Adult 'improver' swimming lessons

Our local leisure centre runs "adult lessons" so I'm assuming others may do it.

I also know a couple of swimming instructors who have discreetly done 121 sessions in public pools.

Sadly our local leisure centre doesn't do the adult lessons. I would consider 1 to 1, but haven't found an instructor near me yet. I will keep looking.

Where are you based ? My parents are adult swim instructors, based in Teesside but they might know of people in your area ?

Thanks! Ludlow in Shropshire.

Obviously location dependent, but a Google for "swimming instructors for adults near me" has thrown up a couple of businesses in Derby and also at the University of Nottingham.

Both my kids were taught to swim at a lical swimming club, its a skill i would like to have

t’s technique, not fitness I’m sure. I just don’t feel at home in the water, I feel ‘heavy’ (I’m not particularly – 80kg, could do with being 75), I even get knackered quickly trying to tread water, and I don’t float very well!

I had a similar problem with my balance/position in the water. There are lots of useful drills contained within the total imersion book to help with this. It is much easier with someone to coach you but not impossible to figure out on your own. Watching other swimmers, especially underwater can be a great help.

Once you have got the position sorted you can start to look at stroke technique for this I used drills and tips from Swim Smooth.

Thanks! Ludlow in Shropshire.

I did an adult improvment course at hereford Halo, this was about 10 years ago but I believe they still run it or something similar, worth giving them a call

https://www.haloleisure.org.uk/freeadultlearntoswim/

My local virgin centre, which has both outdoor and indoor pools, will do 1to1's but you need to buy a package which can £400 a month.

Something like that might be worth a punt for a month then it'll begin to click.

Lots on YouTube too.

@docgeoffyjones thanks! Hereford is doable, I will check that out 👍

I got my ten metres badge as a young child but didn't enjoy swimming so never really swum ever again.

So when I took up adult lessons (at leisure centre) it was from scratch. Was beginning to get the technique for front crawl, had transferred to the big pool, and then Covid hit. I didn't return after lockdown (infection paranoia etc) then leisure centre closed their pool. Completely relate to not feeling at home in the water, the lessons helped me get used to that again.

I had been enjoying it though. Really appreciated the contrast to running, or riding over rough ground - swimming is so smooth and impactless.

Adult lessons for beginners might cater for those who can already swim a length or two and wish to improve, or they might have separate lessons or a club for that, best speak to them. The lessons I had were very focused on technique and building that up in stages through different drills we'd practice each week.

@docgeoffyjones thanks! Hereford is doable, I will check that out 👍

Just checked, only available if you can't swim 25m, which I can. This is the issue I've always had when trying to improve in the past, there are courses for complete non swimmers, but seldom any for those who can swim a bit but not very well.

@caher, thanks £400 does sound a bit steep! I have had a look at a few YouTube videos. I think it's a great resource for learning lots of stuff, but not for something like swimming. Well not for me anyway.

Teaching swimming is one of the few things I’ve actually trained to do! As a sweeping generalisation, triathletes are terrible swimmers 🙂 lots of clubs have some sort of technique coaching access so maybe ask around your way? Or, if you can get a video of yourself swimming without being arrested email it to me and I’ll give you some pointers.

<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Just checked, only available if you can’t swim 25m, which I can. This is the issue I’ve always had when trying to improve in the past, there are courses for complete non swimmers, but seldom any for those who can swim a bit but not very well.</span>

Try typhoon lesiure. They mainly do swim courses for kids but they offer coaching for all ages ability. if they can't help they may be able to pint you to someone who can.

They do tri swimming coaching at hereford, im not sure if you need to be in the club to do it. I used to go swimming at the same time so i could get some free tips from the other half of the pool!

Hannah thanks, that's a great offer. Though as you say, the logistics of obtaining said video could be a little challenging if I want to stay out of the newspapers!  I'm off to an AirBnB in Northern Spain in a few weeks.  There is a small pool.  If I remember, I'll get Mrs Bloke to film an Attenborough style 'hippo at the watering hole' clip.

