Learning To Swim As An Adult: Starting Scared, But Showing Up Anyway
** I wrote this after my first swim lesson last summer and didn’t get around to posting it. Even though some time has passed, this moment was such an important part of my journey that I still wanted to share it **
I’m learning how to swim, as a grown woman, with fears, injuries, and no clue what I’m doing. But I’m doing it anyway. This first lesson stretched me mentally, physically, and emotionally more than I expected. It also reminded me that I can do hard things.
Facing My Fear Of The Water
Driving to my first swim lesson, I knew this was the next step in my journey, but I also knew I had to confront a fear that had lived in me for a long time. While scheduling the lessons, I told my swim instructor just how fearful I was of the water. I told her that it might take a while for me to warm up to the water, and I explained my current ankle and back injuries as well. Even with all of that, I still made sure to share my ultimate goal of being able to swim independently for daily exercise.
She told me we could spend the first day just walking in the pool until I got comfortable in the water, and if I felt up to it, we could try more. She said that she was glad I was facing my fears. That conversation helped me go into the first lesson not feeling like I would be pushed past my limits.
Things Felt So Overwhelming
When I got to the pool, it was already full. An aqua fit class was happening at the time, so the music was blasting. Small children were taking group swim lessons. Lifeguards, all high school and college-aged, were keeping watch over the pool from every angle. Confident kids were splashing around. Adults were swimming back and forth in the swim lanes. I even saw a guy with his pool workout written out in a protective cover.
Being at the pool felt like a club that I wasn’t in… at least not yet. People were everywhere, and the whole environment felt chaotic and overstimulating. Honestly, I immediately questioned whether I’d picked the wrong time to come.
To top it off, someone had hit my car in the parking lot just before the lesson, then drove across the lot and parked like nothing happened. I had to get out, see where he went, and walk over to talk to him just to get his contact and insurance info. It wasn’t anything serious, but emotionally, it added to everything else already swirling in my head.
Pushing Myself
When the lesson started, my swim instructor told me we would take things at my own pace and only go as far as I felt comfortable. We entered the pool at the kids’ side, where the water started at my ankles, and walked from there. Her first suggestion was that I aim for 4 feet, 3 inches. She pointed to where that was on the pool wall. It felt like a stretch, but I was willing to try.
As I got closer, I realized it was too far for me at the time. I slowly made my way to 4 feet and told her I couldn’t go any farther. She said that was okay. So I stayed there, walking up and down the pool and stopping each time I reached 4 feet. She walked beside me the whole time, and I never felt judged.
Eventually, I told her I might be ready to go a little farther, but I was afraid. I was scared that I would drift off into deeper water and lose control. I asked her, “If that happens, what would you do?” She told me that she would just pull me back. The understanding that I could be easily saved gave me enough courage to try. And I made it to 4 feet, 3 inches, which is just under my chin. I did it, and I was proud.
Mental Strength Is Necessary
We kept walking the length of the pool together, now going up to 4 feet, 3 inches. We stayed at that depth until the lesson ended. This was a huge win for me. And one thing my instructor said during our lesson, right before I decided to try to get up to 4 feet, 3 inches, that really stuck with me was:
“Swimming is all mental.”
The more I reflect on that, the more I believe it. For me, learning to swim will be a mental battle. I’ll have to decide if I’m going to let fear keep me from accomplishing something I really want, or if I’ll keep building mental strength so I can reach this huge goal: not just learning how to swim, but becoming a confident swimmer.
My instructor said that the goal of lesson one was simply to get comfortable being in the water. I definitely started down that path. I feel proud of myself. Honestly, I was proud of every step that I took in that pool, because I know how much strength it took. This experience showed me that I can do hard things, even through fear.
Taking Things One Step At A Time
I still have a long way to go before I become a confident swimmer, but this is my day one, and I’ll say that day one was great.
I’m taking two swimming lessons per week to start. Even though I would love to do more, I realize that I still have two injuries and I don’t want to make things worse by doing too much. Pushing too hard, too fast was exactly how I ended up with both my ankle and back injuries in the first place. I’m learning that I have to pace myself, especially when starting something brand new.
I keep telling myself: Slow isn’t bad. Taking it slow is smart for where I am physically.
Learning to swim as an adult comes with a lot of challenges, but I keep reminding myself that I can do hard things and that this learning phase will pass. I will become the swimmer I desire to be.