When did you learn to swim? How? Where?

[diver30]

I was 7 wen i learned to swim and my dad taught me in europa swimming baths now i can hold my breath under water for 105 seconds a minute and 3 quarters i think and i am getting better and better all the time.



diver30

 

[ckharlan66]

When I was growing up my Mom couldn't swim so she went to great lengths to make sure I could. In order to get in the water at all during the summer I had to take swimming lessons at the beginning. That went on for 7 years. Needless to say I was a strong swimmer but I got so burned out that I didn't enter the water again for 5 years. That ended with my first Scuba class.

Chad

 

[Walter]

As a child, I took swimming lessons every summer through the school system. The problem with the lessons was they never taught anyone how to swim. If you could figure it out on your own, you learned to swim. I never could figure out how to swim. I did learn the "dead man" float, but I could not float on my back. I continued to learn a bit at a time on my own over the years. While in college, I finally got to the point I could say, "I can swim." I was a weak swimmer, but I could swim. I still could not float on my back. In my late 20's I learned to dive, the 300 yd swim was a huge accomplishment for me. The 15 minute float was accomplished with drown proofing (turtle float) and treading water. I still could not float on my back. At 135 and no body fat, I was very negatively buoyant. I could dive with no weight while wearing a full 1/8" wet suit. My SCUBA instructor taught me that it was possible for me to float if I allowed my body to hang straight down and tilt back my head. Just my nose and mouth were out of the water, but it worked. After I started diving, I started swimming near the boat between dives. I'm still not a great swimmer, but I can swim all day and with a higher % of body fat, floating is not the chore is was in yesteryear.

 

[dkerr]

my parents tried to drown me by throwing me in a pool. It backfired so from then on all summer long was spent pool or beach side. I think I was 6 when I passed the advanced swim test at the military base (If I remember this was just a test of proficiency so I could swim without any parental supervision).
No, they did not really try to drown me...they just wanted me to learn at a very early age so they took me to the pool to teach me

 

[MikeS]

When I was almost 5 years old we were on vacation in Michigan. I was standing on the dock enviously watching my older brother and cousins swimming. My uncle pushed me off the dock into the water. I started to scream till he said “shut up, look at you your swimming,” at which point I realized I was so I swam back to the dock. Took about five minutes to get over the trauma and jump in by myself for the first time.

Mike

 

[Paul168341]

I spent my summers on the shore.
Consequently, I learned to swim at about the same time I learned to walk. I used to swim competetively, the 100m backstroke was my main event, also swam back on the 400m relay. Now, I swim on my back out to the down line.

 

[pchelp]

I was too young to remember. As far back as I can remember, I have been able to swim, and loved being in/on or under water. Learned to swim in the ocean in Rhode Island, thus I love rocky shores and waves.

 

[Louie]

Like many people, I was taught by my father at about three or four (he himself was a very competent competitive swimmer). However, at such a young age, one is not too tuned into technique; you do what works and sometimes, it becomes a long-term habit.
Some of the worst habits I managed to undo when I took the Canadian Red Cross swimming lessons (standard part of the school curriculum back then where I lived).
Even now at the age of 36, I feel that there are techniques that I can chagne or improve upon. I'm amazed at the number of fit people who think swimming is all about brute strength and wipe themselves out after a couple of lengths in the pool.

So best thing is proper swimming lessons from able instructors - at any age - with good knowledge of techniques.

 

[scuba-sass]

If you are all telling the truth, it's pretty scary how many young lives are threatened in such scary teaching style!

My parents had a boat on Lake George in the NY Adirondacks from long before I came along. In fact, when Mom was 8.5 months preggers with me, they hauled the boat and traveled via salt water to the NY Worlds Fair - without a compass or a depth sounder. Dad was "following Nick's boat" which had all the bells and whistles. Given my young boating start, I'm not surprised I've never experienced sea sickness! (Hope I haven't jinxed myself!)

Thinking about this time, and when I first swam, has made me realize I come from a very non-swimming family. Mom just floats (with a device of some sort) and never gets her hair-do wet. Dad always complained of ear trouble and never put his head under. That never stopped me! I can't remember not swimming. I know Dad taught me how to float by standing waist deep and supporting me with his arms - I was quite small.

I took all the Red Cross swimming classes in the winters, and swam on my own all summer. When I was barely 8, we traveled to the Virgin Islands. I specifically remember the resort on St. Maarten where I taught myself how to dive in the pool while M&D were off somewhere. Yes, they left me alone - those were trusting times. When I dragged them back to the pool to demo, I was extremely bummed because the pool was closed for sea turtle races!

Later that same vacation, Dad was standing out in the surf feeding the hundreds of fish swarming around him. He called me out, and then barely caught my arm when the undertow knocked me off my feet and nearly swept me right past him!

I still love everything about the water, but I know my strokes aren't what they should be. I could do the side stroke for hours, but I do hate the crawl!

Happy Diving & Swimming,

Scuba-sass

 

[Kaffphine]

I was so young I don't remember the event. Although I've been told that as a baby I was deathly afraid of water. My older brother and sisters loved going to the pool, so I sat and played with cups. One day my brother was told to watch me, and sat me in the water cups and all... I haven't been out of the water much since. He's also largely responsable for me actaully starting diving, I like my brother!