I do know basically how to swim with a mask on, but I don’t trust them very well… one of my “traumatizing moments” occurred when I jumped off a diving board and the mask came off when I hit the water. I can do a (clumsy, I think) breast stroke, I can float on my back and dog paddle, and I can do a crawl (I think. It’s been a long time.) stroke, but not the coming up for air in between strokes part.
I want to swim for a lot of other reasons too… it looks like more fun as a form of exercise than running and stuff, for one. It’s embarrassing to be in a situation with people my age around a pool (like a party or something) and be the wussy hanging out in the shallow end, and even though marine biologists don’t usually need to swim, being able to swim well would just be a big limitation removed.
Thank you for all the tips… I’m considering practicing in the bathtub like ]glee said and then I’ll look again for classes.
When I was a kid I was deathly afraid of water; wouldn’t even get my face wet. But we knew that everyone in high school took swimming, and you couldn’t graduate if you couldn’t swim. So during the summer before 10th grade, my parents enrolled me in a special class at the Y for people afraid of water. Amazingly, every single person in the class learned to overcome their fear. This was a long time ago; I hope they still have that class.
Sounds like you just need some pointers/lessons from someone who knows what they’re doing. It’s not like you’re actually afraid of water or anything. Since you can already manage a few strokes, you may just need some more formal training from an instructor.
And about the mask coming off thing… You may wish to take snorkeling lessons as well, especially if you’re serious about the Belize thing. One of the first things you’ll learn is how to enter the water properly, without your mask coming off! And you’ll learn to fit a mask properly, how to breath through the snorkel, and how to use your fins for maximum effectiveness. If you’re going to Belize, you MUST know how to snorkel!
It really did work for me, even though it was just a few inches of water.
I looked at the plug, blew some bubbles and got interested in the way the water affected the view.
I learned to swim when I was about twenty. I learned the breast stroke which you can do without putting your head under. Once I’d done that for a bit I ;learnt the other strokes because I had more confidence. It takes some time but it’s by no means impossible. Good luck"!
A friend of mine, from Carbondale, was in the Navy. First day in boot camp, the DI asks “who can swim?”
Half the guys couldn’t. My friend was still trying to figure out, years later, whether those guys choose the Navy because they hadn’t made the connection “Navy=hollow floating metal shells” or because they wanted to learn how to swim. Those who graduated boot camp had learned.
I’d like to learn how to swim as well. I’m not particularly afraid of the water; it’s just that the last time I took lessons, I got a nasty ear infection and haven’t been back. I don’t like water in my ears. Maybe it’s time to try again.
Well, of course women pick up the breast stroke more easily…
One of the guys I taught to swim was heading for the Navy. He had a specific goal in mind – had to be able to swim a certain distance in a set amount of time. We checked into it, found he wasn’t required to use any specific stroke, and basically got him to the point where he could sidestroke/breaststroke through his distance.
As far as I know, he got into the Navy. Although I hope he kept track of his lifejacket.
I’m very prone to ear infections, and I swim every other day at least. I just make a habit of putting in ear drops to dry out my ears after every swim. There are commercially available ones (EarDry or somesuch), and it is pretty easy to whip up your own recipe at home.