AquaDolf Swimming Presents

YOU SHOULD

NOT SWIM!
GUIDE FOR UNSURE AND AFRAID SWIM BEGINNERS

©2010 AquaDolf Swimming & Watersports

This e-book is especially dedicated to those who:

1. Find it’s disturbing to even just thinking about going into the swimming pool, river and sea.
2. Feeling that it’s such a disastrous act to be in the water
3. Have thought about going for swimming lessons but ‘not ready’
4. Thought that your body will sink in the water
5. Traumatized by large bodies of water
6. Knows someone who have the above problems
7. Simply has no idea about being in water and would like to know

About The Author

Let me introduce myself. I am one of the founder of AquaDolf Swimming & Watersport. Interestingly, I
used to be one of the above. I wasn’t born as a swimmer. My swimming skills are almost zero. Even I’ve
always keen to be in the water, but to be really in control and comfortable in it? Not really. Many years
back, I’m just like you and majority of Malaysians out there, I can’t swim well. Moving in the water, yes I
could with poor techniques, gasping at the end. To be in control is not my thing back then. And I’ve even
had an almost drown experience, not once but twice.

I noticed that my problem started from the perception, “I’ll sink in the water”. Supposedly I should asked,
“Will I sink in the water?”

So in this book, I want to share my experience being one of the no.1-5 people and let you know how do I
manage to be so comfortable and in control while in the water. As I’ve been there, done that, therefore, I
feel that I’m the most eligible person to do this and I hope that my experience can benefit every one of
you. My aim is to at least be able to change your perception while being in the water, but at the same time,
be cautious and respect the elements. I will also share my experience and interesting encounters while
working as a swimming instructor. I hope that this book will be helpful, especially to those who haven’t got
the chance to take up swimming classes offered by us in AquaDolf.

Please be reminded that this book is not about the swimming stroke. I focused more on the conceptual
part of being in the water, which is actually the fundamental of great swimming experience. Feel free to
share and distribute this e-book with your family and friends

Enjoy this book and happy swimming J

Mas

Co Founder
AquaDolf Swimming & Watersport
Everyone Should Swim
www.aquadolf.com
INTRODUCTION

Our earth is surrounded by 75% of water. How can we avoid to at least encountering water when there is
75% of if?

The answer is, do not avoid them, but instead try to be in them. I believe that if you’re reading this book, it
means, deep in your heart, you have the desire to be in control and comfortable while being in water,
whether it’s in a swimming pool, rivers or seas. It’s a good start. Keep it up and read more.

I also believe that most of my readers here would be adults, which is good as I really want to share my
interesting encounter with you. I know many of us, especially those who are now in the late 20s and above
do not have much exposure with controlled water environment during our childhood. In the 80s and 90s,
swimming is considered as an elite sport, and maybe it’s not too exaggerating to say that swimming is
almost like golf, in terms of status.

There are not many public pools available at that time. The only place I know is pool in Kelab Syabas, PJ. So
where else we had the chance to be in water. We have that chance if one day our father decides to take us
for picnic or something like that. Enrolling in swimming lessons? I can say, not very likely during those
times. So, in the first place, it’s not wrong for us to be afraid of getting ourself in the water. But now, with
more swimming pool facilities, this is actually the best time for you to start the fun journey with water.
Remember, it’s never too late to learn swimming (or anything) but since you’ve got the ‘calling’, you better
start NOW!
WHY SWIMMING?

Swimming might be your ultimate lifesaving skills. For me, in the beginning I swim merely to be able to
have fun in the water. But the longer I swim and the better I am, I’ve realized it’s such a waste if we don’t
know how to swim.

In terms of fitness, swimming is said to be the best total body workout ever. But I’m not going into the
details here.

WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK?

PERCEPTION. Swimming is not something that comes naturally to us. None of us, not even Michael
Phelps were born with swimming genes. There are no such genes that will pre-determine whether we can
swim or not. This is actually good because we were also not born with walking gene. We learn how to walk,
and gets better with it that we don’t have to think when doing it. Walking is a learned skill, same thing with
riding a bicycle or driving a car. Same goes with swimming. It’s a skill, and a skill that can be learned. But it
takes some time, effort and practice practice practice ......

