HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR FEAR OF THE WATER WITH THIS ONE EASY DRILL

Let’s face it. That’s all you want. Not to be scared of putting your face in the water. The sink-down drill can fix that. Where others feel pleasure, you feel dread. Where others are splashing around, you are sitting on the sunbed hoping no one asks you to jump in. You want to, but you can’t. Your fear is big enough to keep you rooted to the spot. It can be different you know. There is a way that you can overcome your fear and begin to enjoy swimming. I am going to share how this is possible and the drill that will get you there.

Let’s start the journey by having an honest look at why you have a fear of the water. Usually, your fear can be traced back to a childhood or adolescent trauma:  Being tossed in the deep end to learn how to “sink or swim” or; Being pushed under by accident or intentionally by others or; having a near drowning experience. Your fear is real!

YOUR FEAR IS REAL. DON’T BELIEVE OTHERWISE

Don’t believe what others say when they tell you that your fear isn’t real. It is. You may drown when swimming, it’s true for everyone who swims, not just you. However, the probability is very low. That doesn’t help. I know, so what does help?

It’s important to accept that your fear is real. So how do you take the first step?

MAKE SURE YOU FEEL SAFE

Make sure you feel safe. It is important that you are in an environment that does not make your feal more anxious than you already are.

You will feel safe by doing the following things:

-        Stay in shallow water that is warm. You want to be able to stand up if need be. Deep water is for when you feel more comfortable.

-        Make sure the water is clear. Murky dark water will just make you nervous. Your will start creating stories about what might or might not be lurking there.

-        Have someone you trust with you. Having someone who knows your story helps keep you calm. That person will know how you feel about the water and wont judge. If anything happens, they are there for you.

-        Find an experienced coach that can help you. There are good coaches out there that can take you from terror to tranquility.

If you feel unsafe, your fear will not go away.

Time to get your head into it.

GET YOUR HEAD INTO IT

You cannot ride a bicycle without a bicycle. The one precludes the other. To enjoy the water, you will have to learn to put your head in the water. Swimming is all about your face being in the water. Paradoxically being comfortable with your face in the water reduces anxiety. The more comfortable you are with your face in the water, the less fear you will fear.

Simply, my goal here is to help you do this by giving you a simple drill that will get your head into it.   

THE SINK-DOWN DRILL

This powerful drill will help you relax and get your head in the water. It’s called the sink-down drill and here is how it works.

How to:

1.     In shallow water hold on to the side of the pool. Feel the tiles. It is important to know you are safe.

2.     Sit down in the water. Feet stay on the bottom of the pool. You want to feel grounded.

3.     Before the mouth enters the water start blowing out.

4.     Go only as deep as your head, then come back up, all the while blowing bubbles out of your mouth.

5.     Repeat often to feel your lungs, brain and body relax.

 WHY DOES THE SINK-DRILL WORK?

Fear increases the heart rate, breathing and blood pressure. This drill helps you relax. Think of it as mindfulness breathing exercises in yoga. The sink down drill teaches you to exhale calmly into the water. This sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax.

Exactly what the doctor ordered.

Things to notice when doing this drill:

·       A constant stream of bubbles out the mouth

·       Sing a tune if you need to

·       Don’t take too deep a breath when you come up. Keep it balanced.

GET MOVING AND PRACTICE BLOWING OUT

The Sink down drill will relax you. You will feel calm and ready for something more. Please use fins and a kickboard for this.

Swim 25 or 50m laps, see how to below. The fins and kickboard will help you feel safe. You have the kickboard to hold on to in the front and have fins to keep you solid in the back.

Kicking with your face in the water. How to:

1.     Use the kickboard to support you in the front. Kick with your face in the water and you looking down.

2.     Blow out gently while your face is in the water. Don’t wait too long before breathing. This is not a free diving exercise.

You know you want this. Swimming with your kids on holiday, splashing around and not having to worry about panicking. Learning to swim freestyle for that Triathlon you’ve always dreamt about. Now you can. You have a powerful tool to get you started on the journey that leads to not being scared of the water. Go on, do yourself this favour and move from terror to triumph.