How do I learn to swim

Get used to the water

Children don't really have any fears. They jump unceremoniously into the swimming with Lifeguard Rectification pool or race around the hardest of snow-capped mountains. The older you get, the more careful you become. You are aware of what could possibly happen.

If you want to learn to swim, you must first get over your fear of water . And that is only possible...in the water. Start in a shallow part of the tub where you can stand easily. Walk back and forth, take a breath of oxygen every now and then and submerge yourself for a while. Just as long until you feel comfortable.

learn to float

Due to the upward thrust, we can float on water (Archimedes' law) . That's good to know. Floating is easiest on your back and is an ideal way to take a break from swimming on your stomach. You can only float if you are relaxed . Give it a try.

Lie on your back and make sure your body is above water as much as possible. Keep your arms apart so that you form a T with your body. You will find that at some point you no longer have to struggle to keep your head above water. It goes without saying. Here too, of course, it is best to try this in shallow water .

Master the arm technique

You can practice the arm technique both on dry land and in the water . The advantage of the water is that you immediately feel what causes the movement. Practice the arm technique in water that reaches your armpits when you stand. This way you feel what the movement is doing and you can easily follow along.

The arm technique:

- Extend your arms straight in front of you and keep your hands horizontal (flat) next to each other

- When your arms are fully extended, turn your hands towards each other so that the tops meet

- Spread your arms sideways (your will now find in the water that you are moving forward)

- When your arms are at a ninety degree angle to your body, bend your upper arms towards the center of your body

- Then extend your arms straight out in front of you again, hands together

Learn the leg technique

Your legs move at the same time as your arms while swimming . In this step you only practice the leg technique. Practicing can again be done both on dry land and in the water.

The leg technique:

- Extend your legs all the way out

- Bend your knees outwards, keeping your feet together, and raise your lower legs.

- Now straighten your legs (they are then slightly spread) and bring them back into the starting position.

The leg technique looks like a frog's jump , but horizontally.

Combine the arm and leg technique

If you master both the arm and the leg technique, you can combine them. The arm and leg movement actually flow smoothly into each other. The moment you bend your upper arms towards your body, your legs come up. As you straighten your arms, forcefully bring your legs back to the starting position. The combination can be studied well in this animation film .

Practice, practice, practice

No sport comes naturally, so neither does swimming. If you want to master the breaststroke (the basic swimming technique), you need to practice it a lot. Go from shallow to deep water, practice in the sea or a lake, try other swimming techniques like the front crawl and butterfly stroke and learn how to dive from shore.

With a little time and guts, you'll be the water rat you've always wanted to be in no time!