cummings66
Contributor
If it was me and I wasn't sure I could do the swim part, and I wasn't because it had been 15 years since I was last swimming and that was in the Ocean, I would go to the local Y or swim training school.
I did about 1 - 2 hours of swimming each weekend until I got back some of my skills. I could barely swim 50 feet before tiring out when I started and by the end of the month I could easily do the 200 meters. I'm even better now because I continue working on my surface swimming every time I'm near a pool or beach. I've almost got my breathing rhythm back to where it was and that is I think the hardest part of swimming. You've got to breathe right or you'll tire quickly. PS, practice with fins as well because that helps the leg muscles get used to it and you'll do better under water.
Treading water isn't that hard, but PADI does say tread or float, not just tread. In any event try remaining vertical and see how much you sink. For me I sink to my eyeballs and stop so I don't have to work real hard to tread water. The knowledge that you won't sink helps you swim better. In other words, if you relax you'll find you stay on top of the water with less effort, struggle and you'll tire out and feel like you're drowning.
I surprised myself on swimming and I bet if you and yours get comfortable in the water by doing weekly sessions you'll do better than expected. It really isn't that hard once you get into it, and you just might like it. If you swim freestyle keep the head down and rotate to the side to breathe, and if you swim on the back keep the head back so you float easier. On your back you can use the arms in a pulling motion completely under water (easier) or paddle like the freestyle (faster).
The breast stroke is also easy to do and would probably be easier to do in the beginning. The Red Cross has a good book on swimming, check it out at a local library and it'll give you plenty of info on how to swim. That is if you just need a refresher, if you've never been able to swim a short course would be helpful.
I did about 1 - 2 hours of swimming each weekend until I got back some of my skills. I could barely swim 50 feet before tiring out when I started and by the end of the month I could easily do the 200 meters. I'm even better now because I continue working on my surface swimming every time I'm near a pool or beach. I've almost got my breathing rhythm back to where it was and that is I think the hardest part of swimming. You've got to breathe right or you'll tire quickly. PS, practice with fins as well because that helps the leg muscles get used to it and you'll do better under water.
Treading water isn't that hard, but PADI does say tread or float, not just tread. In any event try remaining vertical and see how much you sink. For me I sink to my eyeballs and stop so I don't have to work real hard to tread water. The knowledge that you won't sink helps you swim better. In other words, if you relax you'll find you stay on top of the water with less effort, struggle and you'll tire out and feel like you're drowning.
I surprised myself on swimming and I bet if you and yours get comfortable in the water by doing weekly sessions you'll do better than expected. It really isn't that hard once you get into it, and you just might like it. If you swim freestyle keep the head down and rotate to the side to breathe, and if you swim on the back keep the head back so you float easier. On your back you can use the arms in a pulling motion completely under water (easier) or paddle like the freestyle (faster).
The breast stroke is also easy to do and would probably be easier to do in the beginning. The Red Cross has a good book on swimming, check it out at a local library and it'll give you plenty of info on how to swim. That is if you just need a refresher, if you've never been able to swim a short course would be helpful.