I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
Can't float when swimming? ‘This is a must read! Plus, Loads Of Teaching Resources
Many beginners learning to swim believe that the ability to float holds the key to success, but that is really not true. Most of the best swimmers in the world cannot float.
Hi, Mark here. I hope all is well with you.
This week, I debunk some of the myths about floating by adding in a few essential tools that beginners need, to learn how to swim.
Floating Stationary or Whilst Moving?
Floating stationary and whilst moving are two completely different concepts to get to grips with. Some of us sink like a stone and there is nothing we can do about it. However, if we learn to glide, we stay afloat as we swim through the water. Plus, if we begin to add some aspects of gliding into our swimming technique, we become more efficient as we move through the water too. Win-win! Click the link below for the low down on gliding...
| Discover how to glide |
Just Relax...!
Does your swimming teacher often say 'try to relax'? Easier said than done eh? Especially when you're not completely comfortable with being in the water yet. Well, here are a few tips and tricks that might just help unlock that ability to relax and be 'at one' with the water.
For more on the science of floating and for some exercises to try that will help you get a feel for floating, click here.
Teachers - Resources To Save You Time And Work
There is nothing better than someone else doing some hard work for you. In my Resource Library you will find basic drills, lesson plans and my hugely popular 'How To Be A Swimming Teacher' ebook. Head over by clicking the link below - you might just save yourself some time and effort!
| Lesson Plans and other Teaching Resources |
That's it for this week. Stay focused, stay in touch and stay safe.
Happy swimming!
Cheers
Mark
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Hi! I'm Mark, creator of Swim Teach
I've been teaching swimming for over 30 years and I built Swim Teach so that I can share all my knowledge, wisdom and experience from the thousands of swimming lessons I have had the pleasure of teaching. Take a look back through my previous newsletters and see what you missed.
Hi, Mark here. Hope all is well. You know that frustrating moment in a swimming lesson. You explain the skill.You demonstrate it.You simplify it. …and the swimmer still looks confused. It is easy to assume that the exercise is not working - or that the swimmer simply cannot do it yet. But sometimes, the problem is not the skill. It is the words. One swimmer may respond to a clear, direct instruction. Another may need an image they can picture, a rhythm they can follow or a physical sensation...
Have you ever wondered why one person can lie back and float almost effortlessly, while someone else sinks the moment they stop moving? Hi, Mark here. Hope all is well. For beginners, this can be incredibly frustrating. It is easy to assume that you are doing something wrong - or that you simply “can’t float”. But floating isn’t a test of swimming ability. Body composition, lung capacity and the way we position ourselves in the water all affect buoyancy. Some people naturally float higher...
What if your breathing timing was the one thing holding back your whole stroke? Hi, Mark here. I hope all is well with you. This week we are talking front crawl breathing - and more specifically, the timing of your breath. If you’ve ever felt your breathing “throws you off” in front crawl, you’re not alone. It’s one of the hardest parts to coordinate - but once you get the timing right, everything flows more smoothly. My full guide is right here. What timing means It’s not just when you...