A Beginners Guide to Get Started with Swimming

Category : Swim

Weightless and free - that’s what it feels like when you learn to swim and become comfortable with movement in water. And if this is something that's been on your list, think no further and sign up for a swim session with Sisters in Sweat. Here are 10 tips to help you get started and become a confident swimmer:

1. Choose the Right Swim Gear: Select a comfortable and well-fitting swimsuit - one with an attached bra and fixed pads, that allows you to move freely in the water. A one-piece suit or a two-piece, whatever makes you feel more comfortable. Ensure you have a comfortable silicon cap, that’s not too tight on your head. If you have long hair, look for caps that are specially made for people with longer locks. And if you tend to get your ears clogged when in water, don’t forget to carry your earplugs along. 

2. Find a Supportive Environment: If you feel intimidated when you see a mixed class, we hear you. You don’t have to push yourself to join those, as you can join women-only sessions, where the coach is cognisant of your comfort levels and plans the sessions accordingly, for you to have the perfect combination of fun and learning. Look to connect with our women-only swim sessions in Bangalore that we conduct in association with Nisha Millet Academy. In Mumbai, the women-specific swim sessions are conducted at Renaissance Club, Versova. Just reach out to us for any of these and we’ll get you started.  

3. Practice in Shallow Water: You definitely don’t want to jump into the deep end when you are just about beginning to learn how to swim. A good coach will gently and slowly guide you through different drills of breathing, floating, etc. in the shallow end, where you will learn how to move comfortably and build your confidence over sessions. 

4. Tick off the basics: Breathing, making bubbles, kicking, reaching, floating on your back and treading water are some of the basics that you’ll work on mastering in your first few sessions. Once you’ve ticked off these essential skills, you’ll notice how easily you will begin to relax in the pool.

5. Breath Work: Mastering your breathwork is crucial to learning how to swim. Just like how we don’t have to put in an effort to breathe in our normal day-to-day lives, similarly breathing while swimming, once that becomes effortless, you will automatically become a rhythmic and graceful swimmer. 

6. Be Consistent: No matter how difficult you think it is, any new activity needs consistent practice, for it to become comfortable and easy for you. So make sure to show up for all your sessions and keep practising. Your strength and stamina will improve, your neuro-muscular pathways will alter their channels to be able to accommodate this all new skill and, in no time, you’ll see that what felt impossible to learn has become something you enjoy doing every day. 

7. Set Comfortable Goals for yourself: You know from past experiences that comparing yourself to someone else is not going to cut it for you. So pace yourself, take your time to learn the skills, and get comfortable in the water at your own pace. Setting realistic goals that work for you will help see you through a consistent and solid learning experience. 

Swimming is a valuable skill, a skill that can help you relax from a tough day at work, it can help you stay fit and also help you challenge yourself towards bigger and better endurance goals. You never know, once you’ve mastered the basics, you can go on to try open water swimming too! So let this be the first step towards that goal of moving freely in water!