It’s a very common fear – to be scared of water, of going underwater, of being out of our depth. And so it’s something we come across frequently when we welcome new students to our BritSwim swimming lessons. In fact, it’s so common – and something we feel so strongly about changing – that we have specialised swimming classes for those with water fear, both adults and children.
Here’s a few things we’d like you to know, if you’re considering taking swimming classes to overcome your own aquaphobia, or if you have a fearful child you’d like to enroll in BritSwim lessons.
Fear of water, or a less-than-enthusiastic approach to it, is not only common – it’s quite logical. Non-swimmers looking at a body of water will see an alien medium in which it’s impossible to breathe, perhaps something that they have always been warned against – that’s a scary thing. For some, fear of water has been caused by a traumatic experience.
BritSwim teachers recognise this, and will never belittle a fear of water; rather, we’ll work on showing our students how we can happily, and safely, spend time in and move through water.
In Oman, an inability to swim or even to enter a pool or the sea is a major hindrance, even a loss. There are so many amazing experiences to be had here if you’re happy and safe in the water, that not to be able to swim severely compromises your opportunities for fun and adventure.
Many non-swimmers are keenly aware of this, but feel their fear of water will hold them back from learning to swim – in fact it’s just the opposite. The more you know, and the further your skills improve, the less scary the water will be, and whole new world of water enjoyment will open up.
Whatever the basis for a fear of the water, and whatever the age of the student, BritSwim teachers know that it must be acknowledged and dealt with, using understanding, support, and a steady and compassionate building up of confidence and skills.
If you’d like to know more about conquering a fear of water, get in touch and we’ll get you started!