Meet the Teachers

Interview with Frank Kennedy

originally posted 4/12/02

updated 11/23/08

One of England's pre-eminent swim teachers, Frank Kennedy of the UK's Swimming teacher.com, specializes in the fearful swimmer.

Relaxnswim caught up with him to discover what he does to help his students learn to swim so quickly and safely.

RelaxnSwim: Let's say you've just met your new, fearful student. How do you begin the lesson?
Swimming teacher.com : The first step is to listen to my new pupil's problems.

R: Alright, so your student has just told you about her fear of water. You have an idea of her history, and she sees that you are listening to her. What comes next?
S: Then a "verbal contract" for each to try 100% for each other in the water. You can remind them of this agreement minutes later, when they first get near the point of refusing!

R: How is breath-holding taught in the UK?
S: Most UK teachers don't even ask their students to breathe in before instructing them to place their face in water for the first time!

R: Why would students want to breathe in before putting their faces in the water?
S: The "more" they can breathe in prior to submerging, the less chance of them sucking in water in a panic once they have submerged.

R: Your student has taken a breath and is holding it, face in the water. What about bubbling?
S: I disagree with most other teachers at this early stage. Blowing bubbles is to my mind blowing away good unused oxygen, reducing both the confidence and the time one needs to stay safely submerged, safely learning to float, learning to regain a standing position, and then learning to swim.
Blowing bubbles at this early stage greatly increases the risk of sucking water back in, or getting bubbles up the nose.

R: Hm, how do you keep water out of the nose?
S: On that problem area of The Nose, the great unsung early remedy is of course "Humming."

R: When are rhythmic, continual breathing skills introduced to the swim lesson?
S: I teach exhaling and rhythmic breathing as a totally separate package, several lessons apart, after the pupil is fully relaxed floating, can regain his feet, and is starting to learn to swim.

R: Does this mean the the student swims on one breath, then stands up?
S: Anyone can swim 10 metres initially without needing to breathe. A perfect stroke can be developed over 10 metres.

R: Develop the stroke, then add breathing last, right?
S: Yes, then the breathing practice is "blended together" with the then-efficient stroke.