Learn How To Swim 101 – Back Float - Learn How To Float

Learn How To Swim - Learn How To Float is The First Step

After you have managed to control your fear of putting your head underwater, when you learn how to swim, the next step is to learn how to float on your back (the back float).

By the way, you can now get my step by step guide from this link called: "Back Float Swimming for Adults"

Let me just say before I get into that, I used the term "manage your fear" quite deliberately. If you have grown up with a fear of water all your life the idea of completely eliminating your fear altogether is not something that you should expect.

A Back Float

There may come a day when you won't think about putting your head underwater but you should not be too concerned if it takes a long time. This is perfectly normal, just as long as you have your fear under control you can expect to progress well. Besides, there is nothing wrong with a healthy respect for the water it is after all not easily tamed.

Whilst we are talking about fear, floating in the swimming pool is by far the thing that those that can't swim, fear the most after getting their head underwater. What can I say but what I have said above and that only practice will help overcome that fear.

In Theory, The Back Float Is Simple

In theory, the back float in a swimming pool is simple. You just lay your head back and up you go. But the very sensation of floating is in itself disconcerting enough to stop people from even attempting it.

Also once you have your head underwater many quite rightly assume that you could just go on and learn how to do one of the front strokes like freestyle or breaststroke. So why am I saying that you should learn to back float next?

As I have said in my blog entry Back float is vital, you cannot expect to be safe in the water if you cannot lay on your back. Besides learning to swim backstroke is that much harder if you can't float.

So above is a picture of what a back float should look like. In reality, because everybody is different with different body shapes and body densities, virtually no two people will look the same in the water.

Because some people carry more body fat in various parts of their body they are going to be able to lay in the water with their hands by their sides. Others will have to have their hands high above their heads. Still, others will find that the legs will dangle below.

In some cases, the legs will be too muscular, and corrective action will have to be taken in order to force a person to be able to back float.

Next Time

Next time I will discuss some of the corrective actions that need to be taken for various difficulties in learning to float on your back.

You may also find teaching someone else to float on their back useful if you are teaching someone else to float on their back.

If you are learning by yourself the best thing you can do is go to a swimming pool where there is good supervision (ie. Lifeguards) and spend some time in the shallowest end you can get access to and try to mimic the picture. If you can get access to the toddler swimming pool to start with that is even better because you can bounce off the bottom until you are in a good floating position.

Don't forget, you can now get my step by step guide from this link called: "Back Float Swimming for Adults"

Enjoy
   Richard