swimming, one must be able to swim where stopping and touching the bottom is not an option. Additionally, skills like diving can’t be practiced in the shallow end.
- Don’t bring students to the deep end until they can swim a full pool length without stopping to touch the bottom. Being physically able to swim the entire length is essential for tackling the deep end. Some learners may have a habit of stopping and putting a foot down, even when they can swim the distance. Regardless, they need to be confident and strong enough to swim without relying on stopping.
- Your learner can start by holding onto the pool's edge and pulling themselves across. It may take several tries, but encourage them to go a little further each time, with you showing the way for reassurance.
- Consider introducing lifejackets or other flotation devices. Swimming through the deep end with flotation can help the learner gain confidence. Jumping into the deep end with a lifejacket will help them view it as just another part of the pool rather than a place to fear.
Swim into the deep end. Once the learner is ready, which could take some time, gradually ease them into the deep end. Initially, stay near the edge to make sure they feel secure. Over time, they'll grow more confident and eventually swim independently—that’s when you know you've done your job well.
Jump into the deep end and swim across. When the learner is comfortable swimming from the shallow to the deep end, the next step is jumping into the deep end. Begin by having them practice jumping in and holding the edge. Once they’ve mastered the jump, encourage them to swim across. This signifies a strong foundation in swimming.
- It’s crucial to wait until the learner is fully comfortable with the deep end before practicing jumping in, as jumping into the shallow end could lead to injury from hitting the bottom.
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Never pressure a student into something they’re not ready for. Learning to swim involves finding their own pace and comfort zone.
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Only introduce a few new skills at a time to avoid overwhelming the learner.
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Patience is key—this process may take a long time, so go at the learner’s pace.
The insights shared in this section come from the real experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have a useful tip that you'd like to contribute, feel free to submit it in the field below.
- It may take some time for the learner to get comfortable in the pool environment. If you're teaching a child, consider bringing along toys to make the lessons more enjoyable and engaging. This will help them relax and feel more at ease both in the water and with you as their instructor.
- If possible, offer private lessons. One-on-one attention can be particularly helpful for swimmers who may need extra focus or feel anxious being around others in a group setting.
Precautions
- Never pressure a learner into doing something they’re not prepared for. This can only increase anxiety and reverse progress, ultimately wasting both your time and theirs.
- Always move at the learner’s pace, but provide plenty of positive reinforcement and encouragement to foster progress.
- Be mindful not to push the learner into uncomfortable situations or activities that could make them feel uneasy.
- Ensure there is a lifeguard present at the pool during practice sessions. Try to avoid overcrowded pools for better focus and safety.
- It’s highly recommended to have a certified instructor to guide the process.
