You just have to relax completely and let the water hold you up. Once you can do it, it’s like riding a bicycle, second nature and you can’t understand how people sink 
How do you stop yourself from sinking ,when you float on the water?
Before I lie on the water I fill myself with air. ie: take a deep breath - then just fall back, relax & float.
I grew up on the coast and we swam in the Quay and in the creeks at high tide from a very early age.I don’t think I knew a child who couldn’t swim.I won village cups for swimming and when I went to grammar school I was in the school team. I loved swimming and carried on for many years. I encouraged my kids to swim too. As an adult I don’t enjoy it because I find lengths just totally boring and unless the water is very warm I can’t relax.
I’ve been a swimming since I was a child. Both my parents were avid swimmers ; my father used to swim long distance in Lake Huron. I’ve followed in his foot steps and became a long distance swimmer. In 1989 I did I a 5 km swim to raise money for Multiple sclerosis. My grandmother, who I never met died of MS at a young age. I also got my bronze medallion in life saving. I can swim.
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I have not swum for decades.
When I broke my ankle over 18 months ago I done hydrotherapy. Swimming was included.
I could not swim a 25 metre lap as I am overweight and not exercised for three and a half decades.
I’m an appalling swimmer, I’ve always disliked the kind of sterile, municipal feeling of swimming pools.
Snorkeling on the coast in the relative comfort of a 7mm wetsuit was a different matter.
In retrospect a bit silly for an appalling swimmer!
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The only thing a brick and myself have in common.
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. There are several reasons why not being able to swim such as a previous incident terrifying being in water
Were you taught it in school?My BH thinks that most Australians born and bred here can swim because they were taught it at an early age.
I can’t,I don’t like being immersed in water and glad someone invented showers.
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I’ve not swam for ages. Last time I think it was with some dolphins. Since then, I’ve had my hip replaced, which probably means the weight of it will make me sink straight to the bottom.
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There was an animation, cartoon encouraging young people to learn to swim. The moral of the the story was that if you weren’t man enough to swim then you’d lose your bird.
Oddly enough I think it was broadcast around midday after Andy Pandy or Mary Mungo and Midge.
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Exactly how I feel about swimming but not the chlorinated swimming pool type of swim.
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I’m seriously not into swimming pools.
There was a film starring Burt Lancaster, a very American production and none the worse for that.
The Swimmer… don’t get the kids round all primed up with popcorn for this one!
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I can swim, yes, we were taught in school and I used to swim often three decades ago. Today I can not swim well because of a lack of fitness.
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Swimming is the best exercise for joint replacements and is highly recommended by Orthopaedic Surgeons. Since I had my knee replaced it’s one of the few activities I can do well. We are lucky in having 2 private schools in our small town both of which have their own leisure centres with lovely swimming pools which are open to the public. Their pensioner rates are very good.
I was not being entirely serious. Absolutely right, of course. Swimming is great therapy, but I seldom have the chance to do it. Local swimming baths are really expansive and I refuse to swim in the sea.
Swimming was the only sport I ever excelled at at school and won many trophies, but after four decades of two packs of Bensons a day (still I stopped 14 years ago), I’m not so good now and the chlorine in the water really gives me a bad chest, so it’s very rare I swim nowadays…
Extremely Well, I was swimming in the Galas when I was ten years old, then I went on to swim for Perth for a few years before full time work got in the way. My dad swam the channel back in 1950 my mother was an excellent swimmer as well. Swimming is in the blood lol.
I was swimming 50 lengths Monday to Friday up till my accident last January, am back at the pool but only on 30 lengths 3 times a week and slowly building.
These 3 old photos are of my dad going off the top board in the early 50s.
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Here’s a video I made to help over 50’s start swimming laps for fitness. Great resource if you need inspiration.
<< Used 2 Do. The Breaststroke.
But found that slow. Getting 2 the Diving Board.
The Backstroke is significantly more appealing. 
In truth.
Must have taught 100+ youngsters to swim. Both daughters and Grands. Competitive swimmers. And or Surf Lifesavers.
They loved going up to Bristol competitions. If ONLY. Because.
The coach used to stop on the way back. For ‘Fish’ & Chips.
Happy, Sing Along Days.
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