1 - Why YOU Should Learn to Swim

Everyone has their own background. Maybe you got thrown into the water and told "sink or swim" inducing a fear, maybe you just never got around to it, maybe you loved it but was never taught, there are a lot of reasons why you didn't learn it.

Whichever the case is I just want you to know that it is okay!

I learned barely passable doggy paddle for two strokes, and if I was teaching myself I'd slap myself it was so bad! I didn't stop there however, as not a few years later I joined a swimming for fitness class (desperately needed that exercise) and got a lot better.

Since this is the first one that people would see I wanted to take a moment and explain the format. Growing up I also wrote blogs all of my adult life, and a style that I found myself gravitating towards is Simon Sinek's start with why concept. The why, how, what a subject.

I ended up adopting that for my blogs, and what do you know it relates heavily to my Three P's of swimming. Each topic will follow that style format, at least unless I have a strong reason to do it differently that week.

Why + Philosophy:

You might first ask yourself why am I learning to swim? Is it for cardio, for my heart? Is it to get stronger, the strength training? Maybe mental strength. Maybe a triathlon. Whatever the reason is anchor yourself to that, as it will help you get past the initial hurdles.

However like with any skill you'll have to dig deeper eventually, and find out truly what motivates you. In life and in swimming.

These are some of the breakthrough moments I experience with my clients, where we truly dig deep. Then their swimming exponentially gets stronger, as they are far more motivated.

How + Physics:

I can't tell you how easy it is to actually team swimming. Oh you do this and that, and then boom you "Know" how to do it. However we wouldn't be here if swimming itself was that easy.

It is always nice however when someone comes in ready to learn, and all I need to do at first is information dump to them. Someone once called me as a stock reel of information.

To me as a teacher dissemination of knowledge is the easy part. The literal move this way, and here is how it helps. Usually what happens though is that those lessons get blocked by motivation (why), or by a fear (psychology).

What + Psychology:

Now when I say fear that can range from I am afraid to hold my breath because I'm not used to it, all the way to I am deathly afraid of being in the water. I've taught both extremes, and all the way in between.

It is just a matter of safety and practice at that point, and I usually have to show that I am there for the person in any way. Emotional support, or even life support if it comes down to it.

When people get passed that mental block of fear, then their life truly changes. Not only does it impact other areas of their life, as they think well if that wasn't as bad as I thought, then I wonder what else isn't as bad. It also gets them to do some wonderful exercise finally, and it helps them physically as well.

Never underestimate the importance of this life skill!

Once you swim your life will never be the same.

From the sheer amount of cardio it induces, the strength you can get both physically and mentally, to the sheer amount of practice. Those hours put into learning will manifest into other areas of your life, your balance, and more. It so amazing to see people's faces light up when the strength they got from the pool helped them in every day life.

I know some of you are scared, some of you may be parents wanting to help their kids learn, or somewhere in between. It is my goal for these posts to help you all, and I can help all. It isn't a spread yourself too thin sort of thing, as you really can learn it!