swimming lessons

[shilton dipper]

Re: swimming lessons

hated the swimming lessons........nearly drowned and i remember a boy called peter dragging me back to the side...........consequently i have never learned to swim and have no intention ever of going to a pool...........infact last visit was in 1979 lol

[HG]

Re: swimming lessons

One of the most important things taught at school in my opinion. I never did my gold medal though, I only got the silver , rescuinga brick in my pyjamas and being able to swim 400 metres I think without stopping.

I was scared swimming at first and in my very first lessons on a Saturday morning I used to swim with one leg on the bottom of the pool . I used to look forward to a hot drink afterwards as the pool was freezing.

I still swim regularly now.

[Trickyvee]

Re: swimming lessons

I remember the first time we got taken to the big public pool, as opposed to the little pool attached to our school. The teacher made us get in at the middle steps and I assumed I'd be able to touch the bottom. I launched myself in with great confidence then went straight under flailing in panic and had to be rescued with the big hoop on a stick. You never forget such terrifying incidents!

We have a few new pools that have been built in the last 5 years or so around where I live and I've noticed that they don't have the foot baths any more. Also the male and female changing is not separate. They seem to call them changing 'villages' which makes me squirm but overall the layout of the new pools is much better. The old 1960's built pool of above is still there and still has the foot baths, although they look a lot mankier than when I was little. I was rather taken with the footbaths and used to lie down in them when I was very young!

[darren]

Re: swimming lessons

only way ill ever swim is with arm bands.
im just got such a fear of drowning.

quite a few times i hit the bottom but my teacher who taught me was not the most patient.

must be at a guess 25 yrs sionce tried swimming.
dont think ill ever try asgain.

hated the swimming lessons........nearly drowned and i remember a boy called peter dragging me back to the side...........consequently i have never learned to swim and have no intention ever of going to a pool...........infact last visit was in 1979 lol

[HG]

Re: swimming lessons

If you fall in a river etc you will drown if you don't know how to swim (stating the obvious there), only way to overcome your fear is to try it again.

Learning to swim should be one of the first things a child is taught, it literally could be a lifesaver.

[shilton dipper]

Re: swimming lessons

We didnt have swimming bags like those in the early 70's when I had to go swimming with school............I say that very loosely as I actually never learnt to swim.........the teachers spent all their time with the kids that could swim already and the kids like me ended up either sat on the side or just splashing around..........was really a naff part of my education tbh as one day at the pool I actually had to be saved by a boy in my class as I'd gone right out of my depth and was in the process of drowning......thank you very much to Peter wherever you are...........I never did learn to swim .......and havent been to a swimming pool since 1979!

[Trickyvee]

Re: swimming lessons

Must admit I did not enjoy school swimming lessons at all and I was not a very good or confident swimmer until my teens. It was always the being forced to do things that I didn't like. I much preferred going to the pool with friends/family and messing about having fun. That way learning to swim wasn't so traumatic. Now I love swimming and go regularly.

Hats off to Frank Skinner too for completing his length for Sports Relief. He looked genuinely terrified and I thought that was a huge achievement for someone who couldn't swim. It's never too late!

[shilton dipper]

Re: swimming lessons

Must admit I did not enjoy school swimming lessons at all and I was not a very good or confident swimmer until my teens. It was always the being forced to do things that I didn't like. I much preferred going to the pool with friends/family and messing about having fun. That way learning to swim wasn't so traumatic. Now I love swimming and go regularly.

Hats off to Frank Skinner too for completing his length for Sports Relief. He looked genuinely terrified and I thought that was a huge achievement for someone who couldn't swim. It's never too late!

I watched that too and I felt really proud for him ........what an achievement............I know how terrified he felt. I was with him all the way......well done Frank!!

[darren]

Re: swimming lessons

its more the fact the teacher who tried to teach me was not patient but i did and do still have a fear of drowning.

we went i think every thursday around 11.

really it should have been someone at the pool teaching us.

but yes i agree knowing how to swim is a lifesaver.

