Choose a safe, supervised place to swim
Learn basic water safety rules (ask for help if unsure, never swim alone)
Wear appropriate swimwear and use goggles if needed
Start in shallow water and practice floating
Practice breathing: inhale above water, exhale underwater
Learn to kick by keeping your body streamlined and moving legs rhythmically
Practice arm movements separately before combining with kicking
Try freestyle (front crawl): alternate arm strokes with a steady flutter kick
Keep your head low: look slightly forward and breathe to the side during arm recovery
Maintain a steady rhythm: kick and arms working together without stopping
Practice turning: touch the wall, rotate, and push off with a streamlined position
Push off the wall and glide briefly before starting strokes
Practice breathing patterns (for example, breathe every 2–3 strokes) and stay relaxed
Try backstroke: keep your chest up, face toward the ceiling, alternate arm strokes with flutter kick
Practice breaststroke: kick in a frog-like motion while bringing hands out and together in front
Keep timing consistent: glide, pull, kick, glide
Use sidestroke as an easier option for short distances: kick and pull in coordinated sideways motions
Gradually increase distance and reduce rest between laps
Focus on form: straight body position, relaxed shoulders, efficient kicks
Work on buoyancy and control: practice treading water and sculling
Warm up before swimming and cool down after
If you feel pain, stop and get help from a qualified instructor