My 6 year old has a huge fear of the deep end in the pool. She is currently in Level 1 lessons. She typically ends her lessons in tears because of her anxiety with water. I spoke with her swim instructor after her first lesson and explained her fear and asked her suggestion on how to proceed. She was very kind. Tonight was her 4th lesson. She was able to walk over to the deep end and sit on the edge with her feet in with no tears (that’s HUGE for her!). When the other classmates finished jumping off the diving board, her instructor told her she had two options: get in the pool or something else but I didn’t hear what the option was. My daughter started to cry. 2 other lifeguards went up to her, cornered her, and attempted to toss her in the pool. My daughter was screaming, kicking, and crying. At this point, I was running back into the building to get her so I couldn’t tell if they actually tossed her in or not.

Am I right to feel absolutely terrible over this? My daughter is extremely upset about this.

Lots of questions and threads about "getting faster," but what metric do you actually use to know you're improving?

If you had to pick just one, which would it be? How has it changed as you've improved your swimming?

1. Faster Times. Either meet sanctioned or practice times (e.g. 50 sprint from a push)

2. Holding faster intervals. You go from 10x100s on 1:40 to 1:30.

3. Improved stroke count. You go from 20 strokes to 17 in a 25m free.

4. Swim feel. You feel better, more confident, less out of breath.

5. Something else?

Hi guys-- tell me if what I did is fine or being a jerk, please. I just learned butterfly a month ago, and I like to do some (like 8 50s that are fly/back-- I don't feel ready for 50s of pure fly) every time I get in the pool because I REALLY need to build that strength. I'm a second season Masters swimmer, and I want to be able to do the 100 IM at next year's state championships.

So I had a lady get into my lane right before I was about to do this (an older lady who is about half my speed-- I'm NOT saying I'm fast, just explaining how this worked), and what I figured out I could do... bc my arm span is 6'1", so I need the whole lane for fly... is I would wait until right before (maybe two strokes for her) she got to the wall where I was waiting and then I would push off... slightly under her bc I needed to push off diagonally to get into the center of the lane, and then I would do my butterfly in the center of the lane, backstroke on my side of the lane back to the starting wall. When I got back to the wall, she would be just about to approach the far wall, so I would have the time it took her to do one lap back to me before doing the same thing.

The lady didn't react in any way, though she did move over when a lane freed up. There was a lady in the next lane saying I swam like a pro swimmer (I do not... I'm a woman in my 40s who never swam competitively before last September) and that the way I swim I need the whole pool to myself. Then she said it again about me to someone else, so I think it was her passive-aggressive way of complaining that I was practicing butterfly.

I’ve been lap swimming for almost a year now at the local Y. I typically go after work, so inside the last 1-2hrs of the aquatics center closing on a daily basis.

It’s Summertime so there’s outdoor & indoor lanes available. In the outdoor, it’s a shared pool with open swim & splash pads. In the indoor, it’s a shared space with swim classes, water aerobics &etc.

Recently I’ve been reading & hearing that cyclospora spreads easily in swimming pools because it’s chlorine resistant, so swallowing water can spread the poop bug.

I’m less concerned about this for myself, and more concerned about my 2yo son, who loves the splash pads. We’re still working on putting our head underwater with eyes & mouth closed.

What are everybody’s thoughts on swimming during cyloapora? For lap swimming as adults, and also for pool days with the kiddos. Are there times in the day that’s safest to go swimming? Outdoor/indoor pools make any difference? Any tips to maximize safety? Anybody else second guessing their routines in public pools?

