Tenchi Ryu
Ashtray B!tch
I honestly don't even remember I was so young....I think around 4 or 5
I think it might be a year at summer camp
I think it might be a year at summer camp
ok that make sense...actually i wouldn't mind that....i didn't know they had adult lessons
ThatTruth777
Superstar
Put in a class when I was a kid 
,
I got trouble going under though
,I got trouble going under though
Fillerguy
Veteran
Was in Reno, I was age 4.
At the hotel pool pops was changin into his trunks. Ma went into change too, she told me not to do anything until pops got back.
She came out first and saw my lil ass swimin in the deep end
Yanked my lil ass out and got that whoopin when that shyt was the norm
Pops came back and heard the story and let me have at it within his reach.
They found out quickly I was just a natural swimmer
When we got back home they put me in classes at the YMCA and was the first lil breh jumping off the high dive
mine story is almost the same. I was in Jamaica at 4 and swam out in the ocean with those arm floaties. The coastguard had to get me...I kept doing shyt like that so my parents threw me in the YMCA
You should learn and don't be intimidated at all. It's easy and a great workout, just relax and trust yourself! Like others said, the Y offers inexpensive adult lessons and 24 hour Fitness offers smaller class sizes. Your friends, especially white ones, will show you for free. I refuse to teach adults after a near fatal experience with a homie. We went further out into the water, he panicked and got in his mouth. Kept trying to calm him down while pulling us back to the safety and soon felt this retard grip pulling me into the abyss, and I am not a weak person. Luckily someone was able to rescue us. After that fiasco, I only fukk with children. 
So again I reiterate relax, trust yourself, and control your breath.
Anyway I started around 4/5 but improved in Scouts. An older cousin, then a young officer in the Navy, encouraged all the kids to learn because of the stereotype I suspect. My parents and their siblings put us in lessons but refused to learn themselves. So for beach/pool parties my cousin and wife were the designated lifeguards. Parties were lit if they rsvp else kids were confined to the shallow end wearing those lame ass floaties, if allowed swim. Cuzzo saved the next generation of family members from complete ignorance of watersports and childhood trauma. Everyone 40 and under can swim.
As children, the scary and flabby and sick adults would set us up on bullshyt when he wasn't around:
Adults: Wait...didn't yall just eat? You know you can't swim for the entire day.
Kids: We had piece of cake...like an hour ago.
Adult 1: Chips, ice cream and a lot of punch too. Cramp up and die if you want to. You know I can't swim
Adult 2: Me either
and I'm not getting my hair wet fukking with you 
Kids: Not even the shallow end?
Adult 3: You can drown in two feet just as easily as twelve
Kids: If Curt were here ....
Adults: Curt's ass in Norfolk right now, isn't he?
Kids: But...
Adults: Don't sass me
Kids:
OP don't you want to that cool and sensible cousin
So again I reiterate relax, trust yourself, and control your breath.Anyway I started around 4/5 but improved in Scouts. An older cousin, then a young officer in the Navy, encouraged all the kids to learn because of the stereotype I suspect. My parents and their siblings put us in lessons but refused to learn themselves. So for beach/pool parties my cousin and wife were the designated lifeguards. Parties were lit if they rsvp else kids were confined to the shallow end wearing those lame ass floaties, if allowed swim. Cuzzo saved the next generation of family members from complete ignorance of watersports and childhood trauma. Everyone 40 and under can swim.
As children, the scary and flabby and sick adults would set us up on bullshyt when he wasn't around:
Adults: Wait...didn't yall just eat? You know you can't swim for the entire day.
Kids: We had piece of cake...like an hour ago.
Adult 1: Chips, ice cream and a lot of punch too. Cramp up and die if you want to. You know I can't swim
Adult 2: Me either
and I'm not getting my hair wet fukking with you Kids: Not even the shallow end?
Adult 3: You can drown in two feet just as easily as twelve
Kids: If Curt were here ....
Adults: Curt's ass in Norfolk right now, isn't he?
Kids: But...
