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.
Why Is It Different For An Adult Learning To Swim Than A Child? How To Teach Outstanding Swimming Lessons
Teaching adults to swim is very different from teaching children. Whilst some of the methods are similar, the approach is completely different.
Hi, Mark here. I hope all is well with you.
This week I am talking about adults learning to swim and how a swimming teacher can adjust their teaching style to help.
Adults will arrive at the poolside in all shapes and sizes and with different confidence levels. However, one thing that they will all have in common is that they will all appreciate a relaxed and informal approach to being taught to swim.
Breaststroke is the perfect swimming stroke to teach adults because of its wide arm and leg movements that help build a sense of balance. It can also be performed with the face-up and eyes looking forward, giving the pupil a sense of security and balance. However, teaching adults to swim all strokes brings some barriers and limitations. These include:
- Lack of Coordination
- Lack of Flexibility
- Lack of Fitness
Add together all of these common limitations, and you have what most swimming teachers experience when teaching adults to swim - very slow progress. Slow progress in adults learning to swim is normal and should not be looked upon negatively.
As a swimming teacher, you can do a few things to help:
- Be calm, relaxed and informal in your teaching style. This will help to relax your adult and keep them at ease.
- Adjust your expectations accordingly.
- There are many more. Click here to find out.
How To Be A Swimming Teacher - My Fully Updated Book.
My very popular book How To Be A Swimming Teacher has been updated with more helpful information and tips than its predecessor. This really is the definitive guide to teaching outstanding swimming lessons.
Click here, or click the cover for a preview, including a full list of the contents. Discover the tools to help you master your profession and deliver outstanding swimming lessons.. Click here or the button below to purchase your copy.
Do you know a new swimming teacher learning how to teach that might benefit from this? Please forward this email to them, or share the link. It could boost someone's teaching practice and really help them out.
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That's it for this week. Take care and stay safe.
Happy swimming!
Cheers
Mark
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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. Hope all is well. Butterfly is often seen as the hardest stroke — but with the right breakdown, anyone can learn it. Think of it less as a power stroke and more like a rhythmic wave. Here’s how to get started: 🐬 The Basics Arms: Enter shoulder-width, sweep out and in, then relax on recovery. Kick: Drive from your hips with two dolphin kicks per arm cycle. Breathing: Lift just enough during recovery to inhale, then return your face smoothly.👉 Full technique guide ⚠️ Common...
How do I float, and why do I sink? It's a question commonly asked by beginners learning how to swim. Hi, Mark here. Hope all is well. Ever wondered why some people float effortlessly while others seem to sink like a stone? 🤔This week, I’m sharing two powerful resources to help you (and your swimmers) finally crack the floating puzzle: 🧑🏫 For Swimming Teachers: A Ready-to-Use Floating & Gliding Lesson Plan Teaching floating can be tricky — but with the right structure, it becomes one of the...
What if your breathing timing was the one thing holding back your whole stroke? Hi, Mark here. I hope all is well with you. This week we are talking front crawl breathing - and more specifically, the timing of your breath. If you’ve ever felt your breathing “throws you off” in front crawl, you’re not alone. It’s one of the hardest parts to coordinate - but once you get the timing right, everything flows more smoothly. 👉 My full guide is right here. 🌀 What timing means It’s not just when you...