I can't swim but I bet that the majority of you can.

When I was at school we used to go to the old Park swimming baths (going down towards Park hill). It was an ancient building and the smell of chlorine nearly took your breath away.

I can remember the instructor was a beast of a man who has managed to give me a fear of water which borders on phobic.

He used to line us all up along the edge of the bath and tell us to jump in. I was always petrified and was one of the poor kids who was knocked in one at a time with the pole he carried.

I hate water to this day and feel that I miss out so much. Even when I am in the bath I can't wash my face or hair in there. I have to get out and be able to feel my feet on the ground. I have made sure that both my children have had lessons and can swim for their safety sake as well as their own enjoyment.

aaaaahhh!!!! nasty beast of a man


....my b'friend had an instructor like that....he was good at swimming and got put in the group with the "big lads" at school and couldn't keep up with them because they were bigger and obviously stronger swimmers....and the instructor used to be right awful to him when he couldn't keep up!!!!!!! If I had been my b'friend I would have chucked him int watta with a few house bricks

I have been able to swim since I was ten years of age and have always enjoyed it up until recent years, when this disease I have prevented me doing it anymore.

I have always loved water and used to swim regular, many years ago when I took lessons for learning the crawl stroke, I turned up for my lesson as usual and there was so much chlorine in the water, that driving home I could hardly see as my eyes were smarting so much.

That was at Gossop road baths, and in those days at weekends, the bath was covered with a wooden floor and dances were held on it. When a hundred people were dancing one could feel the floor sagging underneath us.

i cant swim nowadays, too much chlorine gives me asthma attacks duntit

Our lass couldn't swim at all, however I'm very proud of the fact that she learned the basics after about 2 or three lessons and after a total of five lessons from me, she's now doing widths of the deepend completely unaided.

Thinking back to when I was at school, we had the group lean kids who could already swim and I was one of those poor kids who hadn't been exposed to bodies of water in a leisure environment and had to go an humiliate myself in the shallow end with a blue piece of polystyrene for 30 minutes.

The instructor for the crap kids was a bit mean and never really went into depth about what she was trying to teach us so I mainly ignored her and watched what the ready-swimmer group were doing.

After the 30 mins, we had 15 minutes of free play where all the kids would get the mega-floats and toys in the water and rather than play silly beggers in the shallow end, I decided to teach myself how to swim by having watched the existing swimmers and trying to replicate what they were doing while holding onto the side.

After a few tries, I managed to let go of the side and actually moved in the water by my own prepusion and all it took from that was to more of it, for longer and before I knew it, I could swim.

I can't swim and can't be bothered to learn. Seems a bit pointless trawling up and down a swimming pool...but I'm convinced I'd lose weight if I did it..............so should I 'go for it' or am I too old?

I can't swim and can't be bothered to learn. Seems a bit pointless trawling up and down a swimming pool...but I'm convinced I'd lose weight if I did it..............so should I 'go for it' or am I too old?

You are never too old, and as the adverts say - "Do learn to swim, it could save your life"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9FsEi2us88)

You are never too old, [/URL]

Very true, I couldn’t swim properly, maybe a width at best; I went to adult swimming lessons and progressed to the stage where I could do 40 lengths in a session.

I was taught to swim when I was about 6. My mother insisted that I learned, but I didn't mind as I loved water. The only issue was the victorian style teacher who barked at us if we didn't managed to get a stroke correct etc.

I taught myself to swim when my mum and sister disappeared on holiday and left me in the pool. Im not the best swimmer but I can do it.

I think I was taken to the public baths by my Mum when I was about two. At infant school we also had a pool (and a nice teacher called Mr Potter).

It does help kids if the facilities are good. At one point when we left infant school and went to juniors we used to get bussed to some horrible old Victorian place with those cubicles by the side of the pool, cockroaches in the water and Eva Braun as an instructor - nearly put me off for life.

Where I go now I regularly see Mums taking very young babies in and literally throwing them in at the deep end - they love it and learn quickly.

In my opinion the best way to teach someone to swim is a "crash course".

Simply get them to jump in the deep end at the swimming pool, when I was a swimming coach, every non swimmer who jumped into the deep end, always got out.

