Introduction: Why Beginner Mistakes Are Normal (And Fixable)
Learning to swim is an exciting journey, but it’s not without its hiccups. If you’re a beginner swimmer (or the parent of one), you might find that progress sometimes feels slow or frustrating often because of a few common mistakes that nearly everyone makes at first. The good news? These mistakes are totally normal and very fixable. In fact, at Swim Design Space, we’ve seen it all with young children and adult beginners, and we know how to turn those early errors into opportunities for improvement.
In this long-form guide, we’ll dive into the top five mistakes beginner swimmers make, why they happen, and how to fix them. Our approach is a mix of technical know-how, step-by-step instruction, and a warm, motivational tone – just like our classes. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to watch out for in your swim technique and how we at Swim Design Space help swimmers overcome these hurdles (often with the aid of some neat gear and a supportive class environment). Let’s jump in!
Mistake #1: Holding Your Breath (Instead of Breathing Properly)
The Mistake: Many new swimmers instinctively hold their breath underwater. It might come from being taught as a kid to “take a big breath and hold it” or simply the nerves of submerging your face. Unfortunately, this habit can quickly lead to oxygen deprivation and panic. If you hold your breath while swimming, carbon dioxide builds up in your system and you’ll feel winded and fatigued in no time. Beginners also often forget to breathe out underwater, then frantically gasp for air when their head is above the surface – disrupting their rhythm and causing stress.
Why It’s a Problem: Swimming is an endurance activity, and your muscles need a steady supply of oxygen. Imagine trying to run a 5K while holding your breath – sounds impossible, right? The same goes for swimming. In freestyle (front crawl) especially, you need to exhale continuously when your face is in the water so that when you turn to inhale, your lungs are ready for fresh air. Holding your breath or breathing irregularly will make you tire out much faster and could even make you feel dizzy or anxious in the water. It also tends to make beginners tense up, which only makes floating and stroking harder.
How We Fix It: Breathe, breathe, breathe! We start teaching proper breathing from day one in our classes. For young children, this begins with fun exercises like blowing bubbles in the water and humming (which forces a slow exhale). For adults, we often practice simple drills standing in the shallow end: take a breath, submerge and slowly breathe out through your nose and mouth, feeling a stream of bubbles. This engrains the habit of exhaling underwater calmly. A great tip we use (borrowed from experienced coaches) is to hum as you exhale – it naturally slows the breath and prevents you from holding it.
When it comes to coordinating breathing with strokes, we teach side breathing in freestyle step by step. Our instructors will have you practice drills like “1-2-3-breathe”: face in the water, stroke and kick for three arm pulls, then gently rotate your head to the side (with your body) for a quick sip of air, then face back down. It’s about timing and rhythm, which can be tricky at first – so we break it down until it clicks. If you or your child struggles with the timing, we have tools to help.
For example, using a snorkel can be a game-changer. By wearing a swimmer’s snorkel (the kind that sticks up in front of your face), a beginner can swim without turning their head to breathe at all, allowing them to focus purely on exhaling steadily and keeping a relaxed body position. We often incorporate the FINIS Original Swimmer’s Snorkel, Centre-Mount (a great training snorkel we carry in our shop) into lessons for this purpose – it builds confidence in breathing by eliminating the “fear of not getting a breath” while you work on technique. (Bonus tip: a snorkel isn’t just for scuba divers or tropical vacations; it’s a fantastic training aid for novice swimmers!)
Finally, we make sure comfort isn’t holding you back. Ever get that burning chlorine sensation in your eyes and come up gasping? That’s why we emphasize wearing proper swim goggles right from the start. A good pair of goggles (we have plenty of options for both kids and adults in our store) will seal out water and let you open your eyes underwater. This is huge for beginners – when you can see underwater and you’re not worried about stinging eyes, you’ll be much more relaxed about putting your face down to exhale. With clear vision and a calm mind, breathing becomes more natural.
So the fix is: exhale continuously, time your inhales, and use the right gear to make it comfortable. We’ll get you into a smooth breathing rhythm so you can swim without that desperate “out of air” feeling.
