Starting from the beginning?

[Avi_lori]

So I am not a very strong swimmer, Ive snorkeled but i guess that doesn't count.

I want to make sure I am a strong swimmer before I start constructing/buying a tail or even a monofin.
I am pretty broke and I seriously doubt I have any money for lessons.

So what can I do?
Do I have to suck it up and find the means to pay for swimming lessons?

My goal to swim successfully and gracefully in a tail seems to be years away cause life isn't too kind.

[Moonflower]

Do you know anybody who could help you with swimming? Or possibly, is there a local community pool near you that offers free or cheap lessons? It might be a good place to start.

[Avi_lori]

I could possibly check out there, there is one pool that I know of, I will have to ask there.

[kazekoh]

Well, I just honestly started out by getting in the water~ Just getting comfortable in it and figuring out how to move around through it.
Don't swim alone if you can't swim yet though! Always have a swim buddy.

I took a class too, but it was covered my my college tuition and was later. ~ I think it was worth it to get my strokes better, but that's just me. :>
I don't know where you are, but if your are in the states; the YMCA might be an option. They can help you if you can't afford very much.

[Avi_lori]

Thanks!
I live in the Caribbean and everything is super overpriced and expensive. :[

[jukumerboii]

i learned how to swim at camp when i was younger,,since i was so determined to be a merman i got the pools flippers,,surprisingly that made me swim faster and under the water! so i would suggest trying to find some cheap fins and maybe practice with those aswell.

but like kazekoh (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?258-kazekoh) said just become 1with the water!

[Mermaid Jewel]

Hm also just get comfortable in the water, especially when it gets deeper. Don't freak out if you can't stand up. I mean, i did a lot >.>

Snorkeling does count! i mean, it's not everything but still. And swimming classes will make you a stronger swimmer, but you don't need to go all the way. I did when I was younger and basically was trained to be a swim team kind of swimmer. You don't really need that skill. I mean, I'm not going to start swimming hardcore butterfly or freestyle with a mer-tail on. But I do suggest some cheap lessons if you can! Other than that, just getting comfortable and not panicking. :)

[Avi_lori]

Thank you!
I do kinda panic when I cannot stand up, especially without a snorkel and flippers >__<
I keep thinking I am gonna sink >_<
How do you stay afloat?! People make it so easy!

[jukumerboii]

yea i have a problem with staying afloat as well so i always doggy paddle in one spot and get tired fast!

[Mermaid Jewel]

I don't float...if I have to stop swimming I have to hold onto the edge of the pool. Other than that, you can move your legs and arms a bit, just don't flail, it takes a lot of your energy!

[MermaidSaku]

I can't remember who said this quote exactly but.
Do not fight the water it is your friend, your love, it's apart of you. You flow with it not fight it. If the water carries you then move with it. -unknown

So when ever you feel like you are going to sink or start to panic. Think about that. It's your friend. :)
Also if you go dead weight underwater you float to the surface. Lol : )

[mermaidwillow]

as long as you have air in your lungs, you will float. try this if you're, well, confident enough. get a deep breath of air and go into the fetal position facing the sky. after about five or so seconds, your body orients itself to be floating with your back out of the water. no matter what, if there's air in your lungs, you will eventually float up.(from shallow enough water. I wouldn't suggest trying this, y'know, 100 feet underwater.) hope that helps. :)

[Maple]

as long as you have air in your lungs, you will float.

Absolutely yes! If you have air in there, you are positively buoyant and you will float.

When you cannot touch the bottom, you have to either tread water or learn a skill called 'skulling'. There are tons of youtube videos teaching you how to do this. It does take practice, but once you get how to tread, it's very easy. The more comfortable you are in water, the easier it will be. I've been in the water since I was an infant (water baby!) so while I respect the water, I don't fear it or panic easily in it.

It's hard to tell people how to float because I've been doing it so long that it's become second nature to me :)

[taom]

I would say learn how to float on your back first. (Simply fill you lungs with air, lay in you back, and float. You will need to lightly kick your feet and move your arms under you to keep you afloat.) That way if you find yourself in the deep end of the pool, you'll be ok. Like everyone keeps saying, get in the water! I was a pretty lousy swimmer even a year ago but, after working at a sumer camp and being in the water and just messing around, I got better. I would suggest looking up how-to videos to learn different strokes then practice them out in the shallow end until you feel confident. Just keep practicing and you will get it!

[Avi_lori]

Thank you so much for all the feedback!
I'm taking it all in and totally gonna try and get into the water more, which will be mostly the beach cause its free :D

[cosmo]

maybe you could watch some swimming training videos and if anyone you know can swim they could teach you?:)

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Or maybe find a friend who likes to swim to swim with you and help you out? Or maybe someone who is a good swimmer or has a job involving swimming (like a lifeguard, snorkel or scuba instructor)?

[Odette]

oh i have so much info for you, Avi_lori! im currently working on making a swimming program for mermaids. some things you can do right now is practice:
treading water( keeping hands above water engages abs)
drownproofing
proper dolphin kicks(comes from the hips and snaps off your ankles like a whip)
freestyle and butterfly strokes
ab workouts
proper breathing
good luck!

[ShyMer]

I don't know about other people here, but I learned how to do the dolphin kick with a mono by watching videos. I knew how to do it from swimming classes years ago, but it helped me understand how it was supposed to feel with a monofin.

[Tasha Mermaid]

Absolutely yes! If you have air in there, you are positively buoyant and you will float.

When you cannot touch the bottom, you have to either tread water or learn a skill called 'skulling'. There are tons of youtube videos teaching you how to do this. It does take practice, but once you get how to tread, it's very easy. The more comfortable you are in water, the easier it will be. I've been in the water since I was an infant (water baby!) so while I respect the water, I don't fear it or panic easily in it.

It's hard to tell people how to float because I've been doing it so long that it's become second nature to me :)

I'm with you, I'm so comfortable in water floating on my back that its second nature, in fact back in school (years ago now) when we had to do swimming lessons (in school, in australia every child has to do a swim course its part of the curriculum) i was so comfortable floating on my back i actually feel asleep and the teacher had to wake me to tell me we were done....i don't recommend doing it AT ALL but i was so comfortable and the water so soothing that i didn't even realise (it was in a public pool)

[Azurin Luna]

In the Netherlands every kid starts swimming at school when they are around 6-7 years, they even wanted to make it earlier like 4-5 years, but they couldn't push it through. I got both my swimming diploma's, but they always said I was a lazy swimmer as I liked to swim underwater more then on the surface. That's also probably why the dolphin kick came natrually to me and when I saw the show Ocean Girl I perfected it more.

[Mermaid Narina]

having goggles and flippers gives you confidence, so start with them! and find a friends to go to the local pool with every week, you can help each other out!