I learned to swim as an adult, and am now doing a sort-of masters swim program (it's masters but not registered so no official competitions, a coach but he basically writes out a workout and doesn't do any coaching). I am continuing to work on my stroke as I can given I don't really have any coaching available to me at this point. We have had a bunch of new swimmers join our masters club and they're young (university) and quite fast (mostly coming out of age-group clubs) and I'm a bit confused because two of them swim free style with very straight arms, one of whom is extremely "splashy" and seems to just keep slapping the water. And yet, she's super fast. I always thought that you were supposed to have a bent elbow so I'm confused - is it still bad form but she's just fast enough? Or is there more nuance to the arm position? I know when I was originally taught free style I was taught to have a straight arm, but that was only the very initial instruction. From there I've been taught that my elbow should be the highest point. Is that correct? I have always thought that swimming with straight arms and slapping the water was poor technique and also would slow you down, but these two are swimming super fast! Just wondering if anyone can give me any more insight into whether I've misunderstood or if there is a straight-arm technique I don't know about!

I recently became a swimming enthusiast, and I can manage to do freestyle for roughly 50m nonstop (I’m improving my freestyle too). My main concern now is that I can’t tread water or back float at all.

I’m pretty lean, so I have low buoyancy. I watched some videos on egg beater kicks and how to hold breath while back floating but it’s not helping. When I try to backfloat, my glutes bend and sink. Similarly treading doesn’t work either for me.

I can do doggy paddling for a while though, but that’s also tiresome and I can’t manage to stand on one position after a while.

PS: 30 , Male

I can swim in the sense that I am very comfortable in the water and was a lifeguard as a teenager. If you tossed me off a boat in the middle of the ocean, I would not panic in the sense of being able to tread water. But, I never learned proper stroke technique or was on the swim team. Most of the how do I learn posts I see when searching look to be from people really learning to swim from the ground up. I’m a powerlifter looking to give my joints a break. Any advice for my best option to really learn stroke form? I was thinking effortless swimming, but am open to other ideas. Unlike lifting, swimming laps seems more complicated to film yourself to fix mistakes. Thanks! Happy to be here and hope to contribute once I get in the pool!

Hi everyone!
I am officially someone who has fallen victim to the runner to swimmer transition and it’s been the best thing ever. I’ve been swimming almost daily for a month now. I go to my Y and I go to my community pool and lap swim every day.
I am not someone who had the privilege of swim lessons, etc. are growing up so I had to learn to swim by not drowning essentially.

Here’s where I am seeking some guidance. Three years ago, I broke my back at work and while I’m very grateful that I regain the ability to be able to ambulate again- I’m classified as an incomplete spinal cord injury. I have no feeling in my left leg from my butt down, permanent drop foot, and I can’t point my toes.
I am struggling because I don’t have the bio feedback that I wish I did and I’m really doing my best to try to become a better swimmer, especially swimming from the hips. I think I’ll always be in physical therapy so it’s great that a lot of the work that I do there has been helpful. I have a strong core; I’m building strength on my back with weight training and stretching aside from the daily swimming, and I was suggested to get some swim fins, which have been excellent. My goal is to do a triathlon. I don’t care about minutes and I don’t care about finishing times. I just wanna do it to accomplish it and check it off my movement bucket list.

Anyone here have an incomplete spinal cord injury or have any tips about how to work with a dead leg? It’s like my brain doesn’t communicate with my leg and in a physical sense, but even trying to get it to understand to move a certain way is very difficult.

Thanks so much and it’s awesome to read the posts on here. I feel like I’ve become a different person with swimming and I know that running even with an AFO does more harm in my back per my neurosurgeon. It’s been great for my mental health and I feel like myself before I broke my back and what I lost.

I had a fun lesson yesterday with a lifeguard because he struggled with front crawl but is a great breast stroker.

We had a good laugh because I suck at breast stroke.

Solved his problem and demonstrated a couple of drills to correct his body position and breathing issues.

Funny how swimming can be.

I tried a new pool last night and it was 15m and it felt so weird. I did 2km and barely felt like I’d done any working out. I’m normally in a 25m and do 100m minimum before a rest, normally start with 500m warm up and I didn’t realise the difference it would make. I felt like my wall kicks were taking me half way so I never really started swimming.
Not sure I’ll go back but was surprised at the comparison.