Mistake #2: Swimming with the Wrong Body Position (Head Up, Hips Sinking)
The Mistake: Take a look at any pool and you’ll likely spot a beginner with their head lifted high out of the water, trying to keep their face dry or looking forward to see where they’re going. The lower body response? Their legs and hips sink like an anchor. New swimmers often have an incorrect body position – commonly, a high head/torso and low hips/feet. Another form of this mistake is arching your back or “sitting” in the water as you kick. You might feel more secure keeping your head above water, but it’s actually making swimming much harder. A related error is lifting your whole head up to breathe each time, instead of just turning it to the side – this, too, throws your body alignment off-kilter. In short, beginners often fight the water with a sloped, inefficient posture.
Why It’s a Problem: Swimming efficiently is all about being streamlined and balanced in the water. When your head is up and your hips are down, you’re essentially plowing through the water at an angle, creating a ton of extra drag. More drag means more resistance, which means you have to work much harder to move forward (imagine trying to push a board flat across water versus pushing it at an angle – flat is smoother, angled is resistant). This mistake will slow you down significantly and tire you out, even if you have strong arms and legs.
It can also lead to neck or lower back discomfort (from arching) and chaotic, zig-zagging swims since an off-balance body tends to wander off a straight path. Plus, if you lift your head to breathe instead of rotating, your whole body might fishtail and sink each time, making it tough to get a good breath and maintain momentum.
How We Fix It: We focus on posture and balance in the water from the very first lesson. Don’t worry – we won’t simply yell “streamline!” and leave you to figure it out. We use simple cues and drills to help you find the right position. One of the first things we’ll practice is a basic front float and glide: arms extended, face in the water looking at the bottom, and legs stretched out.
With support as needed, we teach you to trust the water to hold you up. By keeping your chin tucked slightly and eyes looking downward (not forward), your neck stays neutral and your body naturally tilts forward into a horizontal line. We often say “imagine you’re a straight arrow from fingertips to toes.” This aligns your body so that hips and feet are near the surface, reducing drag.
Our instructors give gentle reminders like “look down” or “press your chest down a bit” to get those legs up. For kids, we might make a game of “superman glides” off the pool wall, which encourages a long, straight body position. For adults, we provide hands-on correction if needed – a slight lift of the tummy or hips – so you can physically feel the difference when you’re aligned versus when you’re dropping your legs. It’s a bit like learning to balance; once you feel that sweet spot where the water supports you, you’ll know it.
In addition to technique cues, we sometimes use equipment to accelerate the learning. One handy tool is a pair of swim fins. Fins aren’t just for advanced swimmers – beginners can use short fins to provide extra propulsion, which helps lift the legs and lets you experience swimming at the proper angle.
With fins on, you can glide easier and focus on adjusting your head and hip position without worrying about sinking. (We carry swim fins for both kids and adults – for instance, the FINIS Booster fins for juniors or Positive Drive fins for all ages – which are great for this purpose.) By kicking with fins, you get a sense of moving forward with your body flat, reinforcing that head-down, hips-up posture.
For more advanced beginners, we have some high-tech toys as well. Ever heard of the FINIS Hydro Hip or Tech Toc? These are nifty training tools you wear around your waist that help with body alignment and rotation. The Hydro Hip is a belt with resistance blades that encourage you to rotate your hips properly and strengthen your core, and the Tech Toc is an audible trainer that makes a “toc” sound when you rotate your hips correctly.
While not every beginner needs these, we introduce them in our adult technique classes when working on fine-tuning freestyle form. They’re especially useful if you tend to swim flat like a barge – the devices basically force you to become aware of your hip position and rotation. By synchronizing your hip movement, you naturally maintain a better body line in the water.
So if dropping hips or lack of rotation is an issue, strapping on the Hydro Hip, Core Strengthening Swim Training Tool for a few lengths or using the Tech Toc, Audible Hip Rotation Trainer can make a huge difference. These tools provide instant feedback (you’ll feel the resistance or hear the click) so you can adjust your form in real time. And yes, both are available in our shop – we love using modern gear to solve age-old swimming problems!
The bottom line is that we teach you to swim tall and balanced. Through drills like kicking on your side, practicing streamlined push-offs, and using gentle feedback (both from coaches and gadgets), we fix body position issues quickly. Once you get used to keeping your head low and your body aligned, you’ll find you glide through the water with far less effort. Swimming will feel smoother and more in control. It’s like finding your equilibrium – after that, everything else becomes easier.
Mistake #3: Relying Only on Your Arms (and Not Kicking or Engaging Your Legs)
The Mistake: This one is super common among beginners: You jump into the pool and start powering yourself with your arms, pulling through the water as hard as you can, while your legs do very little (or kick inefficiently). Perhaps you’ve seen the “bicycle kick” – newbies often bend their knees and paddle as if riding a bike underwater, or they barely kick at all. On the flip side, some swimmers get too tense about kicking and lock their knees or point their toes rigidly, which isn’t effective either.
