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 Do
you ever get too old to learn something new? That depends on whether
your goal is to learn how to ride a bike, roller skate or even swim.
While any of these tasks would certainly present a challenge to those
over 30, none would be impossible.
Many educators believe that for every skill there is
an optimum time in life to master it. For learning how to swim this
"window of opportunity" usually occurs before age five. That
doesn't mean that if that time frame passes other windows cannot be
opened; it just takes a little more effort and a lot more motivation.
Many adults in South Florida fall into the non-swimmer
category for a variety reasons. Some grew up in colder climes and the
opportunity to learn to swim just never presented itself. But, for
more adults I have met this is not the case. Time and time again I
hear the same story or a variation of the theme.
Usually, the tale is about a near-drowning episode or
a close call involving deep water. The adult shares a frightening
experience of what it was like to be underwater for what seemed like a
very long time. Sometimes a relative had to rescue them. The details
are a little bit vague, but the message is clear, "swimming is
dangerous, I almost died and I'm never doing it again!"
This is unfortunate and unnecessary. Anyone who wants
to can learn how to swim. The important thing is that when the
decision is made to pursue this goal it's for the right reason. It's
just like making the decision to quit smoking; if the motivation is
only to please another person it probably won't work. You have to do
it for yourself.
The motivation to learn to swim could be to conquer
fear, to enjoy aquatics as a sport and for the exercise, or just to
enjoy the "cement pond" you spend so much time and money to
maintain. Find a qualified, experienced and, most of all, a patient
teacher. At first, progress is likely to be slow. Don't think of
reasons to cancel your lessons; it is difficult to succeed with poor
attendance. Find some time to practice or at least get in the water
and enjoy yourself.
Swimming is one of the few sports that can be done no
matter how old you get. It requires very little equipment and
facilities are abundant. You don't need a group of people to
participate and the benefits to the heart and health in general are
remarkable.
If you are an adult non-swimmer, learning how to swim
may be one of your greatest challenges. The best-kept secret adults
hide from their families is that they can't read; the second biggest
secret is that they can't swim. One thing that I often tell my
students is that genuine pride comes when we master the difficult
things in life, not the easy ones. This is hard, don't give up; it's
worth it.
April Cox, a Pinecrest resident, has been teaching
adults and children to swim for more than 25 years. She is employed as
a lifeguard and swim instructor for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
For more information on instructional swim, water safety and related
topics or to contact Cox, please call 305-235-4390.
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