My dad used to compete in national swimming competitions as a boy and teen and then after his army service he did some more competition before becoming an engineer.

To this day he still does life-guarding and still gives swimming lessons for school groups and coaches adult classes like the local masters, also competes in the galas sometimes - and most of the time wins (he’s 60!) in his spare time.

As you can imagine, I was taught to swim by my dad when I was tiny! I’m now nearly 31. My husband wasn’t a very confident swimmer but I helped him with some things I remembered.

Float on your back - just float and notice how you don’t have to work to stay there

Doing breast stroke, go slowly, hold your belly in and breathe in when you bring your hands in and breath out when you push you hands out

Have a float in your hands and just do some laps just kicking

On your back, have a float (8 shaped) between your ankles and just use your arms

If you’re really uncomfortable in the water, like my husband was, have someone gently hold you up from under your belly while you swim around breast-stroke for a while.

After a couple of times with him, I had him treading water, sitting on the bottom of the pool waving 🤣 and retrieving one of those sinking dolphin toys from the deep end (something else my dad used to teach me - helps with holding breath/ stamina, movement and being comfortable underwater)

How many swimming lessons do I need to learn how to swim?