The core issue is an unbalanced stroke: using mostly upper body and forgetting that swimming is a full-body exercise. Maybe your arms feel stronger, so you unconsciously default to them. Or you’re so busy thinking about your stroke that your legs just trail behind. The result? You feel like you’re dragging a deadweight (your lower body) and your arms burn out quickly.
Why It’s a Problem: Swimming utilizes your whole body – arms, legs, and core together. If you rely only on arm pull for propulsion, you’re not only going to exhaust those arm muscles in no time, but you’re also missing out on the major boost that a good kick provides. Kicking helps keep your body high in the water and adds forward drive; it also counterbalances the rotation of your upper body in freestyle. When your legs aren’t contributing, your stroke tempo falters and you might find yourself struggling to maintain momentum.
Additionally, improper kicking (like kicking with stiff ankles or pointing your toes straight down) can act like a brake. In fact, pointing your toes in a fully flexed, ballerina-like way without ankle flexibility is like trying to kick with boards attached to your feet – you won’t go far. Efficient kicks require loose ankles (floppy feet that flick up and down) and engagement from the hips. Beginners often don’t know this, so they might kick incorrectly and then conclude “oh, kicking doesn’t help, I’ll just pull harder with my arms” – a vicious cycle!
How We Fix It: We teach you to swim with your legs, not just with your arms. At Swim Design Space, our coaches constantly remind beginners that a strong foundation in kicking will make you a better swimmer faster. One of the first technique drills we do is a simple kick drill: holding onto a kickboard or even the pool gutter and practicing a steady flutter kick. We emphasize kicking from the hip, with only a slight knee bend, and pointing your toes in a relaxed way (think of flicking water backwards with the tops of your feet).
For youngsters, we sometimes use fun floaties – for example, our FINIS Floatie Friends™ Foam Hand Floats (shaped like sharks, turtles, etc.) are kid-friendly tools that they hold onto while kicking. This not only builds water confidence but also isolates the kicking motion. You’ve probably heard the phrase “kick from your hips,” and we’ll show you exactly what that feels like. We often guide a student by lightly holding their legs straight or demonstrating the motion ourselves so they can mimic it.
We also encourage flexible ankles by doing dryland stretches or even playful exercises like trying to pick up small toys or rings from the pool floor with your toes – anything to loosen up those ankle joints! (A fun dryland tip: Coach Scott from U.S. Masters Swimming suggests curling your toes as if picking up a penny, to train that ankle flexibility. We love creative approaches like that.)
Another key is to develop balanced strength. In class, once you’ve got the hang of basic kicking, we’ll integrate it into full strokes. We might say: “Alright, remember that great kick you just did? Keep it going now while you stroke.” Initially, multitasking is hard, so we use cues: ”Kick-kick-kick, 1-2-3-pull.” Over time, the coordination improves.
We also use interval training to ensure you’re using both arms and legs. For example, we may have you do a length focusing just on strong kicks (with a kickboard), then a length focusing on arms (perhaps with a pull buoy or with fins off to rest legs), then put it together. This way, you learn to appreciate the role of each part.
Gear to the rescue: We’ve already mentioned how swim fins can assist – they not only aid body position but also build leg strength and ingrain proper kicking technique. For both kids and adults, fins add resistance and propulsion, which strengthens your leg muscles and helps you feel the water. (Putting on fins often makes beginners break into a grin because suddenly they zoom forward! It’s great positive reinforcement for kicking.)
We recommend starting with short training fins – they are easier on the legs than long scuba-style fins and encourage a faster, more efficient kick cadence. If you visit our store, you’ll find options like the FINIS Booster Swim Fins for juniors or Positive Drive Fins for adults that we use in classes. Using fins in moderation can rapidly improve ankle flexibility and let you practice the feel of a proper flutter kick.
We also introduce hand paddles at the right time. This might sound counterintuitive – why give paddles if someone is overusing their arms? Well, paddles can actually teach you to pull correctly and efficiently, and they make you very aware of your arm technique. More importantly, when combined with a focus on kicking, they encourage you to distribute effort.
