Hi Mark here,

Happy new year! I hope all is well.

If learning to swim is part of your plans, the most important thing to remember is this: confidence comes before technique. The swimmers who make the best progress aren’t the ones who push hardest — they’re the ones who take time to understand the water and themselves.

Here are a few key foundations worth focusing on as you begin (or continue) your swimming journey:

Get comfortable in the water first

Before strokes and lengths, spend time simply being in the water. Stay in the shallow end, practice putting your face in, and gently blow bubbles. This helps your body learn that the water is a safe place to be.
​Click here to learn more about relaxing in the water.​

Floating and gliding are confidence-builders

Floating might feel awkward at first - that’s completely normal. Relaxing your body and trusting the water takes practice. Once floating feels familiar, gliding from the wall becomes much easier and helps you move calmly through the water.
​Click here to discover why floating doesn’t come naturally (and how to fix it).​
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​Click here to discover how to glide properly.​
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Breathing changes everything

Most beginners struggle not because of strength, but because of breathing. Practising slow, steady exhalation underwater — then lifting your head to breathe - can instantly make swimming feel calmer and less tiring.
​Discover a simple guide to swimming breathing technique here.​

Start simple with strokes

You don’t need perfect technique straight away. Front crawl and breaststroke are ideal starting points — focus on smooth movements, relaxed breathing, and staying within your comfort zone.
​Get front crawl basics here​
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​Click here for Breaststroke basics​
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Progress is built on small wins

Putting your face under, floating for a few seconds, standing up mid-swim — these are all meaningful steps forward. Confidence grows when you recognise progress, no matter how small it feels.

If you’d like gentle guidance to support you between lessons, The Complete Beginners Guide to Swimming brings all of these foundations together in one clear, reassuring place — from relaxing and floating, through breathing, to mastering the basic strokes at your own pace.

Whatever your starting point this year, remember: learning to swim is a process, not a race. Keep showing up, stay patient with yourself, and trust that progress will follow.

That’s all for this week. Best wishes for the year ahead. Happy swimming!

Cheers

Mark

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