At first, I too had the cliché perception of water. “I’ll sink whenever gets into the water”. I’ve had two
almost drown experience to back my stand. Is this perception or thought familiar to you? I bet it is. So not
to worry, most people are.

The reason of why we were having this perception is simply because, almost every other things that we
did, such as walking, running, sitting, kicking, cooking are all done on land. Therefore, when we get into the
water, our natural body instincts direct us to fight the water, to enable us to stay afloat, to stay vertical to
be exact. It’s not wrong to try to stay afloat, but even for me during my earlier water-fighting moments, I
struggled.

How can we change our perception? First, we need to learn how the water works and what it needs to
make our body to be in control. The interesting part for me is that, since the last 5 years, where I started to
become really in control, I found that it’s funny how I, like most people out there thought that water will
make me sink straight to the bottom. This is of course a wrong and misleading perception. I’ve proved it to
myself, my students and I’ll prove it to you.

HOW & WHY WE FLOAT

As most of the discomforting part of being in water is afraid of sinking/drowning, it’s the best to start
with floating mechanism. Now during class we always told our students that a relaxed body is a floating
body. Some will simply embrace it, relaxed and float. But some is resistance and sceptical with that
statement.

Those students were like me before. For those who feels the same. I’ll explain technically, why humans,
you and I can float in the water. For me, it’s important for us to understand the technical reasons why our
bodies are able to float in water. Knowing WHY will normally transfer into BELIEVING that we can and will
float. The below technical explanation is quite long. But at the end, it will go to the same findings, humans
do float in the water!
Archimedes & Specific Gravity

Firstly, I have to admit that I never thought that one day I will write about Archimedes and his specific
gravity theory. But anyway, since it’s so important for us to understand the logical, technical reasons
behind the floating mystery, I’m more than happy to include it in here.

Anyway, we should thank him for discovering this great theory. Before this, the reasons why some heavy
bodies float and light weight objects often sink in water had long been a puzzle to mankind.

Credit: Bradley W. Carroll, Weber State University

Legend tells us that Archimedes began with an experiment. He noticed

that the water level was higher when pebbles were in an urn but
without any pebbles the water level was lower, though the amount of
water stayed the same. He then dropped various items into urns with
identical amounts of water and carefully measured and weighed how
much water was displaced by the objects. He learned that although a
pomegranate weighed far more than one of his small pebbles, it
floated, while the pebble sank to the bottom of the urn. He also
discovered that rocks displaced more water than an equally heavy
melon. The measure of water displaced by the fruit was less than what
was displaced by the same weight of rocks!

Archimedes realized that at last he had a means for measuring

something other than weight. We call this measurement Specific Gravity. Specific Gravity measures how
closely packed or condensed the molecules and atoms are in a body. The ability to float depends,
therefore, on how much space is between a body's smallest components.

To find the Specific Gravity of an object in water we divide the weight of the object by the weight of the
displaced water. Water is given a Specific Gravity of "one." If a person weighs 140 pounds and displaces
only a pound of water her Specific Gravity is 1.4. If the displaced water weighs five pounds, her Specific
Gravity is 2.8.

If an object's Specific Gravity is over "one" it will begin to sink; if less; it will float. With lungs fully
inflated and a moderate amount of fat, most people have a Specific Gravity from two to four.
If relaxed, not moving and in a vertical position our bodies will only sink a foot or two below the surface,
not straight to the bottom like most of people and I previously thought. Those with a greater proportion of
bone and muscle which are denser than fat, will sink further below the surface. But again, not straight to
the bottom.

Specific Gravity is decreased when an object's weight is dispersed over a larger area.

For example, if you are lying atop the water with arms and legs spread apart will more readily float than if
you are in a vertical position.

This particular part of theory triggers my interest because I still remember last time, I always try to keep
my body in vertical position while in water. But now, I realized, since we’re land based animal, it’s normal
for us to do what we always do, standing. Knowing this theory, you should now understand that it’s better
to be horizontal while in water. It’s better and less awkward I should say.

Stop. Suddenly this theory mentioned and relate on muscle proportion. What does it has to do with being
afloat?

