Swim Lesson Techniques

Learning how to swim is not only useful during leisurely vacations or sports practice, but it can also have the potential to save your life or the life of another person in times of emergencies. There are several techniques students can learn depending on their interest; however, there are basic swimming methods that everyone should learn to enhance their comfort level in the water.

  1. Float

    • A shallow swimming pool of 4 or 5 feet is a great place to teach floating since most beginners can still reach the bottom of the pool without swimming.

      To start learning to float, put your feet on top of the edge of the pool and try lying flat on your back. Teachers can support students by holding them at the small of their back while they straighten their bodies. Getting used to this position and making sure you're lying flat on the water is the first step in learning how to float. After practicing lying on your back try, switch your position and float on your stomach.

    Frog Kick

    • Like floating, "frog kicks" allows a swimmer to stay afloat on water without much physical exertion. It's named as such because it mimics a frog's style of swimming. Students learning frog kicks should already know how to float and have some basic skills on coordinating their arms and legs. Like a frog, bend both of your legs at the same time and slowly kick out toward the water--as if kicking something away from you. Once you're done kicking, bring your legs straight, including your feet and toes close together. Repeat the process to stay afloat.

    Crawl

    • Crawling is one of the easiest types of swimming strokes that beginners can learn--usually introduced after swimmers learn to stay afloat. In crawling, a swimmer lies flat and straight on the stomach and uses the arms to move across the water. The hands are alternately stroking while the legs are paddling. The key to the technique lies in keeping your knees and legs straight for maximum streamlined effect. Your hands fully extend when paddling, allowing maximum speed and power; when swimming think of the hands as if you are trying to reach something far in front of you.

    Advance Swimming Lessons

    • Other swimming techniques include the "breaststroke," "backstroke" and "butterfly." Although only one swimming technique is necessary, alternative strokes exercise different muscles and can increase a person's confidence in the water. The backstroke mimics a reverse crawl; however, instead of lying flat on your stomach, you lie flat on your back. The breaststroke and butterfly are more sophisticated maneuvers, requiring more coordination and practice to execute.

      Diving is also useful, teaching swimmers how to launch themselves into the water. Basic diving requires your body to be straight, with your hands fully extended and tucked to your head to obtain maximum efficiency and speed. Your legs should also be straight, and you should launch your body into the water like a spear.