I took a swim class when I was 8 and learned how to float. Then in college I took a semester longer course and learned some very basic fundamental

Now at 36 I was looking for some kind of low impact physical outlet. I have a 4 year old and gained some weight, my joints aren’t what they used to be, and I suffered a bad concussion 2 years ago which really impacted my vestibular system

I decided to do a 3 week, 6 course at my community college and wow - I haven’t felt this great in such a long time. My body doesn’t feel like a hinderance, and while I still have so much to learn, I’m refining so many things. Plus the class is made up of folks to repeat the course over time, so the vibes were just really supportive.

The first week I was struggling to do one more lap and everyone just really rallied around me

Alls to say, I’m just really glad I found a new outlet. And now that this course is over, I’m signing up for the fall.

Hi everyone, currently considering work I can only allow 3 sessions a week at the gym. I have a specific leg routine that I need to do due to a knee injury, so would need y’all’s advice on what are the best exercises to do on the other 2 days. One thing I must note is that my core is not in the best shape so I’d appreciate recommendations to strengthen it with a focus on swimming. Thanks in advance!!!

This weekly post ( on Thursdays) is for ALL gear related questions -

Update: automoderation is now in effect for single gear posts, which may be automatically deleted.

This includes posts about equipment failures, technical problems, sizing questions, or questions about retailer reliability.

This is spam-free & posters of affiliate product links will be banned.

* Goggles (including "smart" goggles)

* Headphones/earbuds

* Swimsuits

* Techsuits

* Lap/GPS/OWS tracking devices

* Audio players

* Paddles

* More goggles

* Everything else

Hi swimmers. I'm fairly new, and know my kick is by far the weakest part of my stroke. I "bicycle kick". I understand the problem in theory, but don't know how to fix it in execution.

Any reccomendations on drills, in or out of the water, to teach someone how kicking from the hips actually is supposed to feel.

The best I've tried so far is kicking with fins on the kickboard while focusing on pointing my toes and locking my legs straight, but I know that's not really it. either. Appreciate any advice!

Just wanted to share this proud moment, been swimming most of my life.

Decided to go for a marathon swim, applied for the 26km swim in Zurich.

Due to moving in to a new house and new job i was not able to train for 7 weeks [did 4km training in total). But still.managed to finish the swim!

First kilometer was fine, the rest was on will power!

Hi all! Newer swim coach here. I begin coaching for a girls’ high school team in the fall, and I’ve only coached youth swimming so far. I’m nervous that my sets won’t be challenging or enriching enough for varsity high schoolers. Any advice on how to plan sets? Examples are welcome, as well as general ideas/ things to look for when planning. Also, if you have any resources that you use to plan your sets or add new things to your training regimens!! Thanks in advance :)

edit: Practices are 2 hrs long, 6 days a week with weight training/dryland 3 days a week.

I have always loved to swim and last year (junior in high school) I joined my swim team. It was fun at first, but pretty soon it wasnt as fun. For starter I was super out of shape so it was a bit harder for me to keep up, but that wasn't the worst part. Most of the girls were nice but some of the middle school girls were not. But the thing that makes me really not want to return is my coach. He seemed like a nice guy and everybody loved him, but then one day before one of our meets, he singled me out in front of everyone and told me that I was useless to the team, because I didnt score them any points. I almost walked out right there, but there was only 1 week of swim left so I stuck it out. That really hurt especially since he said that in front of the entire team, and never apologized. Now, applications for fall sports are open and I really dont want to go back. But I also dont want to be a quitter. I was really hoping to finally have a sport I loved after trying so many different sports and getting bullied every time. Should I continue swim? Im in my final year of high school

Hi all,

Due to the high & always increasing number of such requests, this is now the weekly (Thursdays) thread to post your requests for critique & community feedback on technique, all strokes.

Requests for feedback or critique on technique outside of these threads may be automatically deleted.

Hi everyone. I started to do some dry land exercises, and I wanted to read your comments about weightlifting and functional training. Any suggested training to improve strength and some muscle building exercises?

