Here is my story:
I am a 63-year old male who is looking to started swimming instruction. I was very afraid of the water growing up and avoided swimming lessons througout childhood and adolescence, although my two younger siblings learned without trouble. I was the typical shy, glasses-wearing nerd-type, tall and thin, with mostly intellectual interests. I did try several sports when young but didn't do well at any of them. I gave those up by tenth grade and have only walked for exercise since. I had zero water experience exxcept for some summertime wading in lakes.
I didn't learn to swim in high school, since none of the local high schools then required it. I often wonder what I would have done if they had.
After watching the 1972 Olympics, I finally decided to face my fear and, at age 27, enroll in an adult swimming class. Despite a humiliating experience in the first session ("OK, let's everyone swim down to the end of the pool and back.") I persevered and kept coming. That first session I submerged for the first time, simple but very scary. We worked on very basic skills. It took some courage just to open my eyes underwater.
I worked on the basic stuff, but never enjoyed it. There was minimal emphasis on building confidence and relaxation before moving on to stroke mechanics. We were introduced to deep-water adjustment skills, which I was not really ready for. They included descending the ladder to the bottom in the deep end, deep-water entry, and jumping off the diving board. The last two were terrifying. All I could think of was to get back and grab the side as soon as I could.
I never got totally comfortable with my face in the water. Every time I was in a prone in the water I thought of what it was like to drown.
Being in the prone position in the deep was especially scary. I just couldn't do it.
I took swimming classes off and on for about ten years with only modest success. I did learn the elementary back stroke and back crawl, but couldn't do any storkes on the front. I was given a kick board to practice the flutter kick but, despite much trying, couldn't move an inch. Strangely enough, I could kick across the pool, slowly, without using a board.
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Former Member
I'd also like to, know, though, how does the TI method of teaching fearful nonswimmers compare with that of Melon Dash, of Miracle Swimming? Which would be better for dealing with this type of problem?
I think you are focusing too much on the "methods," which probably aren't going to differ all that much. They're all going to focus on getting you to relax and feel comfortable in the water. More important in my opinion is to work one-on-one with someone (as opposed to a group lesson).
Unfortunately, the warm-water pool he uses initially is shallow, with a cold, deep-water pool used later for more advanced skills. It is better to acquire deep-water adjustment skills in warm water.
Swimming is swimming, whether it's in water 3 feet deep or 100 feet deep. Everything is the same, from floating on your back to swimming freestyle or butterfly. The only difference is that in a deeper pool, the bottom is farther away from you.
It is very hard to find a warm, deep-water pool, since most facilities have either a single, cold-water pool, or else a warm shallow pool used for teaching and a larger cold pool used for lap swimming.
What I have experienced is that there is a lot of temperature overlap between what I would call a "cold" pool and a "warm" pool. The pools where my team has worked out over the years are what you are referring to as "cold". They typically range from 80 to 85 degrees, usually 82 or 83 degrees. If you're moving around at all, that's tolerable. The pool where we currently work out is usually 81-82 degrees. They teach infant and tot lessons in that pool and the kids seem to tolerate the water temperature OK.
I'd also like to, know, though, how does the TI method of teaching fearful nonswimmers compare with that of Melon Dash, of Miracle Swimming? Which would be better for dealing with this type of problem?
I think you are focusing too much on the "methods," which probably aren't going to differ all that much. They're all going to focus on getting you to relax and feel comfortable in the water. More important in my opinion is to work one-on-one with someone (as opposed to a group lesson).
Unfortunately, the warm-water pool he uses initially is shallow, with a cold, deep-water pool used later for more advanced skills. It is better to acquire deep-water adjustment skills in warm water.
Swimming is swimming, whether it's in water 3 feet deep or 100 feet deep. Everything is the same, from floating on your back to swimming freestyle or butterfly. The only difference is that in a deeper pool, the bottom is farther away from you.
It is very hard to find a warm, deep-water pool, since most facilities have either a single, cold-water pool, or else a warm shallow pool used for teaching and a larger cold pool used for lap swimming.
What I have experienced is that there is a lot of temperature overlap between what I would call a "cold" pool and a "warm" pool. The pools where my team has worked out over the years are what you are referring to as "cold". They typically range from 80 to 85 degrees, usually 82 or 83 degrees. If you're moving around at all, that's tolerable. The pool where we currently work out is usually 81-82 degrees. They teach infant and tot lessons in that pool and the kids seem to tolerate the water temperature OK.
