I might be the worst swimming student ever. I need any advice I can get.
As a 28-year-old man with an extreme fear of swimming, I finally decided to put an end to it and signed up for 8 hours of one-on-one swimming lessons. My instructor has 5-star reviews; everyone seems satisfied, reporting significant progress after 8 hours, and there isn't a single negative comment. The pool we use is a very comfortable indoor hotel pool, 150 cm deep, and used by very few people. we have lessons twice a week for 2 hours each, and the 6th lesson is already over. I only have 2 lessons left, yet I am still lagging far behind.
- Lesson 1: We successfully practiced blowing bubbles in the water, the "dead man's float," and treading water vertically by keeping the head up and pulling the legs upward.
- Lesson 2: I successfully practiced kicking while holding the edge and using a kickboard. I also managed to push off the wall with my feet and cover a short distance unsupported while kicking. We tried arm strokes (freestyle), but I wasn't successful.
- Lesson 3: I spent the whole week thinking about swimming and watching videos so much that I couldn't even do what I had mastered in the first lesson—not even the dead man's float. I went home feeling very disappointed.
- Lesson 4: After a bad start, the instructor suggested trying the breaststroke with the head above water, thinking it might be easier for me to feel comfortable. I successfully performed the breaststroke kick with a kickboard.
- Lesson 5: We repeated the kicking drills from Lesson 2. I tried the breaststroke kick without support, but since I lacked the courage to lie horizontally enough in the water, I couldn't do it as properly as I did with the kickboard. We tried the arms without the legs; it was adequate, but I could never synchronize the arms and legs.
- Lesson 6: This was a repeat of Lesson 5, practicing the same movements.
I am genuinely worried that I will never be able to learn how to swim. I knew I had a fear of water, but now I’m starting to feel incompetent as well. I live in a seaside town. I plan to practice everything I've learned in the sea; I hope the extra buoyancy of saltwater will help me improve further. I need any advice from people who have gone through this or from instructors. Thank you for your time.