FAQs
I’m an adult who can’t swim at all. How long will it take to teach me?
I can’t swim but want to teach my two-year-old child to swim. How can I participate?
What’s the best age to start learning to swim?
I’m allergic to chlorine but want to learn to swim. Can you help me?
I’m afraid of water but want to learn to swim. Can you help me?
I’m in my 60s and want to learn to swim. Am I too old?
What days are courses held on?
I’m an adult who can’t swim at all. How long will it take to teach me?
Swimming is easy to learn. All it takes is time, preferably two sessions a week, and your commitment.
Depending on your physical condition, you can learn within 4-6 weeks but remember it gets harder and harder to learn the longer you put it off.
I’ve just had a baby. We have a pool at home and I want her to be water-safe as quickly as possible. How old must she be to have her first swimming lesson and how long will it take her to learn how to keep afloat?
By the age of 25 months, babies who started swimming before their first birthday can swim comfortably: covering long distances and holding their breath for over 20 seconds.
This does take of hours of practice and very gradual lengthening of the swims so please don’t try this at home.
They come up after the swim relaxed and calm. Babies should finish each swim happy, not panting and not take in any water.
I can’t swim but want to teach my two-year-old child to swim. How can I participate?
You need to be fully comfortable in the water before enrolling with your baby, as our Swim4life for Babies lessons rely on parental participation in the water and your child’s confidence in the pool will very much depend on yours. Bath-time is a great opportunity to get some practice in with your baby, and making a game out of being in the water together at every opportunity will help prepare you both for the Swim4life sessions. Also bring your child’s favourite toy to the first session.
What’s the best age to start learning to swim?
The best age to start for babies is between 6 and 12 months old. At this age the water feels natural and they’re comfortable: these very young babies still seem to have memories of the womb.
At around 19-24 months toddlers enter the ‘terrible twos’ and it’s easier to teach water adjustment and breath control before this phase. But, with our creative and interactive curriculum, it’s never too late. The group classes work miracles and motivate children to participate at any age.
I’m allergic to chlorine but want to learn to swim. Can you help me?
The best thing for someone with chlorine allergy is to swim in an outdoor pool. We do have an outdoor pool in Fresnaye but it’s only available in the summer months.
The Virgin Active pool where we train is extremely well ventilated and has an ozone cleansing system that helps reduce the amount of chlorine.
I’m a runner and want to swim to keep my heart rate up but reduce the impact on my body. Do you cater for this kind of thing?
Swimming uses all the muscle groups of the body but your body weight is totally supported by the water, reducing the strain on your joints and muscles. This makes it excellent for achieving and maintaining all-round fitness and an ideal cross-training method for runners.
I’m afraid of water but want to learn to swim. Can you help me?
Get in contact with one of our instructors who will get you going in a safe and comfortable environment.
I’ve had a hip replacement operation and my doctor advised me to take up swimming. Do you have a course suitable for me?
When you’re swimming, the water completely supports your bodyweight, taking the strain off any injured joints or muscles. Contact Ross on 082 094 7456 to book a Swim4life for Adults course. You can learn one on one, in a pair or in a group.
I’m in my 60s and want to learn to swim. Am I too old?
You’re never too old to swim! Swimming is an activity that can be enjoyed by elderly people and those with back or other physical problems because of the low impact on joints and muscles when compared to other exercise.
What days are courses held on?
We hold courses from Monday to Saturday, from 08h00 to 18h30, but the ‘prime time’ slots (13h00-18h00) get filled up quickly so call as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.
How do I book a course?
Call Ross on 082 094 7456 and he’ll place you in the correct group based on your answers to a few simple questions.
