YMCA Adult Swim Lessons

By: Susan Hickey

I don’t know about you, but I think a Spring Break visit to a beach is in order. I’d love some sunshine and warm weather!  Some of you may wish for the same thing, but find swimming a challenge. Many parents put their kids in swim lessons at the YMCA, but were you aware that adults can take lessons as well?

Maybe you are like me, somewhat embarrassed about the prospect of adult swim lessons. However, my desire to swim as low-impact cross training encouraged me to put aside my pride and give it a try. It was a great decision. I took swim lessons at the Coffman YMCA for two months (eight sessions) and I learned some great tips about stroke efficiency and technique that has helped me improve my overall swimming ability. My personal swim lesson experience was tailored towards specifically refining my stroke mechanics, but the instructors are prepared to handle any level of swimmer.  Personally, having someone watch me swim and provide feedback was a great help in improving my overall confidence in the water.

There are other reasons to consider adult swim lessons at the YMCA. Did you know, according to a Red Cross survey, “while 80 percent of Americans said they could swim, only 56 percent of the self-described swimmers can perform all five of the basic skills that could save their life in the water?” The skills that are considered to be “critical” include: the ability to step or jump into the water over your head; return to the surface and float or tread water for one minute; turn around in a full circle and find an exit; swim 25 yards to the exit; and exit from the water. In general, the survey determined that more than half of all Americans (54 percent) either can’t swim or don’t have all of the basic swimming skills. Even more alarming is this: only 40% of parents of children ages 4-17 believe their child can perform all five basic swimming skills, yet 92% say that their child is likely to participate in water activities this summer. 

As a parent, those indicators help reinforce the importance of my personal swimming skills. The statistics are disturbing:  the most recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that every day, an average of 10 people die in the U.S. from unintentional drowning, and 20 percent of them are children aged 14 or younger. Drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death for children and sixth for people of all ages. If improving my own skills might help my kids be safer in the water, then I’m all for it.

So before you start planning your summer vacations or take off for Spring Break, consider taking advantage of swim lesson opportunities here at the YMCA for both you and your kids. It can help improve your physical fitness and also keep you and your family safe while having fun.

Safe travels!

https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/press-release/red-cross-launches-campaign-to-cut-drowning-in-half-in-50-cities.html