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 3 Skills That Matter More Than Strokes
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Your weekly insight, one mini story, one practical step to try today and one question to consider - all in a five minute read. Hey, Mark here. I hope you've had a good week. Most beginners try to learn a stroke too early. They think the answer is breaststroke or front crawl. Usually, the answer is something simpler: get comfortable, learn to breathe, and learn to glide. One insightSwimming gets easier when you stop trying to “swim” straight away. The real foundations are much less glamorous: putting your face in the water without panicking, breathing out calmly, floating, and pushing off in a long shape. Once those basics click, strokes stop feeling chaotic and start feeling logical. Check out the basic steps right here. One mini storyI’ve seen plenty of beginners assume they’re “bad at swimming” when really they’re just skipping steps. They try front crawl before they can exhale underwater. Or they try breaststroke before they can glide. That’s a bit like trying to run before you can stand comfortably. One practical stepIn your next swim, forget the full stroke for five minutes. Just practise these three things:
Those three skills do more for beginners than most people realise. For more practical tips, click here. One questionWhich of those basics feels least comfortable to you right now: breathing, floating, or gliding?
Until next time - hang in there and keep swimming! Mark ps - forward this onto anyone you know that needs some swimming help. |
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.
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. Gliding Floating on the spot and gliding through the water are two very different things. Some of us sink like a stone - and that’s...
Hi, Mark here – I hope you've had a great week! Many children – and adults – learn to swim faster when they stop feeling like they're being taught and start feeling like they're simply playing. That's why games and play can be such powerful teaching tools. For parents, playful activities help children relax, use their imagination, and forget the fears and anxieties that often come with learning to swim. For swimming teachers, games transform lessons into engaging, confidence-building...
Hi, Mark here. I hope you’ve had a great week. If your legs are working hard but you still feel like you’re going nowhere, your front crawl kick probably needs refining - not more effort. A good kick should help you stay balanced, streamlined and relaxed in the water. It should support the rest of your stroke, not leave you exhausted after one length. This week’s guide breaks down how to kick front crawl with more control, better body position and less wasted energy. 👉 Read the full front...