Muscles are composed of elongated red and white cells. Generally, most adult men have more muscle cells
than adult women. The NUMBER of muscle cells in our bodies doesn't increase, but the cells DO increase in
SIZE as we exercise. The larger they are the more firmly packed they become within the muscle wall. This
increases the body's Specific Gravity. When we tense our muscles become even more condensed causing a
higher Specific Gravity. It's important to know that the tighter we hold our muscles the less we will float.
That’s why now we told our students: A RELAXED BODY IS A FLOATING BODY!

So as summary, remember that:

Tense= Tight/Condensed Muscle= Higher Specific Gravity = EASIER TO SINK

Therefore, try to keep our specific gravity as low as possible. How? RELAX RELAX RELAX & STAY
COMFORTABLE!

It’s sometimes illogical to ask someone who is originally afraid of water to relax. Therefore, I’m not going to
force you to be relaxed or calm. But rather you can try to be comfortable. If in any way you’re not
comfortable, come back and read, understand and start to believe that you can stay relaxed and
comfortable. You have to!

Bernoulli's Principle

The other interesting part besides floating is how we move and what is the best way to move in water in
order to maintain our floating position?

When pushing off the side or bottom of a pool I noticed that the faster I move
through the water the better I float. An ordinary free float without any
momentum is more difficult to maintain than a moving float. Part of the reason
for this, of course, is that our arms and legs become tired from being stretched,
but there is actually another physical law governing the ease of floatation. Now
who said swimming is doesn’t require scientific knowledge? J

In the 1700s a Swiss scientist, Daniel Bernoulli, discovered that as the velocity of
a fluid increases, the pressure in the fluid decreases; and inversely, as the velocity decreases, the
pressure increases.
Bernoulli used a Venturi tube to demonstrate this principle. A Venturi tube is a long glass tube narrow in
the middle but wide at each end. When water or air is forced through it the velocity of molecules increases
as they pass through the mid section and slow down again when moving through the wider portion of the
tube. Although the narrow section of the tube causes molecules to move faster, the pressure is less
because they are forced farther apart due to their increased speed. Bernoulli calculated their speed by the
size of the mid section.

For example, if a number of molecules per second are flowing through the tube when the narrow part of the
tube is half the diameter of the ends, the velocity of the same volume of air or liquid through the narrow
part is twice as great as the speed through the wide sections. Bernoulli's principle led to the discovery that
the difference between the speed of air or water above and below a body effects the pressure pushing
against that body.

Knowledge of this principle is useful in the design of wings and airfoils on aircraft. Any shape causing a
difference between the speed of air moving above and
underneath it will increase pressure where the air (or
water) is moving more slowly. This measure or ratio is
called Pressure Differential. For this reason the TOPS of
aircraft wings are cambered or curved to produce
greater air velocity, while BENEATH the wing air moves
at a slower rate, thereby producing pressure against the
wing and giving it lift. Since there is very little or no
pressure ABOVE the wing to hold it down, it will easily
rise. With large wings the lift is great enough for a plane
to carry heavy cargo.

To put it another way, we know that liquid or gas under

pressure seeks to move into an area of lesser pressure,
so air pressure from BELOW the wing pushes upward.
Although speed under the wing has increased as well, pressure builds up due to the difference between the
increased velocity of air over the top of the wing and the slower air speed below it.

Essentially, the same occurs with a body in water. When we push off into a prone float, air over the tops of
our bodies and water at our sides are moving at a faster rate than water underneath our bodies. Therefore,
pressure beneath us is greater the faster we move so we easily stay afloat. If we keep our bodies straight at
the waist, with good forward momentum it's virtually impossible to sink. The pressure beneath our body
will act as our stable support, which prevents us from sinking. Why I mentioned water as a support?
Because water is denser than air, and is capable to carry our body around.
 How it works on Fluid/Water

I know it must be hard for some of you to digest this information and to come with a conclusion that it’s
actually very easy for us to stay afloat. You might feel nervous about moving fast. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly
normal to have this feeling. I used to have the same feeling too. What we can do is again; try to understand
these theories and principles. Try to visualize and believe that you can float.

After all, it’s all perception. You thought you will sink, so you avoid being in water. Why not now you
change your perception? I did change my perception, and now I’m having fun in the water. You can too!