If you ever watch a cat fall into a fish pond, the cat always gets out, and a human reacts in exactly the same way

I can't swim but I bet that the majority of you can.

When I was at school we used to go to the old Park swimming baths (going down towards Park hill). It was an ancient building and the smell of chlorine nearly took your breath away.

I can remember the instructor was a beast of a man who has managed to give me a fear of water which borders on phobic.

He used to line us all up along the edge of the bath and tell us to jump in. I was always petrified and was one of the poor kids who was knocked in one at a time with the pole he carried.

I hate water to this day and feel that I miss out so much. Even when I am in the bath I can't wash my face or hair in there. I have to get out and be able to feel my feet on the ground. I have made sure that both my children have had lessons and can swim for their safety sake as well as their own enjoyment.

Oh my god!! we had lessons there and that man was very harsh!!!
he used to hold his big stick out (oooer) as though he was gonna let you use it to help you then pull it away. a proper sergant major type!!
always shouting at everybody
I was never a strong swimmer when I was younger, but used to stay afloat, not quite sure how cos my style of "swimming" was quite unique. but am a pretty good swimmer now. I take my boys regularly, I don`t want them to be scared of water.

Very true, I couldn’t swim properly, maybe a width at best; I went to adult swimming lessons and progressed to the stage where I could do 40 lengths in a session.I can swim but not particularly well and seem to expend so much energy just trying to stay afloat. I think this is due to lack of technique and lack of confidence in equal measures.
I've always thought a few lessons might help but just never got round to it, mainly due to embarrassment i think. :(

I can swim but not particularly well and seem to expend so much energy just trying to stay afloat. I think this is due to lack of technique and lack of confidence in equal measures.
I've always thought a few lessons might help but just never got round to it, mainly due to embarrassment i think. :(

Really, there is no need to be embarrassed. They do adult only classes down at Ponds Forge and you'll be surprised to see how many people are in the same position as you. Go for it, go down and learn how to swim correctly and you won't look back.

Really, there is no need to be embarrassed. They do adult only classes down at Ponds Forge and you'll be surprised to see how many people are in the same position as you. Go for it, go down and learn how to swim correctly and you won't look back.Cheers AO. You're right, I should bite the bullet and do it.

I can't swim but I bet that the majority of you can.

When I was at school we used to go to the old Park swimming baths (going down towards Park hill). It was an ancient building and the smell of chlorine nearly took your breath away.

I can remember the instructor was a beast of a man who has managed to give me a fear of water which borders on phobic.

He used to line us all up along the edge of the bath and tell us to jump in. I was always petrified and was one of the poor kids who was knocked in one at a time with the pole he carried.

I hate water to this day and feel that I miss out so much. Even when I am in the bath I can't wash my face or hair in there. I have to get out and be able to feel my feet on the ground. I have made sure that both my children have had lessons and can swim for their safety sake as well as their own enjoyment.

I don't need to swim, I expect to be saved by people who want to swim.

I can just about swim, but the last time I was in a swimming baths (Glossop Rd I think it was) I was struggling to do a width of the pool when some great loony jumped in and landed right on my back, driving me down. I was so frightened but managed to get myself out. I have never been swimming since anywhere and I never will.

If your reading this an' cannot swim I recommend you learn...

The leisure pool at ponds forge is 1m deep. You can stand up at any time, perfect for learning.

i cant swim (i can just about hold my own in shallow water)

people say oooh but what if you fell in water sometime...?

Easy. I dont put myself in the situation where that could happen!

i dont feel ive missed out in anything in life by not being able to swim and i certainly wont be rushing to learn.

I can't swim because i'm sat at my computer typing this

i cant swim (i can just about hold my own in shallow water)

people say oooh but what if you fell in water sometime...?

Easy. I dont put myself in the situation where that could happen!

i dont feel ive missed out in anything in life by not being able to swim and i certainly wont be rushing to learn.

Are you capable of standing on your own two feet?