If you fall in a river etc you will drown if you don't know how to swim (stating the obvious there), only way to overcome your fear is to try it again.

Learning to swim should be one of the first things a child is taught, it literally could be a lifesaver.

[Trickyvee]

Re: swimming lessons

We have a few new pools that have been built in the last 5 years or so around where I live and I've noticed that they don't have the foot baths any more. Also the male and female changing is not separate. They seem to call them changing 'villages' which makes me squirm but overall the layout of the new pools is much better. The old 1960's built pool of above is still there and still has the foot baths, although they look a lot mankier than when I was little. I was rather taken with the footbaths and used to lie down in them when I was very young!

Update! This old pool is now having the separate changing rooms and foot baths replaced by a 'changing village' as we speak. Another part of my childhood disappears...

[sf1378]

Re: swimming lessons

I used to swim when I was 7, even began being able to do it without a float and the backstroke...then when I went onto another school it didn't have a pool so...'forgot' how to swim. We did get taken to another schools pool some years later on but by then I was a weak swimmer, sticking close to the sides and having one foot touching the bottom as I 'swam'...I should re-learn, like others have said, its a lifesaver and its very good for all round health. The only thing I hate about swimming pools is catching verrucas!!! Thats how I got them as a kid - all gone now thankfully. I think if I start taking lessons again I'd wear those rubber socks to prevent contact with the poolside floors for fear of those disgusting verrucas!

[Trickyvee]

Re: swimming lessons

Ha ha there was always some kid wearing those socks. I remember having a couple of nasty verrucas and getting this foul smelling stuff to paint on them. Luckily that was enough to get rid of them as I'd heard my friend talking about having to go to the doctors to get them frozen off and I had visions of whole feet set in blocks of ice. Didn't fancy that!

I still have a tiny verruca on one of my toes. It must have been there since those days but it is barely noticable and doesn't cause any bother. I've tried all ways to remove it but it won't budge!

[Richard1978]

Re: swimming lessons

My brother had a verruca which had to be frozen off, he had to wear rubber socks in the bath for a time.

My Dad picked up athlete's foot at least once at a swimming pool, lots of people seemed to have trouble with this 20-25 years ago, but somehow I avoided it.

Footwise my main trouble is wearing in new shoes, my heels always seem to end up red raw unless I wear thick socks, or swab them with sugical spirit.

[sf1378]

Re: swimming lessons

Thats what I love about DYR, we end up nattering about something else in each thread. Tricky - try Bazuka - I did and it really kills the horrid things quickly when used. I've heard about the freeze off method - ergh. Same with me Richard, new shoes are basically uncomfortable until the leather is worn in...I either get blisters on my little toes for example or one on the back of my heel...usually only via ONE shoe!

[battyrat]

Re: swimming lessons

Swiiming lessons.I really did not like them at the time.I think my hatred towards swimming comes from that time when I was in primary school.I have not been swimming since and even when I was courting and everybody went to the pool I sat out at the side waiting for the buzzer to go.Shudders at the orrid wet stuff...lol.

My swimming trunks were always rolled up in a towl the stuffed into my dap bag on swimming days.We would later in the day usually in the afternoon be lead out to the borrowed school buss which had those wooden bench seats running along the walls from the driver to the back.Every time the driver put his foot down you either slid towards the back of the bus or towards the driver along the benches.If the driver turned a corner fast you ended up in the lap of the person sitting opposite you.My memories mostly consists of the lucky ones chosen for the school plays rehersing the songs in the buss on the way there and back and teacher joining in.

Memories of actually swimming have mostly been wiped from memory,but I don't think I ever got out of the baby pool and seem to have some sort of phobia about putting my head under the water.The only other two things that came to mind is one kid brought some sweets from the little shop there and ended up with stomach ache,and the shallow foot wash facilities.

I do remember the pool inself as I used to go past there on a regular basis as a teenager,long since demolished and built on.It was an old art deco building that was painted blue and white,open air pool.