The first thing anyone new to swimming learns is that the water is not welcoming. It’s not a friendly place. Not only does it feel like you’re being suffocated, but it also feels like invisible walls and currents are trying to pull you to the bottom of the pool and that you’ll never be able to breathe properly underwater. That’s why most beginners dread their first time in the water. Luckily, this fear doesn’t need to last for long. Anyone who wants to can learn how to teach beginners how to swim with patience and patience and practice and make sure they have fun doing so. Here’s everything you need to know about teaching beginners how to swim fast and safely. For expert lessons, check the city of Ottawa swimming lessons here.
Teach basic stroke fundamentals before diving into swimming lessons
Most people believe the key to swimming is paddling your arms and legs as fast as possible. While speed is a factor, it’s not the be-all and end-all of swimming. Beginners should focus on perfecting their strokes before worrying about going fast. This means that you, the swimming instructor, must first teach your students the proper way to move their arms and legs.
There are three main strokes that beginners need to learn: freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke. Of these, the freestyle is by far the most popular. It’s also the easiest to learn, which is why it’s often taught first. Demonstrate the freestyle stroke for your students and then have them practice it independently. Once they’ve got the hang of it, move on to teaching the breaststroke and backstroke.
Make lessons short and sweet.
One of the biggest mistakes swimming instructors make is trying to teach too much in one lesson. This often leads to information overload and frustration on the part of both the teacher and the student. Instead, keep your lessons short and sweet. Focus on teaching one or two concepts per lesson, and be sure to review what was learned in previous lessons before moving on to new material.
Make up a schedule
Preparation is key when it comes to teaching swimming lessons. This is especially true if you plan on teaching multiple students at once. Draft up a schedule in advance, and be sure to stick to it as closely as possible. This will help ensure that each student gets the individual attention they need and that you don’t get overwhelmed trying to keep track of everything.
Kicking is key
Kicking is a very important part of swimming, and it’s essential that beginners learn how to do it properly before moving on to more advanced concepts. There are a few different ways to teach kicking, but the easiest way is to have students practice in the pool.
Start by having students stand in shoulder-deep water. Demonstrate the correct way to kick and then have students practice for a minute or two. Once they’ve got the hang of it, move on to adding arm movement. Have students kick with their arms at their sides, then overhead, and finally outstretched in front of them. Once they’ve mastered all three kicks, have them put it all together and swim for a short distance.
Prioritize breathing lessons
Breathing is one of the most important aspects of swimming, yet it’s often overlooked. Beginners often hold their breath while swimming, which can lead to panic and fatigue. As such, it’s imperative that you prioritize breathing lessons when teaching beginners.
There are a few different ways to teach breathing, but the most important thing is to keep it simple. Start by having students float on their backs and practice taking deep, even breaths. Once they’ve got the hang of that, move on to breathing while swimming. Have students kick their legs while taking alternating breaths to the left and right. After they’ve mastered that, have them swim a short distance while taking regular breaths.
Switch lessons up
Swimming lessons can be repetitive, so switching things up from time to time is important. This will keep students engaged and prevent them from getting bored. One of the easiest ways of going about this is to change the focus of each lesson. One day you might focus on kicking, while the next day, you might focus on breathing. You can also mix up the exercises you use or change the order in which you teach new concepts.
Be flexible
Even the best-laid plans can go awry. So, it’s important to be flexible when teaching swimming lessons. If a particular exercise isn’t working out or a student is struggling with a certain concept, don’t hesitate to adjust on the fly. The goal is to help each student learn and progress at their own pace, so be willing to adapt as needed.