Swimming is a skill that should be pursued by every single one of us. The number of drowning incidents is astounding and is still a leading cause of death till date. It is estimated that every year, 4000 fatal unintentional drownings occur in the United States alone. Hence, mastering the basics of swimming is extremely important. So much so, that many people introduce their infants to survival skills in the water. A few basic techniques, like floating, are vital for our safety. But, what if we are adults and still not familiar with swimming? In that case, there is no reason to fret. There are separate swimming instructors for adults. Also, it doesn’t hurt to be a little more prepared beforehand. To help you with that, we have listed the 7 best swimming books for beginners. They will help you get an overview of swimming before your first lesson.
The List of the 7 Best Swimming Books for Beginners
Below, we have listed the best swimming books for beginners. For your convenience, we have shared all the details you need to know before making a purchase. So sit back, relax, and start reading.
1. The Complete Beginners Guide To Swimming: Professional guidance and support to help you through every stage of learning how to swim By Mark Young
Not everyone has the potential to learn swimming fearlessly. In fact, for some people, swimming is a very tough ordeal to overcome. Because of having no prior preparation, complete beginners face lots of trouble when starting swimming lessons. This book preps you to fight your fears and learn four simple strokes. From entering the water to submerging your face in it, you get efficient in the art of swimming through the lessons in the book. Further, it enlightens you on the benefits and detailed science behind swimming. Also, fear and relaxation techniques are wonderfully addressed. You get to learn basic floating exercises, backstroke, and butterfly. On top of that, real questions from actual beginners are discussed with answers. Not only will you learn from the book, but also feel connected to it as a beginner.
2. The Complete Guide To Simple Swimming: Everything You Need to Know from Your First Entry into the Pool to Swimming the Four Basic Strokes By Mark Young
This book is also written by Mark Young. In this book, the concept of swimming is broken down to reduce all the fear and terror-related to it. It comes with multiple exercises for beginners to learn and for veterans to polish their skills. Moreover, the exercises in the book make you eliminate bad habits and fine-tune the skills you developed. It helps people turn into advanced swimmers from being complete novices. This book is a must-have if fear is stopping you from learning to swim, a vital talent we all need.
3. The Swimming Strokes Book: 82 Easy Exercises For Learning How To Swim The Four Basic Swimming Strokes By Mark Young
This book is again written by Mark Young. We would suggest reading all three of his books to kickstart your journey into swimming and be prepared for what is to follow. Since Mark is a swimming instructor himself, the books are very useful resources and not just written for the sake of it. The specialty of this book is that it comes with 82 easy exercises. In addition, it comes with many diagrams and pictures to help you grasp the four basic strokes with ease. It builds your confidence and prevents you from making mistakes that could cause you to lag behind as a swimmer.
4. Swim Smooth: The Complete Coaching System for Swimmers and Triathletes By Adam Young, Paul Newsome
This book is intended for all swimmers, beginner or advanced. Specifically, the book helps you discover your own style of swimming. In addition, the book discusses the “Swim Smooth Approach” – developed after researching the gold medal-winning British triathlon team. The book covers:
- Technique
- Fitness Training
- Racing skills
- Open water swimming
All this is further backed up by photographs and 3d graphics. This allows you to better understand the theory behind what the book teaches. Most importantly, the book acknowledges the fact that no two swimmers are the same and helps you thrive in your own way.
5. Conquer Your Fear of Water: A Revolutionary Way to Learn to Swim Without Ever Feeling Afraid By Melon Dash
This book is all about conquering your fear of water and coming out as a confident swimmer. To make matters easy, the book stresses the fact that comfort is key to having a peaceful experience in the water. Not only does it allow you to feel confident, but it is also backed up by information on 6000 water-fearing adults. Upon studying the data, the book deduces that fear cannot be overcome by pushing your limits. Instead, the book suggests you befriend deep water in a peaceful demeanor. So if you panic at the thought of publicly swimming in the water, this book is your ultimate solution. Thus, grab a copy of it and find the comfort in the water you so dearly seek.
6. Survival Swimming: Swimming Training for Escape and Survival (Survival Fitness) By Sam Fury, Yopi Muhamad
Many people intend to learn swimming for survival, to be prepared for unexpected situations. This book is a gem when it comes to survival swimming. It includes three parts: Efficient Swimming, Water Safety and Survival, and Water Rescue. In addition, the book vastly discusses valuable skills and information you need to save yourself and others in the water, including:
- Safe ways to enter the water
- The Combat Survival Stroke
- Training to swim 50+ meters underwater
- Surviving in cold water
- Actions to take during a flood
- Sea survival skills
- Helping someone in trouble
- Spotting casualties and planning the rescue
All in all, it is a must-have book for survival swimming. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran swimmer, this book is indeed worth having in your collection.
7. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Swimming By Mike Bottom, Nathan Jendrick
The last book on the list has a quirky name that is suggestive of what lies inside. Its clear instructions are easily comprehensible. Whether you are a complete novice or a somewhat skilled swimmer, the book teaches you how to make the most out of swimming. It includes detailed instructions on the four basic strokes along with a fifth style: The Dolphin Kick. In addition, it has picturesque photographs both under and above water. Hence, complete beginners will surely benefit from the clear, concise, and easy-to-follow directions that come with the book.
You may also read: THE 7 BEST BOOKS ON ROAD CYCLING
Conclusion:
Swimming is a lifesaving skill/talent. The above-mentioned best swimming books for beginners will introduce you to swimming and familiarize you with the basic strokes. Look no further and allow these books to take you one step ahead in swimming.
Rana Yesmeen is a Computer Science Graduate who is an avid reader in her spare time. She is passionate about bringing the old essence of books back into today's technology-driven society. Through Ebook pundit, she intends to help people on their quest to find the right book.