how do i learn to float in water?
106337
firstly b4 answer...some commonsense (sometimes not so common sense) safety. When you are learning always have an experienced friend & adult supervision (if applicable, ie. if you are under-age) this is critical!!\n\nSafety out of way now for answer :)\n\nLots of ways...\n\nGo to a swim teacher or...\n\nIt's easy to go with a friend to pool and use a pool-noodle under your arms, once you can float with this, use your friends hands instead of the noodle, get them to have there hands at your lower back (centre of gravity)and slowly ajust your body till you feel balanced.\n\nWhen you feel like you are floating get your friend to slowly lower there hands away from you till you are floating all by yourself.  Remember that floating is not about freezing but about slow suttle movements to maintain balance.\n\nHint:\nDo everyhting at your own pace and work on blowing bubbles and pretending to sit on recovery (backside down 1st instead of feet first towards ground)so you dont panic and get a monthful of water.\n\nGood Luck (sorry for long answer, important to do properly)\n\nI'll repeat for my own concious..Friend and adult supervision (if applicable) are critical!!
189118
The most common misconception of swimming is that you float on the water. The truth is you don't float above water but underwater. Most of your body is underwater. While swimming you are not trying to float but trying to keep your body level and more hydrodynamic in the water. Of course you are not trying to swim 3 feet underwater but most people will be buoyant enough in the water to stay near the surface, where you would like to be.\n\nThe key to staying buoyant is to relax. If you look at the physical make up of your body, the upper torso is the most buoyant part of your body because of your lungs. Your feet and legs are the most dense and will sink. Let them sink. Be aware of where your legs are floating. Whether on your front or back, by extending your arms above your head you are moving the center of your density higher. This should cause your legs to raise up a little bit more. When you are swimming keep your body stretched out and this will help to keep your body level or more hydrodynamic. The kick will also help to keep your body level.\n\nTo explore your own buoyancy try and sink. Most people will realize that its much harder to sink to the bottom than it is to stay buoyant.
111812
Practice doing your butterfly at a slow pace. It will feel awkard because you are sinking but visualize the position of your body. Visualize your body following your head. Each movement will be exagerated when swimming slow. Practice this until the motion feels comfortable. Pick up the pace concentrating on your body position. You will notice that as you speed up your body will be in a more comfortable position.\nPractice without breathing, then practice breathing every stroke. The key to the timing is a keeping that small second kick, even when your taking your breath. Practice with fins to get the feeling of your kick.
929300
Practice!  You will get better with time.  Also try swimming slower.  Make sure you have good form so you are not wasting energy.  Breathe with your head to the side; breathe every stroke if necessary.
418757
practice. squat while swinging your arms backwords for momentum. as you begin the backflip swing your arms forward and up while you spring with your legs up and backwords. best to try this into a pool or a foam pit. this way you land on something soft if it does not workout. as you lift off the ground tuck in word (some put their chest between thier legs) and watch for the ground as you begin to land. that is the best i can explain it. try practicing into a pool or something soft so when you land it is soft. you don't want to land on your head.
104109
Can you fall???  \n\nThis is the best lesson you can learn!!!  Put your padding on <wrist guards, and knee pads are good>, and practice falling down.  Do this at least 100 times.  After the first 10 times, you'll get board and find creative ways to fall.  Once you've mastered falling, you can try anything without fear, and then you approach your new stunts <going backwards> just like you did with falling.\n\nBasically, you're screen name says it all ... it all came tumbling down!!!
38517
Get comfortable with being in the water first, then try snorkeling...  the next step is to get proper training with a great instructor who's very patient.
462716
You need to rotate your body. When you start your recovery (hand starting from your hips moving to start your stroke above your head), initiate the movement with your shoulders. Rotate your shoulder out of the water, to under your chin. Then start your hand moving up above your face, turning your hands and placing your pinky into the water.  This movement will help to rotate your body. Don't "shrug" your shoulders to your ears. Visualize your legs following the rotation of your body, and visualize your flutter kick rotating from one side, up and over to the other side. This rotation will make your body more hydrodynamic and prevent your legs/hips from wagging side to side. \n\nA drill you can practice is the one arm back stroke. Do a lap stroking with only one arm. The arm that you are not swimming with rests at the side of your body. When you start your pull (in the water) you should be on the side with your almost all the way in the water. You should feel like you are doing a side stroke. Your kick will be a side flutter kick. When you do your recovery, kick on your back. Once your hand recover back to above your head, glide and maintain your balance. Start your pull again when you feel balanced and stable.