In the beginning, most of our students feel safer if they move slowly. When they realize that speed keeps
them from sinking they are more inclined to do tasks causing them to move fast. What other things that
they realized is going fast helps them to reach the end faster. J

Let’s Do This

I wondered whether or not you get it when I explained about the above theories. How water is actually
dense enough to support our body? If you cannot visualize how dense the water is, try to do this:

1. Drive or get into a moving car

2. While the car is moving, open the car’s window

3. Put your hand out from the window, palm opened

4. Feel the air resistance.

By this time, you should realize that the faster you drive more resistance you can feel in your palm. With
more speed, you cannot easily push your hands towards while having the resistance and that my friend, is
the air density. You actually now feels the air density while trying to fight the resistance in the moving car.

Please be reminded that water is much denser than air. That is why 100m World Record in track event is
less than 10secs but the World Record for 100m freestyle swimming is almost five times slower.

By now I hope that you understand that our body can float because the water density makes it highly
capable to support our body. It’s ok if you haven’t believed it yet because you need the next step in order
for you to start put your understanding into action, in the water.

UNDERSTANDING leads to BELIEVING. But before that, you should start DOING
LET’S GET STARTED

At this point, you might be asking yourself whether to start alone or with friend? It’s always best if you
have someone that has the same interest with you to join you learning how to swim. Go to the pool
together, observing people swimming, it’s fun thing to do. If you have a friend who is a good swimmer, it’s
great but will be much better if that good swimmer friend can teach you for free and with patience. J

Other option is to enrol in a swimming class. If you choose this, always make sure to compare prices, offers,
location and type of class. Since I’m writing this book especially for those who are having anxiety towards
being in water, I really hope that you ensure that the swimming school can cater to your needs. I suggest
that you go for private swimming class, where all focus is unto you. Majority of swim schools only care
about your speed and to get you swimming laps after laps at the soonest time possible, not how your
overall feeling towards ‘you’ being in the water. For me, the most important part is being comfortable and
in control when in the water. Stroke, stamina and the technical part of swimming may come easily once
you get the comfort..and practice. Trust me!

What Next?

Locate a nearest swimming pool. Go to that pool as spectators first. Even though I’ve mentioned that it’s
good to have a friend to venture this together, in the beginning, it’s always the best to be with someone
who is at the same level with you. Unless if your good swimmer friend can teach you for free, I always finds
it better to go with someone who is almost like you, can’t swim. So, the choice of person to start this
swimming venture is, (in order of preference):

1. Those who are like you (problem 1-5)

2. Can swim, but not for long distance or poor technique

3. Experienced, good swimmer

Why going with experience swimmer is not a good choice? This is because most experienced swimmer
might lose patience with a person who is fearful of water. This might depress us and sank our spirit to the
bottom. It was like a husband who can swim but not able to teach the wife how to swim (spouses are
proven as not a great swimming teacher). Something like that. The key is we do not want people to
discourage us and don’t let them to. Always keep in mind, that everyone can learn how to swim in some
way. It might takes longer time for certain people, but still, swimming can be learnt by everyone. Other
things to remember is don’t start in a river, seas or lakes. It’s not an appropriate place to consider when
you just started learning how to swim.

I suggest during your first visit, go to the pool as a spectator. Find which is the best time for you to go,
check on the pool depth, the changing room, rules and regulations. See whether if there is any lifeguard on
duty and so forth. This will make you more at ease during your next actual water bound visit.

Swim Attire

It’s important to have swim attire. I know most of you will feel using a shirt and track bottom is adequate.
But not many knows that wearing a proper swim attire, will give you more confidence and it’s actually
easier to be in the water with it. I’ll explain why
Swim suits & tights

Suits should be fairly thin but durable with no ruffles or additions that drag in the water. And ideally it
should be close fitting but not too tight. Most importantly you must feel comfortable wearing it. The best
material is 100% Nylon jersey. Nylon holds up well in chlorine and usually doesn’t fade. The drawback is
that nylon is not stretchable because it does not have the elastic materials such as spandex, lycra etc.

Plain Nylon cloth will not hold in the tummy nor give you a smooth line. Most swimsuit material is a
combination of Nylon and a stretch fabric. A swimsuit with over 15% elastic is usually more expensive but
on average will only hold up about three months when worn in chlorinated water for an hour three or
more times a week.