We use something like the FINIS Agility Paddles (strapless floating paddles) in short spurts to refine a swimmer’s catch and pull. These paddles will actually slip off if you don’t pull with the right form, providing immediate feedback on your arm technique. But here’s the catch: we only use paddles when the swimmer has started developing a decent kick and core balance – otherwise, as a Reddit user wisely noted, they would just amplify bad technique.
In our sessions, a few lengths with paddles (and maybe fins on the feet at the same time) turns you into a powerhouse whole-body swimmer: the fins ensure you’re kicking, the paddles ensure you’re pulling with good form, and your core naturally tightens to link it all together. It’s a fantastic feeling when it all clicks! We of course supervise closely to prevent fatigue or strain. The goal is to remind your body that legs and arms should work in harmony, not in isolation.
Lastly, we weave in some dryland or poolside exercises – simple ones like flutter kicks while holding onto the edge, or even squats and lunges on land to build leg strength (remember, strong legs help your swimming!). The combination of technique drills and strength building ensures that you’ll break the habit of dragging lifeless legs behind you. Instead, you’ll be firing on all cylinders arms pulling, legs kicking, core stabilising and making you a much more efficient swimmer. Once you feel how much easier swimming gets when your whole body is involved, you’ll never go back to being an “arm-only” swimmer. We promise, your shoulders will thank you!
Mistake #4: Staying Too Tense and Fearful in the Water
The Mistake: Every beginner experiences some level of anxiety in the water it’s natural. But one big mistake is letting that fear or tension take over your body. We see it often: a child (or adult) who is nervous will stiffen up like a board. They hold their breath (tying back to Mistake #1), lock their arms, kick frantically or not at all, and generally fight the water. It’s a human instinct when we’re uncomfortable our muscles tighten. Unfortunately, in swimming this has the opposite of the desired effect. Being tense and rigid in the pool makes you less buoyant and less capable of moving fluidly.
Picture someone clenching their fists, shrugging their shoulders up, and going completely straight-legged – that’s the posture of a frightened beginner. Another aspect of this mistake is not trusting the water. If you’ve ever said or thought, “I’m going to sink,” you’re likely holding yourself in a clenched, awkward position that actually makes sinking more likely! Fear can also lead to hesitation in putting your face in, letting go of the side, or trying new skills. In short, it’s an emotional mistake as much as a physical one: the water makes you nervous, and that nervousness manifests as tension and poor technique.
Why It’s a Problem: Swimming well requires a degree of relaxation. Water is an unforgiving medium when you fight against it. If you’re stiff, you can’t float as easily (tense muscles are denser and will sink a bit, plus you’re often curling up which breaks that flat floating posture). Rigidity also makes it nearly impossible to coordinate your stroke your arms and legs need a loose, flexible range of motion. Think about trying to swing your arms if you’ve tensed up every muscle; they won’t go far or smoothly.
Beginners who are too tense often struggle to learn new skills because their fear blocks them from executing the correct movements. For example, a tense swimmer might have trouble submerging their head to learn breathing or rolling to their back for a float, simply because their body refuses to cooperate due to panic. It’s also exhausting! Anxiety can spike your heart rate and breathing rate, making you tire quickly. And perhaps most importantly, staying afraid keeps swimming from being fun. We want you to enjoy the water, not endure it.
How We Fix It: At Swim Design Space, our motto could very well be “Comfort first, skills second.” We know that if a swimmer (child or adult) feels safe and supported, they will naturally relax and progress much faster. So, our first job as instructors is to create a warm, encouraging environment where it’s okay to be scared, but where we gently help you release that tension. We start in shallow water where you can stand easily knowing you can put your feet down at any time goes a long way to easing fear.
We do a lot of water acclimation exercises: for kids, this might be as simple as playing splash games, singing songs while sitting on the pool steps, or having them hold onto the wall and kick while we hold their backs. We celebrate every little victory to build confidence. As one swim school advises, no milestone is too small to celebrate – even just getting your face wet or floating for a couple of seconds is a big deal. This positive reinforcement helps students realize that the water isn’t something to dread.
We also practice relaxation techniques in the water. Yes, that’s a thing! A common drill we use is the “starfish float” or back float. We physically support the swimmer (with our hand under their back or head) and encourage them to let their arms and legs flop out to the sides, lying flat on their back. We often say, “Take a big breath and let the water hold you up like you’re lying on a bed.” It takes some trust, but once they feel the buoyancy, a lightbulb goes off – oh, if I don’t thrash, I actually float better! We practice slow, rhythmic breathing while floating to lower the heart rate.
