How to Overcome Your Fear of Swimming

Are you the one that 'forgets' to bring your suit to a pool party? Do you wear your hat and glasses into the shallow end of the pool as an excuse to never go above your waist? Do you volunteer to 'stay with the stuff' at the beach and not enter the water? It is time for you to learn to swim!

First, you need to decide that you want to learn to swim. Period. Full stop. If you do not have this conviction you cannot overcome the fear.

Second, you need a friend or an instructor who will just spend time in the water with you. NOT teach you to swim. Just make the water a fun place. This might be floating on 'noodles' and talking. You might do this in 3 feet for 10 minutes without your feet touching the bottom of the pool. Then repeat in 4 feet of water. Then repeat in 5 feet of water. Then repeat in 6 feet of water. There is really no appreciable difference between 6 feet and 10 feet of water to someone who is not afraid - but to those who are afraid - there is a BIG difference. So proceed slowly.

While floating and talking, decide the next step. Do you want to learn to put your head under, or do you want to learn to swim with your head above water. Don't knock the doggy paddle - it could save your life one day.

Take it slow. Do it with a friend or instructor. Set goals that are realistic such as, 'I will be able to gently kick my way from one side of the pool to the other (the WIDTH) in the shallow with a noodle float supporting my upper body.' Celebrate it when you accomplish that goal. Then decide you will be able to go the LENGTH of the pool (where there is deep water). Again, take it slow. As you accomplish each goal set another reasonable goal such as, 'I will be able to float on my back'. Don't map out the goals from the beginning, just see what you want to do next. It may take a year or more before you can swim.

Now - let's tackle the swimsuit issue. Don't let the swimsuit issue keep you out of the pool. There are modest swimsuits that start with fitness suits and go all the way to meeting religious requirements for bathing suits. Look for suits that have shorts or skirts. Things You’ll Need: A friend A decision that you will learn to swim An instructor Tips & Warnings Call the pool manager to find out times when the fewest number of people are in the pool. Listen to music to help feel calm, see my article on Bukisa, How to Listen to Music While Swimming.  

You may learn to swim before you lose your fear of the water. Just keep going, eventually through ongoing practice and repetition you will gradually lose your fear. Your swimming goal may be just to learn to doggy paddle with your head above water - and is GREAT!! Your goal does not need to be swimming freestyle. Always swim with someone else who you trust. One scare can set you back on your forward progress.