Learning how to swim..

[Samiun]

so I'm planning to start to learn how to swim..., again. It's not like I don't know how to swim, it's just that I can't stay afloat well and have experienced a few drowning incidents in the past. So what are your opinions? Should I re-learn swimming again?

[Tyrion]

So what are your opinions? Should I re-learn swimming again?

If we say no, do you plan on never learning to swim?

[Samiun]

^maybe..... I'm just finding opinions and options. I mean, would it be worth time and money? Is there any risk? Would learning with a group or individually better?

[جوري]

You're waterproof I say go for it!

[YusufNoor]

just skip them nasty "drowning experiences" and you should be all set!

[Samiun]

You're waterproof I say go for it!

no im not I feel like drowning even though the water level isn't above my height

just skip them nasty "drowning experiences" and you should be all set!

No way man, the thing is like a nightmare

[جوري]

no im not I feel like drowning even though the water level isn't above my height

did you squeeze your arms and legs like a sponge when you came out of the water last time? if no then you're water proof.. just get a coach.. it is so awesome- well that's my personal experience but I have been swimming since I was 5 and I think we're natural born swimmers you're probably over intellectualizing something that should be second nature!

[sister herb]

^maybe..... I'm just finding opinions and options. I mean, would it be worth time and money? Is there any risk? Would learning with a group or individually better?

If learning to swim will one day safe you from drowning, how it would be just losing time and money? Also you may be in some day in situation that someone else is in danger and without knowledge how to swim well, you might can´t help him.

[ardianto]

so I'm planning to start to learn how to swim..., again. It's not like I don't know how to swim, it's just that I can't stay afloat well and have experienced a few drowning incidents in the past. So what are your opinions? Should I re-learn swimming again?

What make you cannot afloat well and got few drowning incidents?. Maybe I can give you an advice. I was a swimming athlete with few competition experience.

[Scimitar]

...don't forget to breathe when your head is out of the water.

[~Zaria~]

Assalamu-alaikum,

Ive started swimming again this year after many years of absence, and Im hooked!

I cant think of another sport where one can work out so many muscle groups at the same time (without feeling like its an effort).

Even though I can swim (sort of), Im still struggling with this:

I cant seem to be able to lift my head out of the water without it entering my nostrils ;( Also, when I try to lift my head to breathe, it feels like I cant do it fast enough.....

Maybe our swimming pros here can give me some advice insha Allah: : )

What make you cannot afloat well and got few drowning incidents?. Maybe I can give you an advice. I was a swimming athlete with few competition experience.

...don't forget to breathe when your head is out of the water.

Brother Samiun - if you are feeling really nervous and insecure in water, then perhaps get a coach to teach you the basics of floating, breathing, etc.

Dont let your fears overcome you!
You are bigger than them! : )

Prevent yourself from recalling the bad experiences of the past.....and just go for it.

Once you learn how to swim and are you comfortable in water, you'll love it!
And as a bonus: Its a sunnah as well : )

[ardianto]

If learning to swim will one day safe you from drowning, how it would be just losing time and money? Also you may be in some day in situation that someone else is in danger and without knowledge how to swim well, you might can´t help him.

When you help someone in the water, do not drag her on her hand, but hold her chin with your both hands from back, then you swim backward. Make sure her face is above the water. Someone who almost drowned usually panic and will try to hug the helper. So, approach her from back, not from front of her. Then, like I've said, hold her chin with your both hands.

I learned it from my coach when I became swimmer when I was kid. Later it's really useful.

There was swimming lesson in my highschool. It's held out of school hours and attended by several classes at once. In a swimming lesson I saw a student almost drowned and shout asked help. I jumped to the pool and saved him. Then I began to thinking "why don't I become voluntary lifeguard for other students?". That's what I did In the next swimming lessons, and there's always students who I dragged from water in almost every swimming lesson, usually because foot cramp. Even I ever helped four (or five) students only in one day.

Frankly, I was bad in athletic, but I still got high point in sport. My teacher said it's because my very good point in swimming.

