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 fastest way to revive a tired swim class
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What’s the one thing that can instantly re-energise a tired swim class? Hi there, Mark here - hope you’re doing well. Over the years I’ve found that no matter how much experience we’ve got as swimming teachers, a few simple tweaks can make a huge difference to how our lessons run—and how much our swimmers get out of them. I’ve pulled together some of my best tips that I use myself, and I thought you might like to try them out in your own lessons: My Top Tips for Better Swim Lessons ✅ Know your swimmers ✅ Use equipment creatively ✅ Use games to teach skills ✅ Be patient with adults ✅ Build confidence gradually ✅ Give regular feedback Want more ideas like these? Explore my books here A few quick ideas you can try next week:
These are just a few of the little things that can transform a lesson. If you’d like a bank of ready-to-use ideas, drills, and lesson structures, I’ve put everything I’ve learned over 30 years into my books for swimming teachers. They’re designed to help you deliver better lessons - whether you’re brand new to teaching or just looking for fresh ideas. Then: 👉 Take a look at my collection of teaching books here
I hope these tips spark some fresh ideas for you. Let me know if you try any of them - I always love hearing how they work in other teachers’ lessons. Happy teaching, P.S. Ever wondered how it’s possible to fit 101 lesson plans into one book? You can preview the full list of lessons 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.
Always wondered why confident swimmers look so relaxed in the water? Hey, Mark here. Hope you're doing well. For many beginners, putting your face underwater feels like the biggest hurdle in swimming. But once you get comfortable with it, everything changes. Swimming becomes calmer, smoother, and far more enjoyable. Here’s a simple 3-step way to build confidence underwater. 1️⃣ Get the face wet Start gently. Splash water on your face, blow bubbles, or chase a floating ball at the surface.This...
What’s the biggest challenge you face when teaching an adult to swim - fear, technique, or simply unlearning old habits? Hey, Mark here, I hope you’re doing well. This week, I'm tackling that sometimes tricky task of teaching adults how to swim, inspired by an article I wrote a while back. Why adapting your style matters Adults come to the pool with all kinds of backgrounds: varying fitness, flexibility, and confidence levels. The key is to meet them where they are, not push them into a...
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...