Current Events > Anyone else have NO idea how to swim?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I took lessons and still don't know how to swim properly. Maybe it's problem with my lungs/heart/ no technique in learning how to breathe.
---

I dont understand how people dont value the ability to swim. Im a former international rep at swimming but it doesnt really take much to learn to swim to save yourself.
---

Um no that's dumb
---

I could swim great as a kid, but I haven't gone to a pool or anything in probably about 15 years so I dunno if I'd even be able to do it still
---

Zikten posted...

key point is to not panic. relax and you will float. humans are designed to float naturally. but it doesn't work if you flail around.

This, if you simply do nothing you will float.

knuxnole posted...

Zikten posted...

knuxnole posted...

No, that's not a routine thing to have lessons in childhood.

actually in some places it is

what kind of places? Cause I can't think of one place that mandates swim classes in school

Its not that serious, its more like learning how to ride a bike. Its just something you learn to do growing up. Sure you can go to camp or classes or something to learn it, but its mostly just passed down from family and friends

Ive watched people swim on TV so I think I got the idea down. Does that count?

BigG777 posted...

Ive watched people swim on TV so I think I got the idea down. Does that count?

Why not? Works for driving
---

Sada_Pop posted...

Feline_Heart posted...

knuxnole posted...

I would probably drown if I go in a body of water. Never went to a pool or beach or lake in my life lmao

How is that possible?

... seriously gamefaqs?

Hes saying that hes never been to a pool, water park, lake, or beach and youre acting like I said something strange? Lol
---

Zikten posted...

Sada_Pop posted...

... do you think that everyone has easy access to that stuff?

YMCA is easy access to everyone

There aint one where I live that I'm aware of.
---

Nope. Havent been in a pool in years. Havent been in a natural body of water in maybe over 10.
---

MrK3V posted...

People who don't know how to swim probably don't have passports either lol

In this case you are correct.
---

gatorsPENSbucs posted...

MrK3V posted...

People who don't know how to swim probably don't have passports either lol

In this case you are correct.

Why have a passport if you dont plan on leaving the country?
---

I learned when I was 4, and have always had opportunities to swim (pools at apartments, schools had swimming for P.E. in May/June, live by 2 rivers and not far from the ocean). Hard to meet anyone around here who can't swim, but I can understand if you weren't allowed those privileges you wouldn't have any need to learn.

But I pity yall, swimming is so fucking fun.
---

I don't get why people take swimming lessons unless they're planning to do it competitively. If you're just wanting to teach your kid to swim, take them to shallow water and get in with them, it's easy.

I totally understand not knowing how to swim if you didn't have access to any pools or bodies of water though. But I grew up on the coast where the public pools cost a dollar to get into for the day, and if you couldn't swim around here that was pretty pathetic.
---

Feline_Heart posted...

knuxnole posted...

I would probably drown if I go in a body of water. Never went to a pool or beach or lake in my life lmao

How is that possible?

Cause I never went? Never went to a far away beach or lake, don't go to pools.
---

andel posted...

it blows my mind that a seemingly significant portion of users here cant swim

Not really, it's not surprising. LOTS of people don't like to go to pools or beaches. Also lots of people don't live in the coasts.
---

MrK3V posted...

People who don't know how to swim probably don't have passports either lol

Don't have one, because I don't need one. I never want to leave the USA and don't have a purpose to!
---

C_Pain posted...

I don't understand not being able to swim. if you go in the water you'll naturally move to stay afloat and then just go forward. That's swimming.

But that's not true at all. In fact, primates are the only animals that don't do this.
looked posted...

This, if you simply do nothing you will float.

Nope. Some people just don't float, like me. Saying "just do nothing and you'll float lol" is kind of a silly argument, if that were the case no one would ever drown due to exhaustion, only panic flailing. People aren't fishing bobbers, lol

That'd be cool if they were though because, again, no one would ever have to drown
---

I learned to swim when I was like four or five, but I probably actually went swimming less than five times after that as a kid. I think I've completely forgotten. At the very least, I can't imagine doing it. I don't know if it would kick in if I was suddenly dropped into the water or not.

I didn't trust my swimming instructor when I was taking lessons as a kid and quit

I can swim enough to save my life to an extent. Treading water is an effort.
---

I kinda do but I'm not good at it. I have pretty bad water phobia
---

MrResetti posted...

I didn't trust my swimming instructor when I was taking lessons as a kid and quit

I can swim enough to save my life to an extent. Treading water is an effort.

I think id survive as long as it wasnt too far. I once swam like 10ft cause I had been hanging onto afloating barrier but it drifted further out over time where as originally I could barely have my whole head over water.

Friend told me I swam like I was having a seizure but I made it back far enough I could stand with my head over thr water
---

looked posted...

Zikten posted...

key point is to not panic. relax and you will float. humans are designed to float naturally. but it doesn't work if you flail around.

This, if you simply do nothing you will float.

Either I was doing something wrong or it's not true for everybody. Last time I tried that advice in a pool I sank. I even filled my lungs with air.
---

Banjo2553 posted...

looked posted...

Zikten posted...

key point is to not panic. relax and you will float. humans are designed to float naturally. but it doesn't work if you flail around.

This, if you simply do nothing you will float.

Either I was doing something wrong or it's not true for everybody. Last time I tried that advice in a pool I sank. I even filled my lungs with air.

Your lungs have nothing to do with floating. You just have a mental block that's preventing you from letting go
---

TendoDRM posted...

dawgpound69 posted...

Sada_Pop posted...

dawgpound69 posted...

Ok now Im just confused. Did you not grow up by pools or lakes or anything?

... do you think that everyone has easy access to that stuff?

Maybe Im just being ignorant but Id think most people have access to a public pool. Hell I learned to swim in the local river

You're being ignorant. I grew up around pools and lakes and rivers and oceans in Mass and Maine and learned to swim when I was like 4, but not everyone has that. Maybe their parents didn't like swimming and never took their kids. Maybe they live in some desert in Nevada. Also, public pools are usually gross. I wouldn't fault someone for not taking their kids there.

Lmao I didnt learn to swim with my parents I learned with my friends at the river. Did you literally spend every second with your parents when you were a kid? If so you had a very strange friendless childhood
---

Feline_Heart posted...

Banjo2553 posted...

looked posted...

Zikten posted...

key point is to not panic. relax and you will float. humans are designed to float naturally. but it doesn't work if you flail around.

This, if you simply do nothing you will float.

Either I was doing something wrong or it's not true for everybody. Last time I tried that advice in a pool I sank. I even filled my lungs with air.

Your lungs have nothing to do with floating. You just have a mental block that's preventing you from letting go

This is false. Filling your lungs with oxygen definitely gives more buoyancy. Something people with just bones and no fat have very little of.
---

My siblings and I all learned how to swim the same way, one of our parents threw us into the pond.

TBH there are lots of places in the US that doesn't have a beach and the lake is not something most people do unless they are outdoorsy. Usually we watch TV and play video games. And pools are not a big thing.
---