A lifelong swimmer's idea of tragedy may be a fear of water. Yet, that's precisely what keeps so many people worldwide from enjoying all of the benefits swimming brings. We're not talking about anything as crippling as aquaphobia here. But low confidence in one's ability to keep from drowning certainly factors in.
Studies show that the fear of water is common around the world. Research proves that the best way to face one's fears is to confront them head-on; thus, the logical solution is to plunge right in. But maybe not without a few pointers first. That's why Superprof guides Loiners to the best swimming lessons in Leeds and around West Yorkshire for:
- infants and toddlers to become familiar with water sports
- children to hone their athletic performance
- for adults to get fit and become more self-confident
- for swimmers reluctant to sign up for group swimming classes
Granted, Leeds doesn't offer as many venues to learn to swim as London, but you still have a fair selection. Let's explore all the swimming lessons in Leeds.
Baby Swimming Lessons Leeds
Should you search for 'swimming lessons Leeds' on your favourite web browser, you'll find more results for infant and toddler swimming lessons than any other. That might seem illogical. After all, an eight-month-old can't yet walk unless they're exceptionally precocious. They have neither the strength nor coordination to swim, let alone the cognitive development to understand instructions.
The point of infant and toddler swimming lessons is to get babies used to the water before they have a chance to become afraid of it. Water Babies has developed a course that guides children to be self-confident in the pool and learn aquatic safety skills. These lessons target kids up to five years old—water Babies designed their swim courses in collaboration with Swim England.
By contrast, Baby Swimmers follows the Starfish Awards swimming course program. This international swim lessons program details six stages of aquatic safety, confidence and swimming ability. Baby Swimmers welcomes learners from just a few months old. They meet at different pools around Leeds based on the day of the week.
Leeds rivals Glasgow in the number of baby and toddler swimming lessons. But as we've just learned, baby swimming lessons are about more than tossing your baby in the pool or river and letting instinct take over. Baby swimming lessons in Leeds open a new dimension in the bonding experience that will benefit your baby for life.
Swimming Lessons for Kids in Leeds
Readers of a certain age might recall learning how to swim because one of their parents or older siblings threw them in the pool. I still remember my father lobbing me in, shouting, "Sink or swim, sweetheart!". I'm sure he meant it lovingly, and I did become a strong swimmer. But it could just as quickly have gone the other way.
Today, parents sign their kids up for swimming lessons rather than risk terrorising their children. In Leeds and all around West Yorkshire, they're spoilt for choice. For instance, the Baby Swimmers' group has a Swimmers Academy that targets school-aged children. These lessons focus on building stamina and developing stroke techniques.
This group meets at different pools around Leeds, depending on the day of the week. You might visit their website to learn about their schedule and how much their lessons cost. Adams Aquatics aren't quite as forthcoming with their information, though. They state they train swimmers of all ages but ask that interested swimmers enquire by email about lesson prices and availability.
By contrast, Aqua Swimmers and Bramley Baths make clear their desire to ensure everyone will be safe in the water. You might already know Bramley is open daily; you only need to enquire about swimming lessons there. Aqua Swimmers meets on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings. You can join them at Moorlands School on those days.
My mate's son had a near-miss that scared him off the water a couple of years ago. But now, he is taking swimming lessons in Manchester. His mum reports he's growing more confident saving himself if he falls in the canal again. As mentioned above, growing more self-confident is a great reason to sign up for swimming lessons!
Adult Swimming Lessons Leeds
Sometimes, grownups feel embarrassed learning a skill typically mastered in childhood. Roller skating and bicycle riding are two examples of such; swimming is another. But there's a crucial difference between the first two and swimming. Knowing how to swim is life-saving; one can't say the same for either bike-riding or roller-skating.
Adams Aquatics takes water safety seriously. As noted above, this group seems to follow the 'less is more' advertising standard. It accords no more significant weight to its kids' swimming classes than those for grownups. They keep their classes small so the swim coaches can accord each student the attention they need.
And all the room their students need to save face should they feel embarrassed. Leeds Phoenix Swimming (Tong Academy, Woodhouse Grove School) does the same. Phoenix follows the Swim English pathway; their coaches have qualifications for the Royal Life-Saving Society (RLSS). As you might guess, Phoenix focuses as much on aquatic safety as stamina and stroke technique.
Underscoring our musing about grownups seeking swimming lessons being embarrassed or shy, Nemo Swim posts a muted advert for their adult swim classes. This Bramhope-based swim school emphasises teaching no more than five students at a time. "... a maximum five children per group from age 3+ to adults." is how they put it. Nemo also offers one-to-one swimming lessons.
As a grownup, once you master aquatic safety and proficiency, you may enjoy all the water venues Leeds has to offer. Birmingham may have more swimming pools than Leeds, but Brummies would be hard-pressed to find a pool like Bramley Baths or Ilkley Pool and Lido. And if you don't mind making the drive, you might head to Calypso Cove or Shipley Pool in Bradford. You probably won't get your laps in at Calypso, but being there is a lot of fun!
Private Swimming Lessons Leeds
As you might have guessed, a lack of aquatic confidence can be deadly. That's why organisations like Swim England and Starfish Awards do everything they can to ensure everyone learns to swim. But, for reasons personal to them, some people would instead sign up for private swimming classes.
Above, you read that Nemo offers private lessons on request, and so does Adams Aquatics. If those programs don't suit you, you might check out Swim Now. This private swimming teacher group addresses one notation aspect the other courses lack. They address students' attitudes towards water and swimming first.
Their first classes cover learning how to relax and feel comfortable in the water; this makes a lot of sense. If you're tense and fearful, you're less likely to get your swimming lessons' full benefit. Next, they emphasise technique as the path to aquatic safety. You'll know how to stay safe in any aquatic activity if you have natural solid proficiency.
We mustn't overlook Active Leeds! Its webpage reveals that one in five adults can't swim, a tragically correct statistic. So they've set up adult lessons for anyone over 14 years old. The swimming course runs 50 weeks per year; you'll pay a small per-lesson fee via monthly direct debit. Active Leeds swimming classes are available at eight different facilities across Leeds and West Yorkshire.
You might be excited that Leeds Beckett University is launching a swim class for adults. This school is renowned for its child-oriented swimming classes but, until now, all their courses were 'adult and child' style. That means the parent is involved in the swimming lessons but doesn't get to learn as their child learns.
But now, starting in September, the school will welcome adults in groups of ten who want to learn how to swim. Granted, that's not exactly a one-to-one arrangement. But the setting is private, and the coaches follow the Swim England criteria. Even better: if you are an alumnus, you'll get a discount on your per-lesson price.
You might wonder if a Superprof swimming tutor could give swimming lessons in Leeds. Unfortunately, Leeds and West Yorkshire Superprof swimming tutors are out of reach now. However, that's subject to change, so stay tuned. But there is some good news.
As adept as Superprof tutors of all subjects are, natatory skills are one subject they cannot teach online. Still, they make finding swimming lessons in Leeds a snap - as, indeed, anywhere in the UK. And you might need a bit of coaching on your technique or a pep talk before a big swim meet. You can talk with a Superprof swim coach online if that's the case.
Summarise with AI:
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
