Schools & Lessons: Lessons

What are Lessons Like?

You are coming to pool lessons with basic breathing skills learned here at RelaxnSwim.com.

You are ready to add swimming strokes to your breathing. And you are ready to find a quality teacher, right? Most important, the feelings of trust and security you receive from your teacher enable you to take gradual risks.

Shopping for a swim program

Feelings of trust and security from your teacher enable you to take gradual risks.

Here are some things to look for:

• Watch the teacher give a lesson. You know what you need – a safe place to learn and practice without being pushed or forced. You will advance, but at your own speed.
  The beginning of your career as a swimmer requires repeating basic skills so that, like walking, you’ll do them without overthinking. Your progress depends on your dedication to practicing and your teacher’s patience and sensitivity.

• Ask about how the pool’s deep end is used by the teacher. The deep end is never to be included in your first lessons. Later you will be able to swim across the pool from shallow to deep end, but only after much practice and confidence building.
  For now you want the comfort of knowing you will only be in the shallow end as you learn your strokes, and you should stand up in the pool when you need to.

• Ask about how floating is taught. New swimmers learn floating best when combined with gliding and kicking.
  The teacher may at first hold your hands and walk backward as you are pulled floating face down, holding your breath or bubbling.
  Soon you’ll be able to push off from the wall on your own, hands in front, first gliding and soon adding kicking.
  Again, take time to remember your breath-holding, mouth open, to stay relaxed. When you add kicking, then, your ankles will also be relaxed – remember?

The teacher is important, but so is the time you devote to practicing. Make sure you can allow time between lessons to practice.

Need I say more?