Learning to swim

[TinyFroggy]

Hey, I've just recently got excited to learn HOW to swim. But I don't really have extra money to go to classes.

How did you learn how to swim? Did you go to official class? Your parents thought you? Your father threw you into the pool when you were 3?

Any advice on beginner like me :P

[RuthOnToast]

I've been able to swim since i were probs about 3? i were happily swimming least 800m by 5. I always had swimming lessons but id also go twice a week with my mum to practice. I got moved up so fast that i were always so much smaller than all the other kids. By time i were 11 id joined a swimming club and been swimming competitively for about 1 years now. I only train 3 nights a week and do about 15k a week so yano not too much.

Id say it be an idea to get some lessons to learn the basics you don't want to start doing it on your own and learn bad habits but once you know the basics you can go on your own to practice. Maybe even youtube it and see if that can help.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I was always, and still am, a good swimmer.

Genuinely puzzles me how some people haven't learnt how!! One of most useful life skills.

[Triz]

I honestly have no memory of learning to swim, so clearly it was at a very young age that I learned how.
I remember doing swimming lessons at school, but at that point it wasn't really learning HOW to swim; more like practicing

[Zak]

I'd say quite a lot of people in the UK learn to swim at a young age. Whether it be at school or swimming classes. I learnt to swim at age 5? Certainly a life skill.

[TinyFroggy]

You are all so lucky T.T I hate my life. Only rich people in Malaysia usually go to swimming pool and take classes. And the poor who lives nearby the oceans also know how to. For middle class people like me, well, we just float. Or sink. Lmao.

[Sloths]

I had lessons as a kid, and then in primary school with school, did struggle but I can easily swim now just wouldn’t do it competitively. Also did it as PE in high school over in NZ, a term a year until year 10.

[TinyFroggy]

Wow, PE in school? Why is my country soooo behind. We only have swimming pool in private schools. Though, there are rumors about wanting to make swimming much more accessible now to students so they might be a join venture with nearby available swimming pools.

[Samantha]

Wow, PE in school? Why is my country soooo behind. We only have swimming pool in private schools. Though, there are rumors about wanting to make swimming much more accessible now to students so they might be a join venture with nearby available swimming pools.

When I was in junior school, we had a swimming baths down the street so we used to walk there, but unfortunately after a few months the roof collapsed and we couldn't go anymore! It was then we had to take a bus to go swimming for classes, but again this stopped because someone had a poo in the pool :(.

Our town no longer had a swimming baths/pool so the high school built one - I can't remember if I was still at school when it was built, I want to say I wasn't and we just had classes when we went to high school instead!

However, I didn't actually learn to swim in school. My mum took me and my sister for lessons for when we were young, not sure of our ages though. There were 4 stages (1, 2, 3 and 4, then a class called Jesters for the ones who passed all them). Stage 1 and 2 were in the little kids pool, stage 3 was in the shallow end of the big pool and stage 4 was in the deep end of the big pool; I got to stage 4 and I hated it! My sister got to stage 3 then I'm not sure why we stopped going. I remember the swimming instructor used to call us by wrong names - called my sister Beth instead of Elizabeth, and I was Victoria instead of Samantha. I've been swimming loads just for fun too, but only on holidays recently because they've shut down most of the pools in my area.

[Ekelektra]

In primary school every year we had a two week period where we would travel to the pool every day for swimming lessons. I was never very good at it and was always in the second or third easiest group.

[TinyFroggy]

Tbh, being very good at it, isn't really important. I just wanna be graceful in swimming and look like I know what I'm doing. And to feel not pressured going to swimming pool with anyone else (because of me not knowing how to swim). And also just in case I fell from a boat, or somebody else fell from one. Then, I know and capable of what to do. That's what matters to me the most XD

[Zak]

You are all so lucky T.T I hate my life. Only rich people in Malaysia usually go to swimming pool and take classes. And the poor who lives nearby the oceans also know how to. For middle class people like me, well, we just float. Or sink. Lmao.

People who live in the UK often forget how lucky they are. Leisure facilities are very accessible here.

[TinyFroggy]

People who live in the UK often forget how lucky they are. Leisure facilities are very accessible here.

Yes. We only appreciate when we lose it.

Like love. Broken one. Okay, lame. Bye.

On a serious note, Malaysia have quite good facility. It's just that we only have those at packed areas. The main cities. So for the side 'city', we have to go thru 30 minutes driving journey before we can enjoy those facility and even then, we still have to pay. Not sure whether your facility is free or not. Though, the fee is very cheap, I'm just telling because I'm stingy. Hahah.

[Zak]

Yes. We only appreciate when we lose it.

Like love. Broken one. Okay, lame. Bye.

On a serious note, Malaysia have quite good facility. It's just that we only have those at packed areas. The main cities. So for the side 'city', we have to go thru 30 minutes driving journey before we can enjoy those facility and even then, we still have to pay. Not sure whether your facility is free or not. Though, the fee is very cheap, I'm just telling because I'm stingy. Hahah.

I can't speak for other people but yes I have to pay. It's about £4 here. Most towns have leisure facilities but it wouldn't be unusual to drive to get there.

[scottish]

this reminds me I still need to learn to swim..

[RuthOnToast]

oops

[RuthOnToast]

everyone should learn to swim or else your missing out

[scottish]

I have no interest in it, but as I do a lot of obstacle races they typically include deep water, so it's for the best..

[Triz]

I think water would terrify me to be around if I couldn't swim.

[scottish]

I mean realistically I'm always with friends, so there's like 8 people+ to save me if I drown? also there'll be lifeguards about for health and safety and all that jazz..

[lucyecc]

Hows the swimming going IZ

[scottish]

she drowned.....

have you learned yet?