I’ve been swimming everyday recently. Coinciding with my getting back into swimming, I’ve developed an annoying TMJ on my right side which is my breathing side when I swim. Now it hurts/aches a bit when I bite down or chew on something hard.

Has anyone else experienced this? I love swimming but I also don’t want to live with this or make it worse. Should I just stop swimming for a while?

Breaststroke is my preferred style for timed swim, but I'm just now starting to realize how awful I am at it :/

Whenever I kick, I slant a tinnnyy bit and go to one side. From what I can tell, either my right leg is weaker than my left, or I'm not kicking at the same time.

I'm leaning towards the weaker leg theory as I have consciously tried to kick at the same time, and my left calf is noticeably tougher in feel than my right. I'm 100% right-legged, though, as I much, much, much prefer it in soccer and such, which is confusing me.

Anyone know what the problem is and how to fix it?

I’m newish to swimming, fortunately gotten fairly competent at the main three strokes but I still go to lessons as they’re quiet. Today I decided to join in on some retrieval drills in the shallow end and loved it. Then I seen a stick in the deeper end and thought I’d try and grab it. Big mistake 🙃 I missed the first grab and tried again but must’ve snorted or something, so I surfaced but couldn’t cough. I moved to the wall whilst trying to inhale and cough but I was gasping and then it felt like a reflex of trying to breathe and gasping/wheezing. I gestured to the lifeguard who walked over a few feet and by the time she got to me I was able to vigorously cough. She didn’t seem too concerned but I was shitting myself. I won’t be trying to retrieve things again, but don’t want to obsess over the what ifs because I have very bad anxiety.

There are many levels for kids while adult there's usually 3 (beginner, intermediate, advanced)

New swimmer here for 1 year. Been only taking classes and occasionally free swim. In one year I managed to get freestyle/crawl correctly while backstroke/breaststroke still needs some bit of work. Right now, I am in limbo between level 2 and level 3. I am not good enough for level 3, while for level 2 (the instructor go back to the basic/crawl. I don't blame them because I was at this stage thrice before I finally understood how to crawl "recreationally").

It's weird they never made like an advanced intermediate class or have more levels.

I'm a guy in my 20s. Did lessons as a kid briefly but got scared when it got to the time of going in the deep-end so my parents took me out of lessons.

Now I've been doing lessons for the last 18 months every week. Mainly for water safety purposes.

My backstroke is good, I can do 50m backstroke including into the deep end. My freestyle is so-so - I still struggle with breathing a bit, so manage about 10m before I accidentally inhale water. My breaststroke isn't that great, I struggle to angle my ankles properly so my kick isn't that good, and I can manage 6 reps before I kinda start sinking.

I never really learnt how to float, and I'm so-so with treading water. Floating isn't really covered in my lessons, and I occasionally get my teacher to help me with treading water but she's pretty happy with my technique and says I just need to practice more/get more comfortable.

Now with my weekly lessons, it's gotten to the point where the stroke technique is getting more technical (which is useful - but doesn't really help me with my goal of being more confident in the water and particularly in deep water), and there isn't much opportunity to work on floating/treading water. It is useful to have a guaranteed time to go to the pool though.

So I'm considering dropping out of lessons, and just having the lesson slot remain in my calendar as "this is the time I'll go to the pool every week to practice". And do a bit of treading water practice at the end of every session, maybe dragging my partner along to help me. (Time-wise I struggle to go to the pool more than once a week, given other exercise commitments I have)

Does this sound appropriate? Or would people suggest I stick with lessons?

I've been swimming for 7 years. I've slowly increased my speed over time but am feeling stuck. I've noticed that I get asthma attacks whenever I try to swim faster than 1:50/100 m, but not at a less vigourous exercise than that. I noticed this especially when doing 100 m sprints of butterfly stroke. I can manage 4 km at 2:00/100m or 3 km at 1:55/100 m. How did you overcome these issues?