[ardianto]

I cant seem to be able to lift my head out of the water without it entering my nostrils ;( Also, when I try to lift my head to breathe, it feels like I cant do it fast enough.....

Lift your head to breathe?. Sound like breaststroke swimming. But in breaststroke head usually high enough from water when the swimmer take breath. Or maybe what you mean is lift your face with turn your head when you swim freestyle?.

Brother Samiun - if you are feeling really nervous and insecure in water, then perhaps get a coach to teach you the basics of floating, breathing, etc.

Get a coach is really good idea. I learned swimming from a private coach. In the beginning I just wanted to learn swimming, but later when my coach asked me about swimming competition, I said "why not?". Then I began to get training as competition swimmer. I was privateer (non-club swimmer), but I ever compete once for a small club in inter-club competition. It's because my private coach was a coach in that club. Other competition were "age-group" competition.

[~Zaria~]

Lift your head to breathe?. Sound like breaststroke swimming. But in breaststroke head usually high enough from water when the swimmer take breath. Or maybe what you mean is lift your face with turn your head when you swim freestyle?.

Wa-alaikumsalam,

Yes, its freestyle swimming.....

How does one turn their head to the side to breathe, without water entering the nostrils (as your head leaves the water)?

Im not sure what Im doing wrong.....I even bought 'nose-clips' (as I had seen another swimmer using them), but its really uncomfortable and makes it even harder to synchronise breathing : (

I may have to find a female instructor, just to teach me how to breathe..... : (

[YusufNoor]

no im not I feel like drowning even though the water level isn't above my height


No way man, the thing is like a nightmare

try back floating, in shallow, shallow water if need be. you are probably real uncomfortable in water. you have to try to get used to it.

if you have trouble breathing, try a side stroke or breast stroke, just keep your head out of water.

if you don't know how to "tread water", look it up. you can actually use just your arms. feet too, but that is a lot harder.

look up scissor kick for side stroke and frog kick for breast stroke. you can practice those in 2 feet of water holding on to the edge of the pool. after you got those, you can try arm the movements.

i probably should mention, i'm part fish.

ma salaama

[ardianto]

Wa-alaikumsalam,

Yes, its freestyle swimming.....

How does one turn their head to the side to breathe, without water entering the nostrils (as your head leaves the water)?

Im not sure what Im doing wrong.....I even bought 'nose-clips' (as I had seen another swimmer using them), but its really uncomfortable and makes it even harder to synchronise breathing : (

I may have to find a female instructor, just to teach me how to breathe..... : (

Assalamu'alaikum

Nose clip like used in synchronized swimming?. You must use only your mouth to breathe if you use nose clip.

You don't need to hire an instructor if you just want to learn how to breathe. There are many "swimming breathing guide" in the web. You can read or watch that and practice it in the water.

The basic lesson of breathing is, inhale with nose then exhale with mouth when the face is in the water. But in swimming, swimmers actually use their mouth too to inhale, and use their nose too to exhale. So, when the water entering the nostril, it will not inhaled. And they do not inhale 'too deep' and exhale strongly, just normally.

You can start learn breathing on the ground. Stand, and bow your body. Imagine you are in the water, then move your hands (and your other upper body) like in swimming, and breathe like in swimming. Do it slowly.

Next step is try it in the water. Enter the pool which your waist depth, bow your body until your face is in the water, then repeat this breathing training. But do it slowly, do not make you move forward.

[ardianto]

try back floating, in shallow, shallow water if need be. you are probably real uncomfortable in water. you have to try to get used to it.

For those who haven't able to overcome their fear of water, back floating is a scary thing, bro.

[YusufNoor]

perhaps you missed the bit about shallow, shallow water?

[Samiun]

jazkallahkhaira for the support guys... I'll update this thread if I succeed in overcoming my swimming problems

[YusufNoor]

start small. learn your kicks in the shallow water. once you don't need to think about them, learn your arm strokes.