Adults: Get in the Swim

Love sunning poolside but can’t jump in because you never learned to swim?  Been thinking how much fun it would be to join the family in the surf one of these vacations?  There’s no better time than the present to learn how to move and stay safe in the water.

Here are four stats that might encourage you to get off the deck chair and into lessons before this year’s beach season:

1.     It’s easy to get out of your depth: about 10 people a day die from unintentional drownings.

2.     Adults don’t always know better: 80 percent of drownings are of people 14 years and older.

3.     You’re a role model:  if you don’t know how to swim, there is only a 13 percent chance your kids will learn.

4.     You’ve got company: an estimated 35% of adults can’t swim the length of a standard pool.

So if you are ready to get out of the shallow end, hone your vintage skills or kick it up a notch, consider one of the following all-new American Red Cross swim classes now on offer for adults:

• For absolute beginners, there is the Adult Swim—Learning the Basics class, which will help you overcome any fears of the water and teach you essential water competency skills.
• If you can already swim but want to improve or update your skills, try the Adult Swim—Improving Skills and Swimming Strokes class. With its emphasis on foundational skills and water comfort as well as proficiency in all strokes, this is a great class for parents who want to enjoy the water more safely with their children or who need a strong foundation for other activities such as SCUBA.
• For the aspiring triathletes and master swimmers out there, consider Adult Swim—Fitness Swimming, a class that will get you fit and stroke-ready for endurance and competitive swim sports.

Don’t miss the boat!  Go to your local pool this weekend and ask to sign up for Red Cross swim lessons. Check out local Red Cross classes here: www.redcross.org/takeaclass