Why Do I Sink When I Swim?

'Why do I sink?' - that depressing question you keep asking yourself.  Summed up by the constant battle to keep your legs at the surface when all they want to do is go down.  It's all made worse when another swimmer glides effortlessly past you like a duck on a pond, without a care in the world! 

There is a very good reason why some of us sink and some of us float easily.  All is revealed in my quick 2 minute video...

'Why do I sink' explained in a 2 minute video

'Relative Density' - The Real Reason We Sink

Relative density of a male and female in freshwater. Women float better than men!

Still wondering why do I sink?  Confused about 'relative density'?  Allow me to explain in simple terms.

A stick floats and a rock sinks. The stick floats because its density is less, relative to the density of the water.  The rock sinks because its density is far greater, relative to the density of the water.  

In human terms, our fat is the stick and our muscles are the rock.  Muscles are generally more dense than water and cause us to sink.  Fat is less dense than water, party because it contains oil, which floats on water.  Thus fat floats.  Those of us with a higher fat to muscle ratio will tend to float.  Yes that’s right, fat people float better than muscular people - generally speaking.  

(I’m using fat and muscle as examples to keep things simple.  It must be noted that our bones, organs, blood and all that stuff, all contribute to the density of our body.) 

The average male has a density of 0.98g/cm3 and the average female 0.97g/cm3.  In general most human beings will float to a certain degree.  Most will have a small amount of the body staying above the water surface and females generally float better than males.

FREE EBOOK:  all the exercises you need to discover how your body behaves in the water are in my book 'How To Float', along with all the tips and tricks you will need to keep you at the surface as you move through the water. 

Don't miss out!  Click here to grab a FREE copy of my book. 

Top 5 Tips for Staying Afloat

1. Glide - a gliding action through the water as you swim is key to relaxing and the momentum of a glide helps to remain at the water surface and prevent sinking.
2. Submerge - learning how to submerge will help you learn how to float. Yes, holding your breath and slowly submerging underwater will help all areas of swimming.  Learning that your body does not sink like a stone, but actually sinks very slowly, will in turn teach you to relax as you move through the water.
3. Breathe - learning how to slowly exhale into the water will build confidence and also help to relax your body.
4. Relax - learn how to relax by practicing summering,  breathing at the right time and standing up mid swim. These three key elements will erase tension as you learn how your body moves and behaves in the water. 
5. Improve Technique - moving through the water smoothly and with minimum effort is essential for the natural sinker to stay afloat.  Correct swimming technique is a must for moving smoothly through the water.  

Still need some support?

My book 'How To Float' contains all the answers to that common question: Why Do I Sink?   

Download a FREE copy of my book and discover the solution...

Download your FREE copy

Inside you will find:

• top tips on how to relax
• breathing exercises
• exercises to perfect your gliding
• tips no how submerging will help

Download your FREE copy now and before you know it, you will be swimming the extra mile at the surface! Click here for more details.