Sink or Swim?

Frequently Asked Questions

Sink or swim! Why do I sink any time I try to swim? How do I get to float on the surface of the water?

Your ability to float is determined by your body composition. In general, people with high body fat percentage float very well and people with less fat and are leaner or have more muscle tend to sink. You cannot 'learn to float'. It is a characteristic of your body - either you float or you do not!

This does not mean if you don't float, you are not able to swim. The key to remaining afloat while you swim is to RELAX. It's easy to put every effort into each kick or arm movement in an attempt to move through the water but every muscle is tensed in the process, the result: you sink.

If you relax into your stroke and apply the correct technique to whichever stroke you are trying to swim, there is no reason you should sink. Try to 'feel' your way thought the water, not fight your way through it.

Try starting first of all with a simple push and glide from the pool side to experience moving through the water. The push will generate enough propulsion and movement to maintain some momentum through the water.

Then begin to swim slowly, almost in slow motion. You will begin to see that if you remain relaxed, some slow movement are enough to keep your body floating and moving.

Even if your body composition is such that you do not naturally float, then some gentle relaxed movements will keep you afloat as you swim.

Our best-selling book 'The Complete Guide to Simple Swimming' contains over 80 separate swimming exercises to help all parts of basic swimming strokes. You can download it, print out the parts you need and take them to your pool to try out. Click the link below for more information.

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