That is all you need to learn. 1m deep in the leisure pool, Ponds Forge Sheffield, you bang your bloody knees on the floor its that shallow. Ideal for learning, there's lifeguards and plenty of Sheffield folk. When thee've learnt, go next door to the olympic pool, 3m deep and 50m long on a good day.
Its £4 a go, so stay for a few hours and get your moneys worth!
Bit expensive swimming and Sheffield won't pay for the OAPs and children to have it for free, so it's nice and quiet like. If you ask me, it would be better for all to have it for free, but seen as they knocked down half the baths in Sheff, we haven't the capacity!

I can swim but i always need to stay near the edge as im terried of water, and i aways have to stay away from other swimmers. Because of this i never go.

I cant swim our school used to go to a swimming baths on Sutherland road off Petre Street somewhere.Our instructor was a Mr Scott he was basically a sadist he used to line all the non swimmers up at the deep end with one of those polystyrene boards that didnt float ( well keep you a float) and one by one push you really hard into the pool he knocked the wind out of your sails before you even hit the water. Then as you were fighting for breathe and near drowning grabbing for the edge he would push you back out with a big pole. I used to get my Mum to do me a note to say I had a verruca because I just couldnt face that every week, even now I cant put my head under water.

I've been swimming since I was 4 - it is so useful, and I definately recommend anyone to learn.
My cousin can't swim and has a phobia of water -it definately limits what she can do when on holiday. My niece on the otherhand is 11 weeks old and is going on a waterbabies course. We're making sure she will have no phobia of water and will be a complete natural in water :)

I dont do swimming. fear mainly from when I was younger. really bad swimming teacher at Hurlfield swimming baths. why anyone would make a 5 year old jump in when they dont want to is beyond me. After spluttering about, and 12 weeks of lessons when I was 10, I could probably save my life if I was chucked in some water.. But in general avoid. completely.

I think I was taken to the public baths by my Mum when I was about two. At infant school we also had a pool (and a nice teacher called Mr Potter).

Where I go now I regularly see Mums taking very young babies in and literally throwing them in at the deep end - they love it and learn quickly.

I first took you when you were around 3 months old - you wouldn't remember of course.:)

I cant swim our school used to go to a swimming baths on Sutherland road off Petre Street somewhere.Our instructor was a Mr Scott he was basically a sadist he used to line all the non swimmers up at the deep end with one of those polystyrene boards that didnt float ( well keep you a float) and one by one push you really hard into the pool he knocked the wind out of your sails before you even hit the water. Then as you were fighting for breathe and near drowning grabbing for the edge he would push you back out with a big pole. I used to get my Mum to do me a note to say I had a verruca because I just couldnt face that every week, even now I cant put my head under water.

omg i went to the same baths with the same instrucotor and i experianced exactly what you did, hence being terrified of water now.

Never had a reason to learn to swim.Times have changed since the Titanic went down,all ferrys have ample life saving gear and you are hardly likley to get a tidal wave hitting Sheffield

Never had a reason to learn to swim.Times have changed since the Titanic went down,all ferrys have ample life saving gear and you are hardly likley to get a tidal wave hitting Sheffield

Well it did flood a couple of years ago!

I don't really see why people need to be able to swim in the 21st century. It's nice, but if you can't, it's simple enough to just stay away from water. Don't go in the sea any deeper than your ankles and if, by a million to one chance, you're on a plane or boat that goes down, there'll be plenty of life vests and belts. I can't hang glide or surfboard but I don't feel deprived in any way. Swimming is a nice pastime but it's hardly going to spoil your quality of life if you can't do it.

I don't really see why people need to be able to swim in the 21st century. It's nice, but if you can't, it's simple enough to just stay away from water. Don't go in the sea any deeper than your ankles and if, by a million to one chance, you're on a plane or boat that goes down, there'll be plenty of life vests and belts. I can't hang glide or surfboard but I don't feel deprived in any way. Swimming is a nice pastime but it's hardly going to spoil your quality of life if you can't do it.

Swimming is a great form of exercise and it is very enjoyable. Being unable to swim may not spoil your quality of life, but being able to, will enrich it.
it is also the only method I know of, to get to France for free, unless your hitch-hiking.

Of course I can swim, anyone who can't must be an absolute pussy.