Too Late to Learn to Swim?

I am wondering if it is too late to learn to swim? I am 65 and would like to learn how to swim confidently as my partner sails alot in Greece and just jumps into the Med off the boat. I would love to be able to do the same. Have I left it too late?!

Beth, it’s never too late to learn to swim!

Depending on how comfortable or uncomfortable you are in the water will depend on where you start. If you are someone who finds getting in the pool a little scary then you will have to start from the very beginning by learning how to submerge your face, learning how float in the water and learning how to move and stop and stand up in the pool. These key beginnings will make learning to swim easier.

If you are comfortable with all or some of the above, then you will need to learn some swimming technique and breaststroke is usually the easiest for an adult to learn and be comfortable with.

Either way my best-selling book 'The Complete Beginners Guide to Swimming' contains aspects of learning to swim plus over 80 separate swimming exercises to help all parts of basic swimming. You can download it, print out the parts you need and take them to your pool to try out. Click the link for more information.

As far as jumping off a boat into the Med goes you will have to become comfortable with swimming in the deep end of a pool where you cannot touch the floor with your feet. Swimming away from the poolside for several meters, turning around and swimming back again can be a good test of how comfortable you will be swimming in the sea. I recommend you do this with your partner in the pool with you.

You may want to consider taking some swimming lessons at your local pool. One-to-one lessons are usually the most effective.

Whatever you do your age is of no relevance, so get out there and get on with it!

Click cover image to PREVIEW

$14.99

Buy a PRINTED copy from:

You can also download from: