Need to know how to learn to swim? Learning how to swim is something that everyone should do; and, amazingly enough, it is something everyone can do. It does not matter if you are young or old, anytime is a good time to learn to swim. Of course, swimming is not as simple as diving right in a doing laps. This is where a few simple tips and hints can come in handy.
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Get comfortable. There is a good chance that you have not yet learned to swim because you simply are not comfortable in or around the water. Overcoming this is an important first step. Before you can even consider taking your first stroke, find a nice non-threatening place to swim, and get used to being in the water. Take note that when you are learning to swim, you should always visit places where there are other people present, preferably a lifeguard.
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Keep your breathing even and calm. Staying in the shallower ends of the pool, pond, or lake, practice immersing your total body in the water. Focus on your breath. Swimming and floating are all about proper breathing exercises. The only way you can learn to swim is to make long even breaths, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
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Relax your body completely and lie on your stomach. When you are learning to swim, the next step is to float on your stomach. This is easy if you stay calm and relaxed. Take a deep breath, lie on your stomach and let go. Your head will also be fully immersed in the water, so you will have to hold your breath for a few seconds. It may take you a few tries, but eventually, you will feel your body begin to float. Stay relaxed and enjoy.
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Try to float on your back. Now that you know what floating feels like, you can try to switch things up and float on your back. This is going to be a little more difficult, but with practice, you can do it. You have to remain relaxed, just like you did when you were on your stomach; but you also have to remember to breathe. If you hold your breath, you will sink. So take long even breaths and stay relaxed.
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Practice makes perfect. Those are the basics to swimming. After you master floating, try kicking your legs and moving your arms. No one is a natural swimmer; it is something that takes time. When you are trying to learn to swim, you can speed up the process by taking a swim class. Your local community center probably has swim classes for just about any age group, from children to adult.
