Learning To Put Face in the Water

Hi, I need to some help with learning to put my face in the water. I have just started swimming lessons and can't put my face under the water. All the rest of them can do it. What help can you give me?

Learning how to put your face in the water can sometimes be scary when learning how to swim. The best thing to do, if it is something that you find challenging, is to approach it in stages.

We are human beings, and we cannot breathe in water (obviously!) therefore, the natural response of your body when learning to submerge is to raise your heart rate, increase levels of anxiety and generally say, 'no, don't do this..!

The first stage is to get used to your mouth and face getting wet. In the water of about chest or shoulder depth, feet on the floor and hold the poolside if you want, place your chin on the water and blow bubbles. It sounds like a kid's thing to do, but believe me, the next stages will be easier if you can do it.

Next, take a deep breath and place your mouth and nose in the water. With your eyes still out of the water, hold your breath and your mouth and nose in the water for as long as you are comfortable. Five seconds is plenty. Do this a few times until you are relaxed; you can do it for longer, and it becomes second nature.

The next stage is to submerge your whole face; it is best to do this with goggles. Get yourself a pair of comfortable-fitting swim goggles and repeat the above exercise but submerge slightly further. Go as far as you feel comfortable until you can fully submerge your face and remain relaxed.

Wearing goggles allows you to keep your eyes open to see what you are doing. Putting your face in the water with your eyes closed only makes it harder for your instincts to cope.

Once you get used to submerging this way whilst standing on the pool floor or holding the poolside, you can start to work it into your swimming, but only when you are ready.

You are determined to conquer this, or you wouldn't have contacted me in the first place! Patience and perseverance, and do not worry about what the others in your swimming lessons can do. It is all about you; you will learn at your own pace.

My ebook The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming contains all the help and support you need, from relaxing, floating and breathing to all the technique tips for learning to swim the four basic strokes. Click the link below for more information.

The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming

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How to Open My Eyes In The Water

I would love to know how to open my eyes in the water. Just seven days now since I started to learn to swim. I have learned how to submerge, breathe, and stay afloat. My problem is that I cannot keep my eyes open inside the water at any cost, preventing me from going to the next level.

This problem is easily solved with the use of swim goggles.

If wearing swim goggles during your swimming lessons is allowed, you will find opening your eyes in the water very easy.

I recommend the use of goggles to all of my pupils because it makes the whole experience of learning to swim easier and quicker.

The best place to buy goggles is at your local swimming pool, that is if they sell them. You can try them on and easily change them if necessary.

The two most common designs of swim goggles are two eyepieces joined by a nose piece and the all-in-one style, which incorporates both eyes and the nose. The type and style of goggles you chose is entirely your taste.

To fit the goggles to your face, you must place them onto your eyes and pull the strap over your head. This reduces the risk of injury to your eyes.

They must be a comfortable fit around the outside of your eyes, and you must ensure no hair is caught in them, as this will let water leak in.

When you have used your goggles for some time and got used to them, your confidence in the water will begin to grow very fast. You will be able to swim with a greater sense of where you are and what you are doing. They will quite simply open up a whole new world for you.