1072877
Get a few people and run (yes, run the best you can in the water) around the edges together with your arms extended out on both sides. Push your self as hard as you can through the water, and when you get tired, float around the edges until you've got strength again.
671663
Your lungs will do the same job as the beach ball.  If you can relax and keep air in your lungs, you will float.  Try in shallow water, take a good breath, relax and lay back.  You will be fine.
129124
the basic of swimming is that u must breath in i.e fill ur stomach with air then streach ur legs nd hands nd start flapping them like a bird(only legs) nd as far as ur hands r concerned move them in the backward direcion like dis(ur hands->,<)\n\n 1 <(position of ur hands in the forward direction)   then             2 >(backward direction)
1125870
I used to play Water polo so I can tread water for long amounts of time. I personally don't find it to be very hard but I have had a lot of practice. I had to tread water for 10 minutes when I got my Lifeguard certification but its really not that bad. Just remember you can use your arms if your legs get tired. Also don't try to kick the way you would if you were free style swimming try to egg beater if you know what that is or the breast stroke kick. Also practice before you have to do it. Good luck and don't worry its not so bad!
555488
Consider attending competitive swim team practices and listen to the coach's instruction for improving stroke mechanics. \n\nMany people have similar stroke deficiencies and need similar instruction to improve mechanics. \n\n\nBest wishes !
1021151
first u have to know where to hold the paddle first. \nhold out your two hands(while holding the paddle)to the front. \nthen bring it over your head, and put the paddle along ur shoulder blade, behind ur neck.\nhold on to the paddle while making sure the insides of ur elbow is in 90degrees angle.\nthats the position to put ur hands.\nget it??\n\nto paddle, just swing the paddle..\nu should make sure that ur hands are straight the whole time.\nthen just ram the left side into the water, pull to the back, twist the paddle, ram to the right, pull back , twist, lalala.\n\ni hope i make sense.\nget someone that really knows to actually SHOW you.\n\ngluck.
1095448
Take a deep breath.\n\nAs you lower your head under the water, slowly blow out through your nose.  With practice, you will learn to do this very slowly or in short puffs to make your breath last longer.\n\nGood Luck!
734184
I had lessons for a year and a half during which time i had the most amazing falls ... so here are my tips\n\n1) If you think you will fall you will - that wierd flapping position will send you head over and will not help you keep your balance\n\n2) Relax and try the following. \n\n3) To move forward you need to zig zag or sway side to side. Push with right foot with left foot say pointing at 10 o'clock, glide on the left foot. Alternate your pushing foot - do the same with pushing with the left foot with the right foot pointing to 2 o'clock and repeat\n\n4) To move backwards, simply push in front of you with your toes in the same manner with a slight twist in your hips. \n\n5) To stop, point your toes to the same spot 2 feet ahead of you and glide to a halt. Bend your knees or you will flip. \n\n6) If feeling more adventurous, perform 3) but with a running pace. To stop you will need to point both feet to the side and cover some poor sole in snow. \n\nWhatever you do enjoy!
1148594
Okay. So, if there is a local, "open" swimming pool in your town area, go there. Then, start at the deep end (not too deep). Hold breath in the air and then go down in the water. And just breathe, down in the water, just breathe. Breath with your nose and mouth. Just imagine being a fish, you know, when we were babies in the stomach, we breathe in water! Just do it. Don't be scared. When you breathe underwater, you are fine, soon the water would push you up when you're running out of oxygen or just kick your feet up if you need more air. Then keep doing this. It'll help you *immensley*. Once you learn how to breathe, things will get a lot easier. And just Try to swim or float on the water while breathing. So you are basically teaching your body to swim. Okay, during the summer, take swimming lessons in your local town area. You'll learn breastroke, sidestrock, FRONTSTROKE, BACKSTROKE, elementary backstroke, butterfly. Etc. But most importanly, just teach yourself a little, just be a fish! Just thing as water as your home.