TACKLING AQUAPHOBIA

There is one psychological problem that works as a hurdle in learning to swim for many people, it is called 'Aqua phobia' .Today am trying to discuss with you some methods of handling the Aqua phobic swimmers and how you can help them learn swimming. Here are some exercises that can help the swimmer get a better feel of water, thus ignoring the water in a relaxed manner.

1)Go to the shallow water area of the pool, try to sit across the edge of the pool, and let both the legs hang down in the water, and play with water sweeping it back and forth with your feet. Take as much time as you like to enjoy the sensation of water flowing around your legs as you like.

2) Take some water in the palm of your hand and apply it on your face as if you are washing your face. This is done to make you get used to your face being wet.

3) Make a cup of both your hands, take some water and hold your breath and splash the water into your face. During this drill you will see that wearing goggles is good as you can keep your eyes open, will notice that during drill holding your breath and sitting in upright position helps keep the water from entering your mouth and nose.

4) Now slowly try to enter the shallow pool by using the ladder situated at almost all the poolside. Don’t rush, do everything in an enjoyable manner. Enter the water, keeping in mind to choose an area where the water stays below your chest. Make yourself comfortable, and strode in water for some time, just to relax.

IMMERSING YOUR HEAD

Here are some exercises that will help you gradually immerse your head in the water for as long as you are comfortable with it. This drill is also done in shallow water.

1) Holding your breath, and keeping zwemschool rotterdam your back straight, squat down till the water is hardly touching your lips. How this sensation feel? Notice your level of comfort in this position and stand up.

2) Close your mouth, hold your breath, and with straight back slide down the water till your nose is above the surface of water and mouth under water, you will notice that the water does not enter the mouth.

3) After some time, with your nose still above the water surface, try to breath with your mouth closed and underwater, feel how easily you can breathe with your nose while your mouth is still underwater. Then, repeat this to practice breathing with nose close to water.

4)Holding your breath, slowly start sinking down with you back straight ,go down till your mouth touches the water surface, then do down more so the mouth goes underwater, then go deeper so that your nostrils touch the water, hold this position for a few seconds and then stand up to breath.