Did you know that many children don’t know how to swim? Shockingly, almost 50% of parents with children under 18 years old report that their child lacks this important skill. Additionally, over 60% of parents reveal that their child has never taken swimming lessons. Unsurprisingly, almost 30% of parents express concerns about their child drowning. However, children are not the only ones. A survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Leslie’s revealed that only 63% of adults in the United States feel entirely at ease around water. Additionally, approximately 36% of those surveyed reported not knowing how to swim.
It’s natural to have concerns about drowning, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that there are approximately 4,000 fatal and 8,000 nonfatal drownings in the U.S. each year. Tragically, drowning is the primary cause of accidental death among children aged one to four years old, with most of these incidents happening in swimming pools rather than natural bodies of water. The CDC also notes that drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 following motor vehicle crashes. Shockingly, for children ages 5 to 14, 30% of all drowning fatalities occur in swimming pools. However, it’s important to note that natural waters like lakes, rivers, and oceans are responsible for more than half of all drownings among people aged 15 years and older.
Learning to swim is an essential skill many people acquire during childhood. However, some individuals miss out on this opportunity. The good news is that, for adults, learning how to swim is always possible. With proper guidance, adults can acquire the necessary skills with ease.
Several factors determine how long a person can learn how to swim. As humans, we have different abilities, fitness levels, coordination skills, and mental attitudes toward water. Therefore, it’s challenging to give a single answer to the question of how long it takes to learn how to swim.
What is Involved in Learning to Swim?
Building confidence in the water is crucial when learning how to swim, although everyone’s comfort level varies. Adults who haven’t yet learned to swim might feel nervous about getting in the water, but this is typical and can be overcome with practice.
Once you’re confident in the water, you’ll learn basic, fundamental skills such as floating, controlling your body, treading water, how to kick, and more. Once mastering skills, it’s simply about combining them and working on technique. In most cases, your swim teacher will begin by teaching freestyle stroke. However, breaststroke and backstroke are also very handy to learn.
It Takes Time
Learning to swim requires consistent practice to improve quickly. Attending regular swimming lessons and practicing outside of class will help you develop this skill faster. The more you practice, the better you will become.
Adults often learn quicker than young children as they already have well-developed motor skills and can interpret and follow instructions more easily. Learning how to swim within 20-25 hours of lessons is possible for an adult with no fear of the water or physical limitations.
You could swim within a year if you have a half-hour lesson weekly. Of course, some people will pick it up far more quickly, while others may need a little more time.
Quality Instruction Is Key
Learning to swim and accomplish your goals in the water is always possible. With excellent teaching support, acquiring a new skill is faster and easier. Look for adult swimming lessons in your area, and you won’t regret it.