SPLASH 135 April-May 2021

Page 31

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Teaching adults to swim with a smile

Petrina Liyanage with her adults’ guide to swimming

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ward winning swim teacher Petrina Liyanage has helped more than 1000 adults get water confident since establishing her business in 2013. Her successful pupils include Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas, and Sudhir Warrrier, chairman of Australian Cruises Group, both of whom offer endorsements. Now she has put her experience into a guide to help adults become confident in the water and learn to swim so they can enjoy the pool and other aquatic activities. This is one of the rare books on teaching adults to swim from someone who not only has the experience, but has been recognised as excelling at it. In 2018 she won the Austswim National Award for Best Swim Teacher of Adults. As well as publishing the Adults’ Guide to Swimming she has released a full range of adult learn-to-swim videos to accompany the guide. These videos are available for free on her website. Liyanage loves having the privilege of being part of a very personal journey when people achieve what can often be a life goal. She’s had people break down in tears in the water through the sheer emotion of being able to succeed in ways they never thought possible. “I’ve helped people who love water sports but are too afraid to get in it. For example, a jet skier who always jet skis with a life jacket on, people who own sailboats but have never learnt how to swim – even an Olympic rower who could never get her face wet.”

Petrina’s ten golden rules for adults to get water confident

“Any adult can get water confident, regardless of age or starting level.”

1. Never underestimate the importance of relaxing. It helps you to float and breathe better, which ultimately helps you to swim better.

She even helped an opera singer learn how to swim so he could improve his lung capacity and perform better on stage. “It’s never too late to learn,” she says. “Any adult can get water confident, regardless of age or starting level.” The book provides great tools to self-teach if: • You can’t or don’t wish to take swimming lessons. • You wish to prepare yourself prior to taking swimming lessons. • You seek to enhance your knowledge to complement current swimming lessons. The book is packed with more than 100 illustrations (with online videos), step-by-step instructions for self-practice, and solutions to common issues you might encounter. People can learn how to: • Address physical or psychological challenges behind building confidence in the water. • Breathe properly. • Float effectively. • Swim recreationally using freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. • Survive calmly in deep water (tread water). • Snorkel confidently. n

2. Never hold your breath; always breathe in and out. 3. Breathe in before your lungs are empty. Don’t wait until you’ve expelled all air, as this leads to gasping, panic and an erratic breathing pattern. 4. The correct breath control is to inhale through mouth, and exhale through mouth and nose together.

A shot from a Swim with a Smile video that shows how to tread water then transition to floating on your back. Go to her website for more

5. Your head impacts your body position. For example raising your head when horizontal causes your hips and legs to fall. 6. Goggles are crucial to expedite your water confidence when learning. It’s important to keep your eyes open at all times. (You can transition away from wearing them later if you wish.) 7. Your hands should be slightly cupped for all movements in water. (Placing your hand on your thigh demonstrates the same curved shape.) Fingers should be close together, with firm (not floppy) wrists. The positioning of your feet and ankles will vary depending on the kick used. 8. Always check the water depth before entering. If you’re anxious or nervous, take a buddy with you who’s a good swimmer. 9. Learning how to tread water is more tiring than people think. Practise in short bursts to conserve energy and avoid frustration. You can focus on extending your time later once the technique is mastered. 10. Be patient with yourself. Mastering aquatic skills may take longer than you think, even if you consider yourself to be a fit person.

Play video

Contact: The book is available for sale through Amazon (www.amazon.com.au) and also through her website, together with the free videos (www.swimwithasmile.com). April/May 2021  SPLASH!  31


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