As a beginner learning to swim, you have many unanswered questions, and as a teacher, you are constantly being asked them. There are a few that get asked more than others.

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Hi, Mark here. How are you? I hope all is well.

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How can I stand up mid swim? How can I swim without getting tired? How Do I Float? These are just some of the most common questions I get asked. I have listed the most common questions, along with links to my detailed answers. I hope that you can relate to these and that you find the answers useful.

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How Do I Float?

This is one of the most common swimming questions asked.

Floating is a characteristic of your body. Either you float well, or you do not. In general lean muscular people tend to sink, and people with a higher body fat percentage will float. That does not mean that you cannot learn to swim if you do not float well. Here are my tips for floating when learning to swim.​

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Learning To Swim At This Age. Am I Too Old?

Never! Anyone can learn to swim at any age. Where you start will depend on how comfortable or uncomfortable you are in the water. Here is a detailed answer I gave to a 65 year old lady asking the very same question.​

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How Can I Conquer My Fear Of Deep Water?

Become confident with submerging underwater first. Practice in water of standing depth with your feet standing on the pool floor and also with your feet lifted off of the pool floor. Keep in mind that the water is trying to support you, not pull you down. Here are some simple exercises for conquering a fear of deep water.​

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How Do I Stop And Stand Up When Swimming?

A simultaneous movement of the arms and legs is needed here.

The arms pull down through the water and the knees bend forward before the feet are placed on the pool floor. A common mistake is to arch the back and lift the head without moving the arms or legs. Here is a detailed explanation with a simple diagram showing how to stand up in the pool after swimming.​

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Can I Learn To Swim With My Head Above The Water?

Yes certainly. It is preferable to learn how to submerge and breathe when learning to swim. This enhances confidence in all areas of swimming. However a recreational type of breaststroke where the head remains above the water surface can be used. Technically this type of breaststroke is not very efficient, but it is commonly swum. Here is my detailed answer when asked this question.​

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How Can I Swim Without Getting Tired?

This depends firstly on your fitness level. Secondly, on the swimming stroke you swim because some swimming strokes are physically more demanding than others. For example, front crawl is more intense than breaststroke, but whatever the stroke, correct swimming technique will ensure you swim through the water with maximum efficiency, using the minimum of energy. Click here for a detailed explanation.​

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That's it for this week. Stay focused, stay in touch and stay safe.

Happy swimming!

Cheers

Mark

​Swim Teach​

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