Swimming for Adults: I learned at Age 38

I am someone who believes it’s never too late to do anything. Maybe skydiving at age 90 may be tricky but hey not impossible.

I have always loved swimming. Loved the water and how it feels to dip my feet in the ocean when at the beach. The only problem, I never learned to swim.

Four years ago, I decided I was going to learn to swim after going to the beach with my group of friends. I ended up being the only one who could not truly enjoy the water.

So I bought my swim toys (goggles, swim caps, kickboard, pull buoy, fins, snorkel, and swim pad). Clearly I was an overenthusiastic beginner.

I signed up for lessons at a couple of places that offer swim classes. Yes, more than one place but not at the same time. I had started lessons at one location, but stopped when thing shut down in March of 2020 came.

A few months later, I started lessons at another location in order to take a more advanced class.

Day 1 of my group lesson for beginners, I learned something crucial; not all beginners are ‘beginners’.

On my way to the lesson, my thought process was that we would probably be spending time blowing bubbles and learning to float on our backs.

I had watched a lot of videos on YouTube yet it never occurred to me that because people have different skills, the pace of the group class may be challenging for someone who for lack of a better word, was clueless on what to do.

So I dressed up in my swimsuit, which I purchased online. I loved the suit and it felt good. I put on my swim goggles and swim cap which I bought from a store nearby.

Shortly after I met the instructors for the adult class, there were two. One Instructor led the class while the other provided needed assistance. It wasn’t a big class, about 6 adults ages 22 to approximately 56.

We got in the water to warm up and the instructor asked if anyone had any prior experience swimming. She also wanted to know if we had taken previous swim lessons.

A couple of people mentioned taking classes, some as far back as high school.

The instructor asked those who felt comfortable to swim so that she can access the level of swimming. A few people gave it a go while other declined like I did stating that we were utter beginners.

The rest of the lesson proceeded, blowing bubbles, dipping your head in the water, maybe a little monkey walk. I was glad I had my goggles. I definitely was not ready to dip my head in the water without protecting my eyes.

After a few more classes and I learned to float on my back and to kick without my kickboard. Granted my freestyle still looked like I was struggling but if I was moving I was happy.

So are adult swimming classes enough to learn how to swim?

It depends. Adult swim classes are great for giving you tips and instructions but you must put in personal effort. Once you do, you will start to see results.

Do you need all the swim gear I purchased initially?

It depends on you. For me, the most important items I need are my goggles, swimsuit, swim cap and ear plugs. I use the ear plugs due to the frequency of my swims.

If I had to pick only one swim gear, it would be my goggles. Although I have been swimming for just a few years, you name the goggles, I have bought and tried them. I now consider myself somewhat of a goggles connoisseur.

So should you learn on your own?

If I was doing this all over again, I would start at my local YMCA.

The challenges with the Y for many are that the classes fill up pretty quickly. Members sometimes get first dibs.

Costs may also be a barrier to learning. A good way to look at it is to access how many people die yearly from drowning and how your quality of life changes once you can swim. It is well worth the investment!

I swam in open water for the first time this year! At some point I stopped to tread water and I shed a few tears. It was such a beautiful feeling to experience something that I had gone 40 plus years not doing.

So if you are thinking of learning but feel you are much older, take it from me, it’s never too late to learn!

Let me know if you are thinking of taking swim class or if you learned to swim as an adult? Also, if you are already a good swimmer, please share some tips to help beginners.