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.
Stay afloat without floating: the secret is in the glide
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Think you need to float to be a good swimmer? Think again. Even Olympic champions can’t float effortlessly - and it doesn’t hold them back. Hi, Mark here. I hope you've had a great week. This week, I’m busting the myth that floating is the key to swimming success. Instead, I’ll show you the real tools beginners need to build confidence in the water. Floating vs. GlidingFloating on the spot and gliding through the water are two very different things. Some of us sink like a stone - and that’s okay. What matters is learning to glide. Learn how to glide and stay afloat as you swim When you add even a little glide into your technique, you suddenly feel lighter, more stable, and far more efficient in the water. It’s a win-win. Click the link below for the low down on gliding...
Just Relax… Really?How many times have you been told to “just relax”? Easier said than done when you’re not fully comfortable in the water. That’s why I’ve pulled together some simple tips and exercises to help you find that calm, floating feeling and become “at one” with the water. Get my tips to relax and feel weightless Teachers — Save Time & EffortIf you’re teaching swimming, why reinvent the wheel? My Resource Library is packed with lesson plans, drills, and my best-selling How To Be A Swimming Teacher ebook. Browse lesson plans and teaching resources
Remember - floating isn’t the goal. Moving slowly with confidence is. Keep practicing, keep learning, and it will all click into place. Until next time, Stay focused, stay safe, and happy swimming! PS - have you missed any of my previous newsletters? Click here for a list of them all. PPS - did someone forward this to you and you're looking to subscribe? Subscribe here. |
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.
The Swim Teach Weekly 1–2–3 One teaching goal. Two ways to communicate it. Three phrases to try. Welcome to this week’s edition of The Swim Teach Weekly 1–2–3. 1 LEARNING GOAL Turn to the side to breathe without lifting the head. Front crawl breathing can quickly disrupt an otherwise reasonable stroke. Swimmers often know they need to turn their head, but when the breath feels rushed, they lift forwards instead — dropping the legs, losing balance and making the next breath even harder....
Swim Better Weekly - One small change to make swimming easier. Hi there, Mark here. Hope all is well with you. Welcome to this week’s Swim Better Weekly - one small change to make swimming easier. The problem The pool feels threatening before you’ve even begun practising. You may see other swimmers moving confidently through the water and feel as though you should be doing the same. That can make the first goal feel enormous: “I need to swim.” Why it happens Fear tends to grow when you treat...
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...