I’ve got access to a pool I can use whenever I want.

I’ve always been a cr$p swimmer. Last summer I finally learnt to do a proper breast stroke i.e. head under water, coming up for breath not just doing a granny stroke. Did it by looking at youtube vids then trying to put it all to practice which to be honest took a while.

This summer i’m keen to learn a proper front crawl. Anyone got any tips/recourses that can help me get there quickly?

Do you have local council pool nearby?

I had swimming lessons for a while in Cambridge – was only about £50 for 10 lessons and was very useful.

Still rubbish at front crawl, but that’s because I’m not very confident in the water, rather than any lack of instruction!

Is there a swimming club with beginner sessions?

Once you’ve figured out that you’re completely knackered after one length of thrashing down the pool, take a look at some of the ‘total immersion’ videos on YouTube. It’s a gentle relaxed style that is very efficient and good for long distance.

My problem was getting the breathing right, just couldn’t do it without spluttering to a stop after a few strikes. I bought some goggles and went and learnt breaststroke first, which I can now do properly as you describe. Still struggled with the front crawl breathing through, same subconscious panic as before. I spent about an hour going up and down holding a float, just working on breathing out steadily under water, and breathing in to the side. So boring, but it worked, and I could then do lengths of front crawl without stopping. I shall consolidate this and once the breathing is a non-issue I’ll work on technique. I am not at all knowledgeable about swimming like others on here are, that’s just what I did.

And like he says, do it slow and easy. Even though I’m crap Im not getting knackered.

I learnt about 4 years ago.

Had 1 lesson at the local pool and worked on feedback from that. Then had video lesson at the point that I could just manage 4 lengths, and worked on that feedback. That made the biggest difference, was soon doing “endless” lengths and not getting out of breath.

Had one pool lesson last year.

I found getting a good first 1-2-1 lesson in really helped, as you get the full attention of the tutor.

I like the Swim Smooth coaching method, Total Immersion is also very good.

Breathing is key. You can’t swim for long if you are not breathing easily. So slow and steady is the key.

Get a pull buoy float to hold between your legs so you don’t have to kick. Then focus on long slow arm strokes, breathing out under water and turn to the side to breathe.

After you have that sorted, you can then move on to more technique stuff. But expect it to take a good few weeks to get the breathing sorted.

If you have a local triathlon club, see if you can get a 121 (you can get 2 or 3 to 1 which is probably good too and a bit cheaper) with the swim coach.

It’s a very technique based sport, so expect it take a bit of time to get remotely competent.

I’m still learning 4 years on. Now doing open water swims, Iron distance triathlons, and got a 5km lake swim in July. Before learning crawl I could just do “life saving” breast stroke.

+1 for getting a pull buoy float. Really helps you concentrate on your upper body technique.
Also, one of these could be useful if you struggle with breathing.
http://www.swimsmooth.com/finis_snorkel.html
Hope that helps.

Have a Google at Art of Swimming and Shaw method. Worked a treat for me and I managed a few local lessons through them. Regularly do 1.5 – 3k now, not fast but smooth and great for my old bones 😀

Total Immersion balance drills are really useful–and once you’ve nailed balance (not as easy as it sounds) you’re sorted because then you don’t have to use up all your breath fuelling a frantic kick to try and stop yourself sinking

I’ve always been a strong swimmer, and happy in the water, but never bothered getting the hang of front crawl. Always desperate, always knackered after a 50m length

Moved a few years ago to within 60 seconds ride of a 50m outdoor pool, and gave myself a goal of doing 2 lengths front crawl without stopping.

My sister in law gave me the best piece of swimming advice I’ve ever had: on the last stroke before your breath, empty your lungs, force everything out while you’re head’s down. Then, when you turn your head to breathe, you’re taking a full, deep lung full, rather than breathing out a little bit, panicking because the stroke’s coming round, breathing in a little bit.

Absolutely golden that one. Beginning of everything.

Once you’re breathing properly, you can learn to pace yourself. I realised I’d been basically sprinting to get to the other end before I passed out because I wasn’t breathing. Trying to learn in that environment is never going to work!

With your breathing sorted, you can go at a steady “jogging” pace, you’ve got time and mental space to concentrate on technique and how it feels, rather than just getting to the other end without dying. Gliding, the pattern of your stroke under water, kicking, angling your arms into the water. Try breathing every 2 or 3 or 4 or 6 strokes (always dumping air on the stroke before you breathe) I settled on 3, even out stress on your shoulders.

About a month later, I was swimming a mile without stopping, with an all-out sprint finish on the last 50m.

ok, i can do a very long answer but i don’t have time. if you want me to email feel free to get in touch, but the conscise answer to your question…

lessons are a good call if you can find a decent coach. if you can afford it a one day or weekend swim smooth/total immersion type thing.

i learnt to swim over 400m timed for a lifeguard exam, its a good way to measure yourself. that is still my ‘go to’ legnth in the pool.

buy books cheap off ebay, all three. swim smooth is good. total immersion is my favourire because its more about feel. art of swimming i found a bit airy fairy.

watch other swimmers in the pool. you will learn heaps just by watching.

on you tube the breakthrough clip for me was this… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwjTQmniSmI

basically swimming is all technique, get into that and its a zen like activity with no distractions. i love it.

the facedown breating thing, just relax. many people struggle with that. if you are breathless coming off the wall just take a few strokes to calm down then dig in again.

watch, learn, practice, watch more.

All of above, plus on the breathing side, you need to not hold your breath – all the time your head is underwater consciously breath out with a steady stream of bubbles

There is a decent Art of Swimming DVD that I found helpful too

Of course it is always best to get proper lessons/coaching to avoid starting off with bad habbits and technique, but if you have time on your own then I’d get a float and start drills on your legs. The legs are the foundation of crawl. It is all about timing and you haven’t got a chance on getting the breathing right until you get the rest of your technique there or there abouts. The legs don’t just help propel you but they also steady you and help you knit your whole technique together. The key is to kick from your hip with straight legs, but they do need to flex a bit at the knee. This ‘stiff but flexible’ thing with the legs is the hardest thing for people to get their head around as they instinctively want to kick from the knee. But this just results in your backside dropping in the water and you end up fishtailing along. If you get the ‘stiff but flexible’ thing down then that acts as a foundation for the upper body to work off. It involves good core strength and kicking from the hip, so just use the float to isolate your legs and focus on this initially. It will feel strange at first and you will use muscles you’re probably not used to used to using. But once you’ve got it down your arms, and breathing, will fall into place much easier.

there is an element of coordination going on, so break it down to its constituent parts and work on those seperately.

Also get a pull bouy to isolate your legs and work on your arms.