I just started swimming again but feel afraid?

Question

I just started swimming again after several years, and I feel afraid. I am only afraid when doing freestyle/crawl, not doing breast stroke or back stroke. I think that the fear has to do with taking breaths and getting my timing right. What can I do to get my confidence back?

Answer 1

First practice balancing on your belly.  (Front float)  Then practice streamline kicking.  Streamline is arms stretched over your head and hands together, squeezing your ears.  Kick with your face in the water.  If you have trouble, then your head is not down enough and your chin not tucked, or your kick is bad.  Kick from the hips not the knees.  When swimming freestyle, slide your arm up your side keeping your fingers pointing down so the elbow raises, reach forward and pull under the body in an s curve.  (With the left arm it is an s with the right arm a backwards s).  Pull all the way back past the hips and repeat.  The other arm is opposite.  This means when one is forward, the other is back.  They both continue moving, but are equally opposite of each other.  when one is under and pulling, the other is sliding forward,  when one is extended backwards, the other is extended forwards.  The breathing is done by rolling from the hips as a unit.  You roll to breathe as one arm is moving forward and roll back as the same arm is pulling under and the other arm (on the breathing side) is coming forward.  Your head should return to "face in" before the other arm (on the breathing side) goes past the head.  It sort of "pushes" the head back for lack of a better way to describe it.  If your head is up and the arm on the breathing side is already past it, you are late and this will cause imbalance.  Learn to swim "downhill".  You should not be grabbing water and swimming as if you are climbing a hill.  Also, remember to exhale slowly out the nose when your face is in the water and inhale through the mouth on the side.  Best to practice breathing every three strokes as this promotes a more balanced stroke.  Be aware that you need to keep your chin tucked as you breathe and not lift as you roll to breathe.  Maintain your kick throughout the breathing.  My best guess if that your body looks alot like this when your swim freestyle: \  Head up, legs sinking....this is a problem.  Learn to balance and keep your chest down and you will have great results.  Good luck!