Learning to Swim Is Learning to Be Vertical and Peaceful in Deep Water

Does that title just drive you crazy? Until your beginning swimming students can be in a normal position in the water— the one we spend most of our time in on land—they think they have to work in the water. Having to work makes people worry: What do I have to do? What if I can't learn? Freestyle? I already tried that. How can I be safe? What if I get tired? Why didn't it work before? What's missing?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but to prevent drowning, the goal we need to agree on is being peaceful in deep water. Learning freestyle as a beginning swimmer is the wrong next step (locomotion) toward the wrong goal (doing rather than being). When a boat capsizes, what is needed? Confidence in deep water. When a ferry sinks, what is needed? Confidence in deep water. When someone falls off a dock, what's needed? Confidence in deep water. Confidence is built from first being peaceful in water. We don't need a proper stroke to move efficiently from here to there. We don't need to tread water, though if you're peaceful in the deep, it won't be long until you can. If you're calm and not worried for your life, you'll be able to go from here to there, whether you ever learned a proper stroke or not. You need to know that the water holds you up, you can get air at will, and that you won't panic. Everyone needs to know this and only this about swimming. If they want to learn more, it's available.

I suggest that everyone teach only this to beginners until everyone is safe. A beginner is anyone who can't do it.

Make the goal safety, not locomotion.

Melon Dash, Founder, Miracle Swimming School for Adults, LLC, Sarasota, FL Miracleswimming.com, [email protected]. 941.921.6420.

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