I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
Boost Swimming Confidence With 5 Essential Skills For Beginners. Plus, A Lesson Plan For Boosting Confidence
Are you a beginner? A boost to your confidence will sky-rocket your swimming abilities. Are you a swimming teacher? Check out a confidence boosting lesson plan.
Hi, Mark here. I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.
Welcome to the confidence booster edition of Swim Teach News! This week, I am covering the basics of learning to swim that need to be tackled before fine-tuning any actual swimming technique.
Essential Confidence Boosters For Beginners
1. Discover your level of buoyancy
Understanding how buoyant you are will help determine if you are a floater or a natural sinker. It’s all down to your relative density. To learn more about relative densitiy, click here.
2. Learn how to relax
Easier said than done I hear you say. Not at all. It just takes time. A combination of floating, gliding and breathing at a comfortable time will lead to you being at one with the water. For more in-depth information on how to relax, click here.
3. Learn how to glide
Gliding is the missing link between floating and relaxing. If you can glide through the water from a push from the poolside, then you are halfway to mastering one of the most important parts of swimming - streamlining. Find out more about gliding by clicking here.
4. Stopping and standing mid swim
An often forgotten skill when learning how to swim, stopping and regaining an upright standing position from a front (prone) or back (supine) swimming position is vital. Click here to discover a simple explanation along with some clear diagrams.
5. Learn how to submerge
Although this is at number 5, it is arguably the most important of all swimming tips for beginners. If you can learn how to hold your breath and let yourself sink down underwater (within your depth of course), you will not only discover a whole new world of peace and quiet down there, but the more you do it, the more you will begin to relax. Going underwater is explained right here, so click and discover.
Loads more swimming tips for beginners right at your finger tips...
Everything you need to know about learning to swim, including relaxing, floating, submerging and basic swimming techniques can be found in my massively popular book, The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming.
Click here for more details and to download a copy to your computer, tablet or mobile device. Or, click on the image for a sneak preview.
| Take Me To The Complete Beginners Guide |
Confidence Building Lesson Plan For Children
Check out this 30 minutes confidence building lesson plan tailored to boost the confidence of nervous, anxious children. There are plenty more lesson plans where this one came from. Click here to find them.
Need More Lesson Plans Like This One?
Check out 101 Swimming Lesson Plans that cover everything from first entering the swimming pool to swimming all 4 basic swimming strokes to an advanced level. I have also included swimming lesson plans written specifically for adults. Click here to find out more.
That's it for this week. Stay focused, stay in touch and stay safe.
Happy swimming!
Cheers
Mark
ps - did someone forward this to you? Subscribe here.
Hi! I'm Mark, creator of Swim Teach
I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
Hi Mark here, Happy new year! I hope all is well. A new term always brings a familiar rhythm - fresh faces, returning swimmers, and a renewed chance to make a real impact at poolside. Whether you’re just starting out or many years into teaching, the most effective lessons tend to share the same foundations: clarity, variety, patience, and purpose. With that in mind, here are a few simple reminders worth carrying into your teaching this term. Know who you’re teaching It sounds obvious, but...
Hi Mark here, Happy new year! I hope all is well. If learning to swim is part of your plans, the most important thing to remember is this: confidence comes before technique. The swimmers who make the best progress aren’t the ones who push hardest — they’re the ones who take time to understand the water and themselves. Here are a few key foundations worth focusing on as you begin (or continue) your swimming journey: Get comfortable in the water first Before strokes and lengths, spend time...
Hi, Mark here — I hope you’re doing well as we reach the end of the year. This is the time when routines shift, pools get a little quieter, and many people focus on family, work, rest, or celebration. If you’ve found your swimming slowing down recently, please know this is completely normal - and nothing to feel guilty about. Learning to swim as an adult takes courage, consistency, and patience. And sometimes the best thing you can do for your progress is simply to pause, breathe, and come...