I know, I know. This may sound a little “mababaw”, but I’m sure you have friends who hold on to their lifejackets 100% of the time when you go island hopping. That’s a very familiar case; I was one of those people, after all. I spent a lot of time traveling, but I wasn’t confident enough to swim freely, especially at the beach or if there was no skilled swimmer or lifeguard around. Don’t get me wrong. I knew how to swim, but I wasn’t confident enough yet because I was just self-taught and still had a fear of drowning.
Swim Central is a swimming academy that focuses on teaching adults how to swim. Although they have free-diving lessons too, they have many students who enroll in their basic swimming program first.
They have different partner locations around Metro Manila (and soon in the South) where you can take your lessons. Though there is a certain number of lessons or hours that you have to take, the lessons are based on progress.
The first few sessions focus on freestyle and basic body movements. We had two lessons in one session at Army Gym and were surprised that swimming is actually a basic instinct. You float whenever you move or inhale.
The next sessions I took were at Mares where we took our Survival Lessons. These lessons focused on treading or floating on water with minimal movements. This is the most relaxed and most commonly used type of swimming, especially when island hopping or doing water sports.
The next few sessions are for breathing exercises, freestyle, and breaststroke. What I love most about Swim Central is that they adjust the lessons depending on your skills and what you need help with.
The graduation or the final session is called the OWE or Open Water Exposure where students and coaches go to the beach to practice and see each student’s progress.
We had the pleasure of joining them in Batangas where we practiced and took our tests. The human body is more buoyant in water, so it’s a little surprising that it’s easier to swim in the sea than in a swimming pool.
We were also lucky enough to get a basic free-diving lesson. This quick lesson is just a snippet of what’s in store for students when they enroll for that program.
Get rid of your fears and enroll for lessons at Swim Central so you can enjoy your next trip lifevest-free!
Swim Central
Website: https://www.swimcentral.com.ph
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swimcentralph
