Swimming Tips for Beginners

Whether you are taking up swimming as a recreational activity or as a competitive sport, you need to understand the basics first. In order to learn how to swim, it is important that you know how to propel yourself ahead through water. I remember my first day in the swimming pool. I was 6 and my aunt (who is a swimmer) motivated me into joining swimming lessons. Which is why I can say this with confidence that the first few days, if you have never set foot in the swimming pool before or have just splashed water around, are very tough. By tough I don't mean difficult to swim or anything; what I meant to say was that many people are overwhelmed by the whole experience and might find swimming tough for them. But that's not the case. You may feel a bit scared but that feeling too shall pass as you practice. And to help you understand what it takes to swim or self-propel through water, we have put this article together. So read it carefully and know what you can do to make swimming as easy as it can be.

Basics Tips on Swimming Like a Pro

If you have ever watched someone swim on television or in real life, then you would know that there are few basic swimming strokes which you can learn. Of course, your coach or instructor will prefer that you begin with freestyle swimming because it is the most easiest one to learn. However, we are not going to talk about the different swimming strokes. What we are here to discuss is what you can do, as a beginner, to learn how to swim quickly and accurately. Incorporate these tips the next time you're in the pool.

Tip #1: In order to learn how to swim, you have to prepare yourself mentally. This comes way before actually stepping foot inside the swimming pool. You need to decide and tell yourself that you want to learn swimming. Clearing any doubts or apprehensions is the key to becoming a good swimmer. So get yourself enrolled for the lessons, talk to a friend of yours who knows how to swim, and/or ask someone to join with you to learn. And of course, don't give up in the middle.

Tip #2: As a beginner, it is very important that you stay motivated and feel safe in the swimming pool. You can ask a friend, who's a swimmer, to be with you in the pool. This way you won't feel scared but feel assured that you can do this. Other than motivating you psychologically, he/she can also correct the swimming strokes, if required. Also, when you are doing good, his/her praises can make you want to do much better.

Tip #3: Since humans are not very used to water, as a beginner, it could seem alien to you. So for starters, adjust yourself to this surroundings and understand how the body glides and moves in the water. For this, you can stand in the shallow part of the pool and keep your hands inside the water surface. Now start moving your arms around as gently as possible. This way, without moving ahead, you are learning how to paddle with your arms. Slowly, bend your knees and submerge your body, till your neck, and get comfortable with the pressure on your body. You will get a feel of the pressure the water gives when your arms are moving with your body inside.

Tip #4: Next, we will concentrate on your eyes. Your sight is very important while swimming and to learn how to see under water, you need to be comfortable with the goggles on. So at least for an hour, place the goggles over your eyes and don't take them off. The practice of seeing through the goggles in and out of the water is very important. And if your goggles begin to have fog in them, squint your eyes to let some water in. The water will splash over the goggles and will remove the fog.

Tip #5: Breathing under water is one of the main techniques you will be required to learn. So we will talk about few swimming tips for breathing here. While swimming, it is crucial that you exhale freely into the water. For beginners, their first instinct is to hold their breath when their face is inside the water. This is wrong because you won't be able to complete the strokes properly and won't really propel much ahead through the water. So with your coach or friend, in shallow end, place your face inside the water and exhale through your nose. While you do this, hum from your mouth. As you exhale from the nose, bubbles will come out and you will feel as if you are sighing. As you get better at it, completely submerge your body and practice this. And one more thing, keep yourself relaxed throughout.

Tip #6: Don't try to learn the entire stroke all at once. Break it up into pieces. Learn your arm movements first or practice kicking with your legs, if you prefer. But the point is that don't jump in the water and manage to move your entire body at once. Instead of learning to swim, you will only begin to sink in. So you can learn the arm or leg movements in the shallow end or on land, whichever you prefer.

These tips are not just for you to read, but understand what your role is once you're inside the water. Of course, a coach and/or friend will give you helpful suggestions and advice to assist you, but in the end, it is your responsibility to understand and apply them properly to aid yourself. All the best!