I used to swim at school level many years ago. Thought I was ok / decent at it.

Eldest 2 kids are now in a club, swimming 3-4 x per week, and they are bloody good and have stamina to match.  Child 1 has even seen fit to say my technique is "rubbish". And then explain why.  I've removed his pudding entitlement.

I can still whup their asses over 25 or 50, but it won't be long before I lose my crown.

So I've started to volunteer as a helper at their club and I'm picking up tips all the time. I can join the club as well, about £60 a year iirc and I'll get coached. Our local pool (non-council) also does 6 x weekly coaching for about £60.
<p style="text-align: left;">Have a look on Facebook or just visit your local pool and see what's on the notice board.</p>

About 13 years ago I wanted to try triathlon but was a poor swimmer.

I could mange a length or two front crawl but my technique was shocking.

I signed up for a beginner short course triathlon with a local club and that came with some free swim tuition.

That helped massively then I signed up to an “improvers “ course at my local pool where they picked the main strokes apart and we were given various drills.

Once you master the stroke , the biggest difference for me was to learn how to breathe and then work out how often to turn my head up.

Once that clicked it got much easier.

Once you spilt it into the various parts it makes a lot more sense and then you just need to combine them for each stroke.

I then joined a swimming club where we did drills every  week.

I’m still not a great swimmer but could go to the the pool and do 80 lengths.

I hope you can find somewhere suitable.

With the increased interest in open water there are quite a few lakes offering open water beginners sessions so that might be something you could explore?

Also, one if the biggest "flaws" I see with beginners is they allow their legs to drop causing drag and premature tiredness. So use a pull buoy and work on the stroke.

Teme Leisure or Ludlow swimming club.
For something more personalised, try Art of Swimming; I don't know whether they offer anything within reasonable travelling distance of you.

I did Art of Swimming on some 121 sessions around 10 years ago, it took me from being fine for 5 lengths or so, to regular 2k swims. I have had a few top up Total Immersion/Swim Smooth lessons, as they are all based on same technique. In a 25m pool i used to be around 12 strokes each side and that came down to around 9 per side after getting the hang of the technique.

I was going to suggest a triathlon club. In my late 30s I joined one and I went from being able to swim a couple of lengths upto 3k outside. I'll never be able to swim well / quickly but at least my technique is now slightly better than brick

I hated water as a youngster and never learnt to swim.
After one too many holidays sat around a pool wishing I was confident enough to jump in and cool off, I signed up to an adults learn to swim course in Cambridge. It was one of the best things I have ever done.

I'm still not a great swimmer and don't float particularly well, but I did a couple of the improvers courses as well & found it to be a great benefit.
Good Luck finding something!

Eldest 2 kids are now in a club, swimming 3-4 x per week, and they are bloody good and have stamina to match

Slippery slope - a friends kids did that, eldest went on to a national age group open water champ and representing GB at European level, youngest is now at regional level at water polo. You would not believe their annual petrol consumption 🤦‍♂️🤣

I couldn’t swim well if my life depended on it a few years back even though I was pretty fit at the time. Took a few private lessons at the local outdoor pool and the joined their masters swimming evening sessions.

Ended up getting really in to it and open water swimming generally, did a lot of races up to 5km open water and loved it as it’s also great for taking your mind off things, almost hypnotic.

I learned a technique called “swim smooth”; look it up on Google, it’s a nice front crawl swim not meant for speed but very efficient.

Slippery slope – a friends kids did that, eldest went on to a national age group open water champ and representing GB at European level, youngest is now at regional level at water polo. You would not believe their annual petrol consumption

Don’t forget the 4am alarms for training. Bloke at work has his son swimming to a national standard and is in work for 7 after taking him there.

Don’t forget the 4am alarms for training. 

Yeah, I'm hoping they'll be good, but not that good.  😁

Swmbo's boss's daughter is knocking on the door of team gb so we're quite aware of the implications. When I say "aware" I mean "terrified" . 😜