Sometimes we even have adults close their eyes briefly and just feel the water supporting them. Bit by bit, we remove a hand or finger until – voilà – they are floating on their own, relaxed. This does wonders for eliminating fear. For front floats, we might use a gentle assist like a foam noodle or a float belt around the torso, to give a sense of security as they learn to balance their body. Knowing you have a safety net (like a noodle or a Floatie for kids) allows you to loosen up.
Gradual progression is key. If a child is terrified of submerging their face, we might start with just chin in water, then mouth, then blow bubbles with lips, then nose, etc., over multiple classes if needed. We never rush the process, because building trust is paramount. Our instructors often get in the water with the students (especially with kids, but even with adults when needed) to provide that physical and emotional support.
You’re not on your own; we’re literally by your side, sometimes hand-in-hand. Over time, as you succeed in small tasks – like floating with minimal help, or doing a gentle front glide, or even just comfortably standing in chest-deep water – your confidence blooms. And with confidence comes relaxation.
We also make use of proper gear to reduce anxiety. We mentioned goggles earlier – wearing goggles can hugely reduce a beginner’s apprehension about water getting in their eyes, thus helping them relax their face and neck. For kids with long hair (or even adults), a simple swim cap can help keep hair out of the face so they aren’t constantly getting hair in their mouth/eyes and freaking out. (If you need one, check out our fun kids’ swim caps like the FINIS Animal Heads caps making a child feel like a “dolphin” or “shark” with a cute cap can turn fear into playfulness!).
For youngsters, we have body balance aids like inflatable arm bands or back floats, but we use them sparingly just as a temporary crutch until they gain enough skill to go without. We prefer tools like our Floatie Friends foam aids that don’t completely do the work for them but give a little lift. The goal is to help students feel secure enough to attempt skills outside their comfort zone, gradually removing the supports as their skill and comfort grow.
One unique thing we pride ourselves on is our instructor demeanor patient, friendly, and tuned in to each swimmer’s emotional state. We make sure to use positive language and never shame a swimmer for feeling afraid. Instead, we share stories of others who overcame the same fear (maybe even our own struggles learning to swim) so they know it’s okay and that they’ll get there too.
We’ve had adult learners who started out gripping the pool edge with white knuckles and, after a series of compassionate, progressive lessons, ended up swimming laps happily and even joining group swim sessions something they never thought possible. It all starts with helping you relax. As you relax, you move more naturally, float better, and actually start enjoying the sensation of water. We often say progress in swimming is 50% physical and 50% mental. By addressing that mental aspect – easing the fear and tension – the physical skills can blossom.
In summary, our fix for tension is gentle exposure, support, and confidence-building. We teach you to trust the water and trust yourself, one small step at a time. Before you know it, that rigid “board” in the water becomes a fluid fish, moving gracefully. Swimming turns from something scary into something empowering. And once you’re comfortable, the real fun (and improvement) can begin!
Mistake #5: Skipping the Right Gear and Guidance (Going It Alone Without Preparation)
The Mistake: The final big mistake many beginners make happens before they even jump in the pool it’s not being prepared with the right gear or guidance. This can take a few forms, such as: showing up to swim without essential equipment (like goggles or appropriate swimwear), trying to learn all on your own without any lessons or plan, or generally underestimating the importance of technique in favor of “just swim and you’ll figure it out.”
For example, some adults might hit the water in baggy shorts and no goggles, thrash out a few laps with poor form, and then wonder why they aren’t improving (or why they feel exhausted and chafed). Or a parent might toss their child into the deep end with floaties and hope they’ll magically learn to swim. Not having a plan or using proper gear is a recipe for frustration. A related mistake is progressing too quickly swimming too many laps too soon or too fast without building a base, which often leads to burnout or even injury. Essentially, it’s jumping into the world of swimming without the toolkit and roadmap you need for success.
Why It’s a Problem: Swimming is a skill that benefits greatly from the right equipment and instruction. Let’s talk gear first. If you don’t have a comfortable swimsuit (one that allows free movement and isn’t dragging you down) or if you’re swimming without goggles or a cap when you need one, you’re making life harder than it needs to be. Goggles, for instance, are crucial for beginners to see underwater and not be blinded by chlorine without them, you’re likely to avoid putting your face in, which as we’ve covered, is key to good form.
