Should I learn to Swim?

[Flooz 10]

Learn to swim. You don't HAVE to have your head under water. I am a strong swimmer but don't like to swim under water.

 

Last summer I taught my sixty year old Mother to swim in two weeks. By the end of our holiday she was swimming in a 'calm' sea!

My Mum was much like you and still does have a slight fear of water, when she was at school, the teacher grabbed her and pushed her in the deep end and she nearly drowned! She is overcoming her fear now but it is a slow process. She will only swim with me there (i.e someone she can trust) so if she did happen to panic, mid swim that she couldn't place her feet on the ground, we have a code word and I will grab her arm, place my hand under her chin (to make sure her head doesn't go under) and get her to a side.

[spicey 10]

I voted no. It's your life, why suffer?

 

My parents don't swim and it hasn't stopped me from becoming a very strong swimmer. Who will teach your kids to swim? A swimming teacher. That's who taught me.

 

People go through their whole lives never needing or wanting to learn to swim, it's no one else's business but your own. If you were to overcome your fear and learn to swim then I would definitely think you were brave but I honestly don't see the need.

[Minimo 59]

I can just about swim, breast stroke only, as I too can`t put my head under water. The last time I was in a pool some eejit jumped in and landed right on my back, forcing me under the water. I got myself out and have never been back in.

Don`t be influenced by other people, do what you feel comfortable with. You mght consider talking to a swimming coach and see if they can reassure you. In the end only you can decide. Good luck

[Heyesey 11]

There are many good reasons to learn to swim, but none of them is overwhelming. If you don't want to learn, don't do it. It won't be the only thing you're "missing out" on - it's not humanly possible to learn, and to do, everything that's worth doing. You don't live long enough.

 

 

Should you find yourself trapped in a car that's gone into a river - wind down (or smash) the windows, strip naked while the car is filling with water, take a deep breath, open the door, pull yourself out, and just hold your breath and wait. The human body will float - just; if you tilt your head back, your whole face will stay above the water and the rest of you will hang beneath it. Once you're back to that position, you can just mill about waiting for rescue, or you can make some sort of effort to reach shore - but always be aware that you can't sink if you just stay still.

 

If you want to try to overcome your phobia, try closing your eyes and lowering your face into a basin of water. You know damn well that all you have to do to escape the terrors of drowning, is stand up straight again; you should be able to manage that without panicking. Do it often enough and water might begin to lose its terrors; at which point, you go and look for a swimming tutor who's familiar with hydrophobes and won't treat you like a moron for being scared.

[AJ sheffield 11]

you will if you dive in with the bike

 

I'll leave the bike on the bank just in case the bailiff comes.

[IanG 10]

I am 28 year man, married with 2 children. I am getting fed up with people telling me I "should" be able to swim. Most of my family, friends and colleagues seem bewildered or disgusted that I can't swim and have no interest in learning to swim.

 

As I try to explain to people, I have a fear of my head being underwater. I have no logical reason to be afraid but when I have tried to put my head underwater I panick and turn into a crazy screaming banshee (and almost end-up drowning myself through fear and panick!

 

So since having water in ones eyes, mouth and ears is a fundamental part of being able to swim, I am unable to do so.

 

People tell me that if I learn to swim I will overcome my fear. However, being as the first stumbling block is that I am unable to submerse my head under water I can't really see a way forward.

 

Not forgetting the important point that I have no interest in swimming. I do not feel that I am missing out on something, I don't want to ride the banana boat or take up canoeing. I doubt this would change if I could actually swim - I just dont feel comfortable in large amounts of water.

 

Yet, I do feel pressured by other people. I get the occasional "who will teach your kids how to swim?" - I think its pretty obvious that it won't be ME, but by the same token there isn't a shortage of swimming instructers out there. I make the point now that I would be happy for the kids to learn to swim, if they want to.

 

I get confronted by what if your driving the car and it ends up in a lake/river/atlantic ocean scenario. Well in that case my times up! But I would avoid the situation if possible - I don't routinely drive into rivers!

 

So should I give in to the pressure and give swimming a go, or should I tell the mob to get lost?

 

I am the same, i actualy like being in water but get it in my eyes, nose or mouth and thats it i freak out big time.

I was getting on well slowly learning when i was a kid, but the muppet teacher made me go in the deep in end and that was that, since then i have had no intrest in it, the older i have got the less intrested as i would feel like a total gimp to be honest flapping around at 29 years old, not happening im afraid.

 

The other year i was throwing myself about and getting smashed by masive waves (massive to me anyway all over on fistral beach i have no idea where that came from i think i just though sod it i want to go in the water, my mate was was amazed.

 

as for the people who are ''disgusted'' give them a slap and lock them in a burning building see how they like it they are muppets and not worth knowing IMHO

 

Good luck mate

[metalman 21]

Don't bother, I'm 47, have never been able to swim, and have absolutely no intention of doing so in the future. No phobia about it or anything like that, but I never got anywhere with it when I was at school (just sank instead, obviously not permanently) and it's never worried me.

[Thorpist 72]

Just so you have no worries about walking along the canal in Sheffield.

A discussion was held on the forum about it's depth.

I seem to remember it was no deeper than 5ft

[personal5579 10]

Thanks all for the replies! I'm mulling it over now

[quicken 10]

it doesn't matter how old you are an achievement is always good for your soul