Swimming is a great form of exercise. Whether you want to start your day with a quick 20 minutes’ swim or end the day with the same, it has the power to free your mind and allows you to focus on one simple thing-breathing. It is natural to panic a little for first-time swimmers and hence mastering the breathing technique can help in the process. Here’s a list of some easy tips to follow when getting inside the pool for the first time:

• Being in the right outfit

Like every other sport, swimming is also done in proper attire. Your swimming kit should contain a cap, water goggles, nose clips, earplugs, and a well-fitted swimsuit.

• Familiarizing with water

Once you are inside water, the first thing to do is to familiarize yourself with water. Take a walk across the pool at least twice. It is better to be on the shallow side of the pool in the initial days of practice. Inhale and squat in the pool, count to five, blow bubbles & exhale inside the pool from mouth and then come up. Repeat this exercise at least 10-15 times before moving to the next level.

• Synchronizing Inhale-Exhale

When we are on the surface we never pay attention to the trivial breathing process. But, when in water, it is all that matters. To breathe properly when submerged in the water fully, all you need is practice. Remember the simple technique to fill up your lungs as much as possible when your head is outside water and then start exhaling from mouth slowly when the head is inside water. Increase the count from 5 to 10 to 15 and then try holding your breath for at least 30 seconds before moving to the next level.

• Having a clear vision

Another important part of getting familiar with water is the ability to see the other side of the pool clearly when your head is inside. Wearing swimming goggles is a must to enable vision inside the pool and keep track of your movement.

• Using props

If you are facing difficulty in practicing breathing, you can use the float boards to move from one side of the pool to another. Practice inhale-exhale while doing so.

If you are planning to join the classes now, check out timings and other details here: https://swimjourney.sg/ladies-swimming-lessons. Happy Swimming!