How to Get Started As a New Swimmer

New to swimming? No problem. I get many athletes who are brand new to swimming or have not swam in a few decades and want to improve their stroke. Here is some of my very best advice on how to get started as a new swimmer:

Get a swim gait analysis. This doesn’t take very long and it can be game changing to your stroke. I video you from several different positions in the water in slo mo and go through frame by frame and look at your position in the water, hip rotation, head position, each phase of the stroke- entry, catch, pull and recovery. I also count your strokes per lap, and time your 100 yard effort. I can gather some great information to help you move through the water with more efficiency.
Take a few lessons from a swim coach. When I got back in the pool after my kids were born a friend and I took a few lessons from the high school swim coach. I found this to be extremely helpful to have an experienced set of eyes on my stroke. I pretty much felt like I was a beginner again, but once I got going things started to feel more natural. The investment was well worth it!
Get in the water often. Even if you don’t swim a lot of yardage each time, still get in the water 3X a week when starting out. This helps your body adapt to the feel of the water and your new mechanics as you learn to perfect your stroke.
Check out how the experts swim on YouTube. There are a few great videos of the Olympians such as Katy Ledecky doing freestyle from an underwater view.
Check out @triswimcoach online. They have a great program for triathletes who want to improve their swim both in the pool and in open water.