Expert Advice for Your First Adult Swim Lessons

So you've decided to sign up for swim lessons! Learning to be more comfortable in the water has dozens of benefits, from enhanced fitness to breath control to general quality of life. Swimming is an amazing activity at any age and greatly enhances your ability to enjoy your environment and your body.

No matter what your skill level there are adult swim lessons that will suit your needs. Maybe you never learned to swim as a kid and feel very nervous around water; or maybe you were in competitive swimming as a teenager and want to continue to improve this life skill.

But you may be unsure what to expect at your first adult swim lessons. You may fear embarrassment, or be nervous about water in general. You may be anxious about missing some crucial bit of equipment or clothing.

Never fear! With this guide you will be able to navigate your first swim lessons with confidence. Once you start attending adult swim lessons you will find that a whole world of swimming skills and healthy lifestyle changes has opened up for you, and you won't look back.

Before You Start Your Adult Swimming Lessons

man swimming in a pool

To feel comfortable at your first adult swim lessons, you can begin your mental and practical preparations beforehand.

Location: Familiarize Yourself With the Area

map

Any time you are starting something new, finding your way to the venue and getting there on time are among the things you may stress about.

Finding some errands to run in the vicinity of the pool will help you by giving you an idea of where it is and how long it takes to get there, making you feel more confident when the time comes to go to your first lesson.

Watch a Lesson

When you find yourself near the pool you may even want to stop in and watch how other lessons are run. If you find out in advance what time adult swim classes take place you may find it comforting to watch others in your age range learning the basic water safety and swimming skills that you will soon be learning as well.

Exercises: Prepare Your Body

2 women in a pool

As the first swim lessons draw near, you may also want to give yourself an edge by making sure your muscles and breath are prepared for the challenge.

Important Muscle Groups To Stretch and Strengthen

Swimming is an amazing full body workout, enlisting every major muscle group in your body as well as stabilizers. You will find that your quadriceps, pelvic girdle and core are particularly challenged. elastic exercise bands make a great addition to a preparatory workout before you start swimming.

Breath Control: No Scary Moments

The more control you have over your breath when you have your first lesson, the better you will feel in the water.

While watching some videos or even playing mobile games it's easy to challenge yourself to hold your breath for thirty seconds, take deeper breaths, and slowly release air through your nose over an extended period of time. Being able to slowly blow a stream of air for thirty seconds or more will make you feel much more able and prepared once you are putting your face in the water.

Necessary Equipment: Things You Should Have For Your First Adult Swim Lessons

swimming goggles

Check with your adult swim school to find out what they require. Do this before your first lesson so that you don't arrive only to find that you need a swim cap or a different type of swim suit.

For instance, some pools may require men to wear a swim shirt, while others may permit only trunks; some may permit speedos, while others may require more coverage.

Beyond what is required for your lessons, you may want to have certain equipment and attire in order to feel as comfortable as possible.

Check Your Swimwear

Beyond the pool's requirements, you want your suit to be comfortable and well fitting. After all, it is hard to focus on swimming if the straps of your suit keep falling off your shoulders, or the bottom keeps giving you a wedgie.

Make sure your suit fits and stays in place when you try to move.

Swim Cap

Most pools require swim caps for all but the shortest of hair styles, but a poorly fitting swim cap can be very frustrating. Make sure you buy it in advance and try it on before your lesson so you know if the first one you try gives you a headache after fifteen minutes of wear, or if all of your hair fits under it.

If you have long, thick hair, be aware that there are caps designed to fit a good sized bun inside them. This can make your lesson much more enjoyable and healthier for your hair, as many hair types do not appreciate chlorine.

Other Equipment

There are many amazing tools that help swimming be more enjoyable and fun. Goggles and earplugs and noseplugs may make your experience much more enjoyable.

Make sure they are allowed for your lessons, as earplugs in particular can make it hard for you to hear your instructor, but even if they aren't allowed for lessons you will be able to wear them while practicing and building confidence between lessons.

During And After Your First Adult Swim Lesson

woman in a swimming pool

When the day arrives for your first lesson, plan to have open communication with your experienced instructors. Focusing on their instructions and demonstrations will make your lesson time much more productive.

Try to Relax

Perhaps this goes without saying, but fear can make learning very difficult. Remember that your instructors are well versed in water safety and know exactly what to do if someone is struggling in the water; when you are being directly overseen by skilled and experienced instructors there is truly nothing to be afraid of.

Beyond fear, there may also be anxiety about embarrassment, and self consciousness. But after a few lessons this feeling of exposure should begin to disappear, as you find your place in the class and learn vital water safety skills.

Ask About Private Swim Lessons

When your first group lessons are done, if you still find yourself a bit uncomfortable, it may be very worthwhile to ask about some private or semi private swim lessons.

A smaller group means more individual instruction and more opportunities to fine tune your body position and stroke technique; once you have asked your questions and perfected your basic skills in a couple of private swim lessons you will find that the group adult swim lessons are much more productive and enjoyable for you.

Enjoying Your Adult Swim Classes

Signing up for adult swim lessons is a great first step toward better health, better mood and a deeper enjoyment of life.

Give yourself a great confidence boost by learning essential water safety skills at adult swimming lessons; you will certainly never regret investing time that can pay off in so many areas, from fitness to outdoor activity to general safety.

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Swimming Lessons for Kids: Choosing the Right Instructor

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Essential Tips For Your First Swim Lessons