A swim cap, particularly for those with long hair (kids or adults), keeps hair out of your face and reduces drag; plus, many pools require them. Going without a cap can mean hair constantly in your eyes/mouth, which is distracting and unpleasant. If a child has long hair floating around, they might panic thinking something’s touching them, or they’ll stop to fix their hair instead of focusing on swimming. Not having these basic items is like trying to learn to bike without proper shoes or a helmet sure, you can do it, but it’s not safe or comfortable.
As for guidance, swimming technique has a lot of nuances. Without some instruction or plan, a beginner often practices the wrong moves over and over. As the saying goes, “practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.” If you swim laps on your own with incorrect form, you might reinforce bad habits that become hard to break. You could also plateau and get discouraged, or worse, injure yourself (e.g., many self-taught swimmers suffer shoulder pain from a flawed stroke).
New swimmers who try to do too much too fast – say, attempting to swim a mile in their first week – often end up overly sore or demotivated when it proves too challenging. Swimming without a community or coach can also be demotivating; it’s easy to skip sessions or give up when nobody is there to encourage you. There’s a reason even elite swimmers have coaches and structured workouts.
How We Fix It: We set you up with the gear, plan, and support system that will make your swimming journey successful and enjoyable. First, let’s get you equipped like a swimmer. In our Welcome Package for new students (especially kids), we recommend the basics: a snug, comfortable swimsuit (one-piece for girls, trunks/jammers for boys – no heavy cotton t-shirts or loose shorts that drag you down), a pair of well-fitting goggles, and a swim cap if hair is an issue. We have a curated selection of these in our shop because we know quality gear can make a huge difference. For example, many of our students love the FINIS Fruit Basket Kids’ Goggles they’re fun, colorful, and designed for little faces, which means a comfy leak-proof fit.
For adults, something like the FINIS Alliance or Lightning goggles provides clear vision and anti-fog lenses for training. We ensure everyone learns how to adjust and wear their goggles properly (no painfully tight straps or leaky eyes). The same goes for swim caps – we show you how to tuck that ponytail in and secure the cap so it stays put. Once geared up, you’ll immediately feel more “at home” in the water. It’s amazing how much confidence a simple item like goggles can give a new swimmer.
Next, we consider training aids that might benefit you. Not every beginner needs every piece of gear, but some tools can accelerate learning. We already discussed fins, paddles, snorkels, floatation aids, etc., in previous sections. Rest assured, we’ll select the right tool for the right purpose. If your kick is weak, we’ll toss a pair of fins on you for part of the lesson. If your stroke timing is off, we might hand you a Tempo Trainer. Ah yes, speaking of which the FINIS Tempo Trainer Pro is a neat gadget we incorporate once a swimmer starts doing longer swims and needs help with pacing. It’s a waterproof metronome that beeps at a set interval. Beginners sometimes struggle with starting too fast (sprinting out a lap and then gasping for air) or maintaining a consistent rhythm.
The Tempo Trainer fixes that by giving you a beep to match your strokes or kicks to, helping you find that just right speed and avoid exhausting yourself early. It’s also useful for developing an even stroke rate. We might not introduce it on day one, but as you progress to swimming continuous laps, you’ll likely try it out. Many of our adult swimmers find it really transforms their endurance they stop going out like a rocket and burning out, and instead swim smooth and steady, finishing a workout strong. (It’s not just for swimming either; you can use it for run/cycle cadence, hence the name “Multi-Sport Pacing Metronome.”) We keep a few on deck for classes, and of course, you can get your own Tempo Trainer Pro from our store if you become a pacing aficionado!
Another piece of tech we use, especially in more advanced beginner or intermediate sessions, is a swim stopwatch with stroke rate tracking. Our coaches often carry the FINIS 3X100M Stopwatch during classes. This isn’t just any stopwatch it can log splits and even calculate your stroke rate (how many strokes per minute you’re doing). Now, why would a beginner care about that? Well, as you improve, we might challenge you with some “personal best” tracking like how long it takes to swim 50m today versus a month from now – to show your progress. Or we might measure your stroke count per lap to gauge efficiency. The 100-split memory is handy if we have a group of swimmers and we’re timing everyone’s laps. It’s more for the coach’s benefit, but we believe in sharing feedback with our students. If you swam 25m in, say, 30 seconds in week 1 and now you do it in 25 seconds with fewer strokes, that’s tangible progress we’ll celebrate. Our 3X100M Stopwatch & Stroke Rate Trainer helps capture those metrics.