Adults: Don't sass me
Kids:
OP don't you want to that cool and sensible cousin
When I joined the Navy 
You either swam or got separated
Didn't know how to do the deadman float tho till like the last week before graduation from boot camp.
Swimming is easy, that floating shyt is for the birds though
You either swam or got separated
Didn't know how to do the deadman float tho till like the last week before graduation from boot camp.
Swimming is easy, that floating shyt is for the birds though
Address_Unknown
Jesus Loves you...Your Cat doesn't. {#Dogset}
Grew up in the Caribbean, so going to the beach when I was younger was a weekly thing and I just sorta learned from there. In the earlies I used to just stick to where I could stand 
and never venture further than that, but after a while, like a toddler who can stand up and walk but tired of walking on the damned carpet in the living room, you see the stairs and go "....I need to try that shyt." And you swim out a bit further, get used to the feeling, get scared/excited and swim back.
My Grandparents were active back then so we used to go to the beach with them alot and when I got into my swimming out past the level I could touch phase, I used to swim out as far as my GrandDad would feel safe with me being, swim out to meet him, get used to being buoyant (Not tensing up, waving about and causing yourself to sink in a panic) and then swim back in with him.
It's actually easier in a pool to learn how to get used to being out where your legs don't touch 'cause you can always grab the sides or tie a rope onto something and have it there if you panic and start to go under as opposed to being out in the ocean by yourself and you start to flounder.
Also, learn how to float on your back/stomach as soon as possible. Floating on your back is an underrated tactic you should use whenever your arms/legs get tired or you wear yourself out from panicking or get a cramp, since it takes little to no effort once you master it and you can just sit back and rest. Floating on my back and calming myself down saved my life twice. Best of luck to you, man.
and never venture further than that, but after a while, like a toddler who can stand up and walk but tired of walking on the damned carpet in the living room, you see the stairs and go "....I need to try that shyt." And you swim out a bit further, get used to the feeling, get scared/excited and swim back.My Grandparents were active back then so we used to go to the beach with them alot and when I got into my swimming out past the level I could touch phase, I used to swim out as far as my GrandDad would feel safe with me being, swim out to meet him, get used to being buoyant (Not tensing up, waving about and causing yourself to sink in a panic) and then swim back in with him.
It's actually easier in a pool to learn how to get used to being out where your legs don't touch 'cause you can always grab the sides or tie a rope onto something and have it there if you panic and start to go under as opposed to being out in the ocean by yourself and you start to flounder.
Also, learn how to float on your back/stomach as soon as possible. Floating on your back is an underrated tactic you should use whenever your arms/legs get tired or you wear yourself out from panicking or get a cramp, since it takes little to no effort once you master it and you can just sit back and rest. Floating on my back and calming myself down saved my life twice. Best of luck to you, man.
Learned in 9th taking classes at the park. I felt awkward at the time but now glad that I did it. It made summers at the pool more fun when you can jump off the diving board and now be stuck in the shallow area walking around.
I had anxiety about putting my head underwater BC I had almost drowned one time when I was young. If you get comfortable with putting your face in the water, control your breathing, and are able to relax, it'll come easier to you.
I had anxiety about putting my head underwater BC I had almost drowned one time when I was young. If you get comfortable with putting your face in the water, control your breathing, and are able to relax, it'll come easier to you.
SheWantTheD
Veteran
Yeah, I learned in a class at community college.
It's very quick to learn. I had a struggle floating because of a lack of body fat and my muscles making it harder to float.
It's very quick to learn. I had a struggle floating because of a lack of body fat and my muscles making it harder to float.
idk. I just remember waking up underneath the lifeguard spitting up water.
YMCA summer camp when i was like 8 or 9 got the black band still know how to swim backstoke etc today
how do some of yall manage to forget how to swim? its like riding a bike, once you learn its 2nd nature
BlackAchilles
Veteran
Yeah mom taught me
I got roots in the Caribbean so it comes with the territory; she and I had some fun times snorkling back in the day ...
I got roots in the Caribbean so it comes with the territory; she and I had some fun times snorkling back in the day ...