What to bring to your first swim lesson!

So, you’ve decided to learn or train with Excel Aquatics, welcome to the family!  If you’re new to the sport of swimming, you may not know what you need for your first session.  That’s why I’m here, to help you out so that you can come into practice ready to swim.

First off, of course, you’ll need a swim suit.  Now, typically when you’re training, it is easiest to train in an actual training or competition suit.  While the ones you find in the department store are fashionable and good looking, they’re not the best for training.  For women, it is best to go with a one-piece, so that you’re able to slice through the water more smoothly.  For men, I recommend either jammers or a speedo; whichever you’re most comfortable in.  You can purchase these on online outlets, a swim store near you, or even Dick’s Sporting Goods.  Just make sure you’re looking hard enough because sometimes they can get buried under all the other sports gear.  For children that are just starting to learn how to swim, it’s not necessary for them to wear competition suits or anything like that.  Since they’re still learning, they should be comfortable and familiar with how a swimsuit feels in general.

Once you have your suit taken care of, the next thing you’re going to want to have, is a cap, and a pair of goggles.  As far as caps go, you can either use latex or silicone.  Latex tends to be a bit thinner than the silicone, but both do a good job of keeping hair out of your face and preventing drag.  The one disappointing thing about caps, is that while they cover your hair, they don’t keep your head completely dry.  I know, it’s a shock, but a swim cap is only used for not creating drag and making sure that pieces of hair aren’t in front of you while you swim.  Next, goggles are probably the most important.  Without them, you wouldn’t be able to see three feet in front of you underwater.  If you’re looking for a pair of goggles that won’t fog up too much and make you feel like a swimming star, I recommend anything from Nike or Speedo.  Both brands are great and will usually last you a couple of years if you take care of them.  Again, children who are part of the Learning to Swim program don’t necessarily need a cap and goggles.  The can later be introduced, but it’s still good to have them just in case.

The nice part about swimming, is that it’s not a sport that requires a lot of equipment.  Once you start getting into a groove of training to swim, then you bring in things like a kickboard, a pull buoy, fins, and paddles.  For now, these are just the basics and will help you get through your first day of practice.  Don’t forget a towel!

-Taylor Casey