You’ve signed up and paid for swimming lessons. You’ve made the commitment, but now what? How can you make sure you get as much value as you can out of your time in the pool with us?

Everyone learns differently, so here we’ll discuss some different ways you can accelerate your learning while getting as much as you possibly can out of your swim lessons.

Schedule your weekly practice.

Practice is critical to your learning and will help you to improve exponentially faster. But, like anything else that feels like work, it can be hard to motivate yourself to get started. Procrastination takes hold, and the next thing you know, your next lesson rolls around and you haven’t practiced at all. Scheduling a time or day each week to practice will help you motivate yourself and make time for your commitment to learning to swim.

It’s also important to take time to swim outside of your weekly lesson. At our school, you get 30 minutes of intensive, one-on-one training with your coach. Independent practice will help you identify areas for improvement that you can then communicate to your coach at your next lesson. This way, time isn’t lost on flagging problems, but is instead focused on working through them.

Recruit a spotter.

Especially for beginners, it’s always recommended that you practice with a spotter for safety. Not only will they be there if you run into trouble in the water, but having someone else there can help calm the nerves of anyone who might be afraid of being in the water. A spotter will also act as a second set of eyes to help assess your form and give you feedback.

Set a goal (and share it with your coach).

For some people, the greatest motivation is having something to work towards. Whether it’s being able to swim for your upcoming vacation or just being confident enough to get in the pool at your next family BBQ, having a task and an end-date for it can help you to push yourself.

Once you’ve identified your goal, articulate it to your coach! This way they can help take you through steps that will help you in working towards it.

Choose a day to show off!

At the Aqua Life, many of our adult students find showing off their new swim skills to their family and friends is the greatest motivator. Whether you plan it as a surprise or let them know ahead of time, choose a day to hit the pool with your loved ones so they can see how far you’ve come. You might even invite them to watch a lesson. Either way, those closest to you will know best how great it feels for you to be conquering the water!

Only you know what will work best for you! Choose techniques that have succeeded the past to motivate yourself.
Have a question? Find us on Facebook or Twitter! If you’re an adult who’s learning to swim, hashtag #AquaLifeBeginner so we can check out your progress. From the staff at The Aqua Life Swim Academy, we wish you luck as you set out on your aquatic journey!