I go to the gym 5 days a week and consider myself somewhat athletic, enjoying sports, cardio, and weight lifting. However, I have never had the chance to learn how to swim properly. I can mimic swimming in shallow water, but this summer, I want to learn to swim correctly.
There are not many swimming schools nearby, and driving 30 minutes each way isn’t feasible unless it’s worth it. So, how long does it typically take for an average 34-year-old man to learn to swim properly, including floating in deep water?
Swimming can be learned this summer, even without a nearby pool! Being athletic like you are is a big advantage.
Here’s a quick timeline:
Basics in weeks: Consistent practice (2-3 times a week) for a few weeks can get you kicking, breathing, and gliding in shallow water.
Swimming confidently: Regular practice (1-2 months) can help you float and swim laps in deeper water.
Skip the long drives to a swimming school! Try online tutorials, ask a lifeguard for lessons, or find a friend who swims to help you out. Practice regularly and focus on proper technique, and you’ll be swimming confidently before you know it!
Consistency is key. Learning to swim as an adult can vary greatly depending on several factors, including your comfort level in the water, physical fitness, and consistency of practice. For an athletic individual who is comfortable in the water and can dedicate regular time to practice, it typically takes about 20-25 hours of private lessons to gain basic swimming skills. However, if you’re starting with a fear of water or have limited access to a pool, it might take longer.
Learning to swim as an adult can be difficult especially if you have a fear for deep water. But I would say it might take you about 3 months to be good if you have a great swimming coach
I’m 34 and learned to swim at 31. I went from not being able to put my head under the water or being able to swim 10 yards to completing 15+ sprint triathlons and 1 half Ironman. I’m still not a great swimmer but going from nothing to where I’m out, I’m proud.
I gave myself from Jan 1st to April 15th to learn and compete in my first triathlon with a 250m swim, which I did in a ridiculously slow 10 minutes haha.
I’m fairly fit, but honestly, I found that had very little to do with it. So much of swimming is technique. I wasted 6 weeks 3x a week trying to increase my swimming endurance. YouTube videos helped, but I made more progress in 4 lessons than in 6 weeks of trial and error.
Learning to swim can vary greatly depending on several factors, including your comfort level in the water, existing swimming skills, and your goals. Are you afraid of the water? Can you float? Do you have a sense of how to move in water? What specifically do you want to achieve with swimming—distance, duration, or mastering specific strokes?
Personally, I didn’t learn to swim until adulthood. Initially, I thought I could swim because I didn’t mind being in the water, but when I tried to swim 25 meters, I found it extremely difficult. I realized that what I thought was swimming was actually more like treading water. I sought help from friends who were experienced swimmers, but progress has been slow. Even now, after years of practice, I’m still refining my front crawl stroke. So, to answer your question, learning to swim can take months or even years, depending on various factors. Good luck on your journey!
It depends on many factors, especially your current relationship with water. Are you afraid of it? Can you float? Do you have a sense of how to move in water? When you say “learn to swim,” what is your goal—distance, duration, or something else?
I only learned to swim a few years ago, well into adulthood. I thought I could swim because I enjoyed the water, but when I tried to swim 25 meters, it was incredibly difficult. I assumed swimming was about doing the old-person breaststroke or a head-above-water front crawl. I asked my swimming friends to teach me these techniques. Technically, it was swimming, but not many would consider it proper swimming.
Years later, I’m still learning a proper front crawl. I’m slow, and when I see others posting sub-2-minute/100-meter times after being self-taught for a few months, I’m flabbergasted. I wish that were me, but I’m not even close. So, to answer your question, it takes months or even years. Good luck!
Basically swimming depends, a child can spend 30 min learning how to swim and that will him or her average of 6 months for the same child to know how to swim while an adult takes a month or two to learn and know how to swim.
For some people, a week. For others like me, a month or two. Every individual is different and unique. I’d say: take time out of the equation and focus on the process and the learning.
until adulthood. Initially, I thought I could swim because I didn’t mind being in the water, but when I tried to swim 25 meters, I found it extremely difficult. I realized that what I thought was swimming was actually more like treading water. I sought help from friends who were experienced swimmers, but progress has been slow. Even now, after years of practice, I’m still refining my front crawl stroke. So, to answer your question, learning to swim can take months or even years, depending on various factors. Good luck on your journey!