How to Swim in Steps

Swimming is a great sport for recreation in the water, and also for exercise. Many people learn how to swim as children, but some do not. You can learn how to swim as an adult, and breaking it down into steps is a manageable way to learn the various skills that you must learn along the way. Unlike other sports, swimming is a technical skill and takes some time and practice to master. If you spend a lot of time in or around water, or with children, learning to swim is a good skill to have.

Things You'll Need

  • Goggles
  • Kickboard
  • Nose clip or ear plugs (optional)
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Instructions

  1. Step by step swim instruction

    • 1
      Stay relaxed in the water

      Get into the water and walk out until it is about chest high. Put on your goggles. Lower yourself down into the water until your face is underwater. As you go underwater, take a deep breath. Once your face is underwater, exhale the air out into the water, making bubbles. Practice this several times until you are comfortable inhaling above water and then exhaling underwater. If water gets in your nose or ears, wear a nose clip or ear plugs.

    • 2

      Walk over to the side of the pool and hang on to the side. Pick your feet up and allow them to float up behind you. Start kicking your feet up and down in an alternating pattern. The kick is from both the hip and the knee, in a long relaxed manner. Try to get your feet all the way up the surface and make a big splash. When you are comfortable kicking at the side, get your kickboard an extend your arms along the sides of the board. Push your feet off the bottom and start kicking. The board will hold your body up as you become accustomed to being horizontal in the water. If your feet are sinking press the board down under the water a bit, this will help raise your hips up closer to the surface and it will be easier to kick. Practice going across the pool kicking. If you get nervous, simply stand up to get your bearings.

    • 3

      Set the kickboard aside. From a standing position, push off the bottom with your feet. Extend your arms up so that when you get horizontal in the water, they are overhead. Take a deep breath, put your face in the water, blow out your air and kick your feet. When you run out of air, stand up. Keep practicing getting from standing to horizontal in the water.

    • 4

      Get into the horizontal position again in the water. Now pick your head up and pull your arms in towards your chest. Reach one arm out in front and pull the water back towards you. As one arm comes in, the other arm reaches out. Kick your legs. This is the beginning swim stroke, or dog paddle. It will propel you across the pool. When you get tired, drop your legs down and stand up to rest.

    • 5

      Keep practicing all of the steps of the swim stroke. The more often you practice, the more comfortable you will get in the water.