Anyone here a swimming instructor, or have been one? A question.

[raccoon]

In the Dark Ages, when I went to college, I took swimming. Like many people, I had learned to swim by just monkeying around and learned to sort of dog paddle.

Our instructor said that those of us who had learned the wrong way would never swim the proper way, when you turn your head to the side to inhale,and then down to exhale.

Can any of yall tell me if she was right about that?

[seabeyond]

1. wrong. one of my biggest rewards was being a swim instructor at a jr college

adults, many of them older adults fearful of water a lifetime who wanted to finally learn to swim. and really, they were easier to teach than little kids.

other times i taught kids and they learned dog paddle first

most all kids learn dog paddle before they get into swim instructions.

not true what the woman said

[raccoon]

2. THANK YOU. Maybe I'll be able to teach myself the right way, or pay somebody else to. nt

[seabeyond]

3. i don't know where paranoia is, but... lol

do. there are a handful of keys... that once down will wrap it up in a whole. but yes, you can teach yourself. and would be fun for you too. and good exercise.

[raccoon]

4. thanks for the key...I don't quite get it though. Any others? nt

[seabeyond]

5. well, it is just some exercises to do to help you along

using kick board breathing to side. practicing holding the wall kicking and breathing to side.. how you bend your elbow (allowing elbow to lead) and place hand bringing your arm thru the stroke that allows breathing to the side. if you can get leg bouys that will allow your feet to stay up, using just your upper body, and practicing to side.

these are really good little exercises that will help before you do the full stroke, putting them all together.

[Old Troop]

6. Wrong, wrong. wrong. Proper instruction with a motivated student will

turn a rock into flipper.

[Lady President]

7. Former Lifeguard and Swim Teacher

I used lifeguard, teach swim lessons, and swam on teams from the time I was 8 through college. You are never too old to learn to swim, and you can undo anything you've learned wrong. Period. The real key is being comfortable in the water. There are adult classes offered at many YMCAs and clubs. They're full of adults who know how to paddle, but nothing more. Offhand I can think of a dozen tricks to help unlearn bad habits. For example, you can learn the proper breathing that she was referring to easiest by practicing on the side of the pool-- old school blowing bubbles.