The elastic then deteriorates causing the Nylon threads to sag. Because part of the material is gone what's
left is so thin that you can see through it. I've found that 12% elastic is a good proportion and on average
will last six to nine months under the above conditions.

While choosing for a swimsuit & tights, do check if the fabrics stretch in four ways. Swimming fabric should
stretch four ways, not side to side like normal fabric. If it’s not, then it’s not a good material.

Burqini/Muslimah swimsuit.

Starting from the year 2006, there’s newcomer in swim attire market, burqini or I simply said it as
Muslimah swimsuit. It uses the same materials as normal swimsuits but the difference is in the design. I
would say that it has added more varieties to the available swimwear markets, and I think it’s fair to say
that since the emergence of muslimah swimsuit, our swimming phenomenon in the country has changed.
More people go to swimming pools and have better awareness on the importance of acquiring swimming
skills.

On the next page you will see pictures of few types of swim attire available in most major stores in
Malaysia. I also include few type of the back design of each swim suit.
Types of Swim Attire
 Other Types of Swimsuit

The above are still swimsuits but it’s not suitable for swimming purpose.

DO NOT wears shirt and track bottoms while swimming or going into the pool. The shirt material holds up
water which makes it heavier and harder for you to move in water. Furthermore, the thread will go out
easily and it might get trapped and stuck in the pump filter. It also easily faded and can cause the pool
water gets murky. Remember I mentioned that elastic material will help to hold your tummy in and give a
smooth body line? Shirt and tracks material is the opposite, it WILL NOT HOLD your tummy or give you
smooth line (same as Nylon). Therefore, if you have bulges or ‘spare tyre’ around your waist, it’ll be easily
visible.

I know that this contradicts with majority (especially women) who thought that the bulges will be less
visible when wearing shirts than swimsuits. It’s true when on land, but not when you get into the water.

Swimming Caps

If your hair is below your ears you should wear a cap. First, a cap keeps hair out of eyes, nose and mouth.
It won’t be pleasant for you to lift your head out of water and have hair covering your faces. Some people
panic when they cannot get a breath right away because hair is in their mouths and/or nostrils. So go and
get a cap.

Most caps won't keep hair dry but they do give some protection from chlorine, especially when hair is
rolled up into a bun. Caps also give a sense of lightness. The head doesn't feel heavy in the water, which
gives you a feeling of security.

There are few types of swimming cap. Silicone, latex, lycra and pace cap. My choice would be pace cap.
Pace cap is a combination of silicone on the outside and lycra on the inside. It’s not too tight and more
comfortable to wear. Competitive latex cap is also a good choice because it’s light and also comfortable.
Latex and silicone cap looks similar, but silicone is less elastic than latex, hence wearing it might cause
some discomfort.
If you bought either latex or silicone cap, you might find that it sticks, especially when it’s used for long
time and not dried well. To prevent sticking, sprinkle little bit of cornstarch when it has dried. Other
alternative to cornstarch is talcum powder

TYPES OF SWIMMING CAP

Pace Cap Silicone Cap

Lycra Cap Latex Cap

Goggle

We cannot see underwater. We can but it’s blurry. The reason is because there’s no air space between our
eye and the water. This is where goggle becomes handy. You need it to be able to see in the water. Other
thing you should realize by now, you are scared to be in the water, so try not to add it by not having a pair
of goggle beforehand. There’s lot of goggle designs available. Try it before you buy because a good goggle
should fit your face and comfortable to use.
As beginners, I highly suggest not to buy a tinted goggle. This is because tinted goggle acts like a sunglass
which means that the lenses are dark. Try to get a clear lens so that you can view the underwater clearly.

If you are wearing glass or contact lens, you can get optical goggle.

Tinted goggle Kid wearing a clear goggle

Others

Besides swim attires, it’s important for you to have bag, towels, shower
gel, sun block, moisturizer all in one place. Not to be left out, bring an
extra plastic bag to put your drenched suits after swimming.

All set

So you already have everything. Suits, swim cap, goggles, bags, towel
and good pair of rubber shoes. And even the knowledge of theories,
principles behind our ability to float and swim.

Let’s start to relax, be comfortable and swim!!

-EVERYONE SHOULD SWIM-

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