It might sound technical, but it really supports our philosophy of “measure improvement to stay motivated.” And yes, if you’re a data geek and want your own, we sell that stopwatch too – though usually our swimmers are content to let the coach handle the timing while they focus on swimming!
Perhaps the most critical part of this mistake is trying to go it alone instead of seeking guidance. We fix this by providing a welcoming, structured path for every swimmer. If you’re reading this, you’re already on the right track you’re educating yourself, and maybe considering getting some professional help (which we highly encourage!). Whether you join our classes or another program, the key is to have a plan or a coach (ideally both).
In our program, we tailor lessons to your level, ensure you build skills in a logical progression, and keep you accountable and encouraged. Our instructors will catch and correct mistakes you might not notice on your own like a slight crossover in your stroke or a lazy kick before they become bad habits. This kind of feedback is invaluable. Plus, swimming with others in a class can be inspiring and fun; you share challenges and victories, and you don’t feel alone on the journey. We often see classmates cheer each other on, swap tips, and celebrate each other’s first lap or first time in the deep end. That supportive community aspect can make all the difference in sticking with swimming and enjoying it.
If formal classes aren’t an option for some reason, at the very least, we guide beginners to use reputable resources and a written plan (there are beginner swim workouts and apps out there) rather than just splashing around aimlessly. But of course, we believe nothing beats the personal touch of a qualified swim coach guiding you. It so happens that we have a whole team of them ready to help you! So our strongest advice to fix this mistake: don’t do it alone.
We invite you to come join us at Swim Design Space for lessons if you’re nearby. We offer beginner classes for both kids and adults at five convenient locations in Gloucestershire – including Dean Close School in Cheltenham, Everlast Fitness in Gloucester, Everlast Gym in Cheltenham, Etloe House Farms in Blakeney, and Sir Thomas Rich’s School in Gloucester. Our classes are tailored to address all these common mistakes in a supportive, step-by-step manner. When you train with us, you’ll have a clear roadmap from your first pool steps to confident swimming.
We’ll make sure you have the right gear (we even give newbies a rundown of recommended equipment and offer discounts for our students in our shop) and the right mindset. Remember Mistake #2 about body position? Fixed in Week 1. Struggling with breathing? We handle that in Week 2. No kicking? We’ll have you kicking like a dolphin soon enough. Nervous in deep water? We’ll gently get you comfortable where you couldn’t touch the bottom. Everything is easier with a knowledgeable coach by your side.
So instead of winging it and potentially ingraining a bunch of bad habits, let us help you learn the correct way from the start. You’ll progress faster and more safely, and you’ll have a blast doing it. You can book a class with us anytime – we’d love to fix these mistakes together and see you or your child transform into a confident swimmer!
Conclusion: Dive In Prepared and Enjoy the Journey
Swimming is a fantastic lifelong skill and an enjoyable form of exercise – once you get past those early hurdles. Mistakes like holding your breath, looking up, neglecting your kick, tensing up, or skimping on gear/lessons are all part of the learning curve. Every swimmer, even Olympic champions, was a beginner once and made mistakes. What matters is how you address them. With the right approach (and a little patience), each mistake can be corrected, turning you into a smoother, more efficient, and happier swimmer.
Let’s recap the fixes in a nutshell: Breathe out and relax, find that horizontal balance in the water, kick from the hips with floppy ankles, stay loose and trust the water, and gear up properly while following a smart plan. Embrace the process – it’s okay to splash around and laugh at yourself along the way. At Swim Design Space, we believe in combining technical instruction with a fun, supportive atmosphere. We’ll cheer your small wins (because learning to exhale or float for 5 seconds are huge accomplishments for a beginner!) and keep you motivated to tackle the next challenge.
Remember, every great swimmer started with crooked strokes and imperfect breaths. What turned them into great swimmers was consistency, corrections, and confidence-building. You have the first part (the desire to learn); we can provide the second (expert corrections) and third (confidence, through support and practice). So don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but do be proactive in fixing them – hopefully, this guide has given you clarity on how to do that.
Now it’s time to take the plunge armed with knowledge and the right tools. Fix those beginner mistakes and unlock your true potential in the pool. We’re here to help every step of the way. So gear up with your goggles and fins, take a deep breath (remembering to exhale, of course!), and dive into your swimming journey with confidence. See you at the pool. let’s make a splash!
Happy Swimming!
– The Swim Design Space Team