Swimming for Senior Citizens

I never had the opportunity to learn to swim. I am an active senior citizen now. Is it too late to learn to swim? Can you give me some pointers on swimming for senior citizens?

It is never too late to learn to swim!

As for where to start, that all depends on how comfortable or uncomfortable you are in the water and in a swimming pool environment.

Find a quiet swimming pool that is not full of children jumping all over the place. Most pools have quiet and busy times, so pick a nice and quiet time. The middle of the day when the kids are in school is usually best.

If you are a complete non-swimmer, take a friend or relative with you for help and support, from a safety point of view if nothing else.

Get Comfortable First

If you have never been in a swimming pool before, then your first step is to become relaxed and at ease in the water just below shoulder depth. Walking around, bobbing up and down, getting your face wet and partially submerging are all ways of getting used to the water and getting used to how your body behaves.

If you are already comfortable in the water, then lifting your feet off the bottom and taking the plunge is the next step. You may wish to use some goggles to prevent water from getting in your eyes.

Get Comfortable First

If you have never been in a swimming pool before, then your first step is to become relaxed and at ease in the water just below shoulder depth. Walking around, bobbing up and down, getting your face wet and partially submerging are all ways of getting used to the water and getting used to how your body behaves.

If you are already comfortable in the water, then lifting your feet off the bottom and taking the plunge is the next step. You may wish to use some goggles to prevent water from getting in your eyes.

Breaststroke Is The Way Forward

The easiest swimming stroke to learn as an adult beginner is breaststroke. Swimming breaststroke allows you to swim with your face out of the water and your head above the water's surface. The arm and leg actions occur under the water, making the whole stroke easier and less tiring.

Use a swim noodle to give you some extra buoyancy and to help you get used to the arm and leg movements. 

Swim At Your Own Pace

Do not be put off if you get tired and out of breath. Your body is learning a new skill and exercising in a new way, so you are bound to get tired. For this reason, it is important to take things one step at a time and not overdo it.

When you walk out onto the poolside to get into the pool, do not be embarrassed. Many adults are embarrassed that they cannot swim and therefore shy away from trying. So, pat yourself on the back for having a go at learning something that many adults wish they could.

Get in the water, get on with it and enjoy yourself.

My eBook The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming is the perfect support to help you through every stage of learning how to swim. Click the link below for more information.

The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming 

Professional guidance and support to help you through every stage of learning how to swim.

Discover everything you need from first entering the pool and building confidence to floating and breathing. Plus, 82 exercises to master the four basic swimming strokes.(click here for an instant preview) 

Don't miss out! Click here to get your copy of my book!

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!

Effects of Swimming on Skin

I would like to learn to swim but am concerned about the impact after swimming, particularly the effects of swimming on the skin. Due to treated water, does swimming affect the skin, eyes, ears and other body organs? What items are available to wear to protect ourselves from health issues? Please advise the precautions to take. Thank you!

I would be lying if I said that swimming had no effects on the body in terms of damage due to the water. However, let us put some things into perspective here.

Most public and private swimming pools adhere to very strict guidelines regarding water treatment, particularly the chemical balances of chlorine. Chlorine and other chemicals are a requirement in pool water to kill off germs and help keep it safe to swim in.

As for the effect on our bodies post-swim, well, they are minimal, to say the least. Olympic swimmers spend most of their waking hours in or around a swimming pool, and these athletes have reported no long-term effects.

So, for someone learning to swim who might go to the pool once or twice a week, very little can happen.

We are all sensitive in different ways, and different amounts of exposure to swimming pool water, and some very common and very basic precautions can be taken.

You can protect your eyes by wearing a good pair of goggles. You can prevent water from entering your ears by wearing ear plugs, and a swimming cap will keep your hair dry. Swimming costumes made from chlorine-resistant material are readily available from most retailers. If your skin is sensitive to swimming pool water, you could go the whole way and wear a full-body wet suit, but this is usually only necessary in extreme cases.

Please do not let the effects of the water put you off from learning to swim. The benefits of swimming in terms of increased health, relaxation and fun far outweigh any slight side effects of swimming pool water.conte

The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming

$14.99

Buy a PRINTED copy from:

You can also download from: