If you're a swimming instructor and you present bubble-blowing to an adult beginner and she hesitates to put her face in, you know bubble-blowing is now off the agenda. Hopefully off the agenda for the next 10 hours of lessons, actually.
If you present "back float" to an adult and he doesn't want to put his ears under, or let his weight off his feet, back float is off the agenda.
Perhaps we got into the habit of expecting beginners to do uncomfortable things because we're so used to forcing kids to do things they don't want to do in beginning swimming. And eventually, they do learn to swim. So why not treat adults the same way?
Because they're adults. It's simply not necessary. Their parents are not going to complain if the student doesn't advance to a certain level this week. The students are not in a competition with the neighbor. This adult really wants to learn. You're expected to work with her or him and teach well. Teach adults differently than kids!
And maybe we shouldn't be treating kids that way, either. Would it be reasonable to think this type of treatment has to come out sideways somewhere?
Let's make it fun and easy for ALL beginners to learn to swim. It's so simple!
If you present "back float" to an adult and he doesn't want to put his ears under, or let his weight off his feet, back float is off the agenda.
Perhaps we got into the habit of expecting beginners to do uncomfortable things because we're so used to forcing kids to do things they don't want to do in beginning swimming. And eventually, they do learn to swim. So why not treat adults the same way?
Because they're adults. It's simply not necessary. Their parents are not going to complain if the student doesn't advance to a certain level this week. The students are not in a competition with the neighbor. This adult really wants to learn. You're expected to work with her or him and teach well. Teach adults differently than kids!
And maybe we shouldn't be treating kids that way, either. Would it be reasonable to think this type of treatment has to come out sideways somewhere?
Let's make it fun and easy for ALL beginners to learn to swim. It's so simple!
June 18, 2009: Can Anyone Explain This?
This weekend is the first time we'll teach a Beginning class in Sarasota. We have a beautiful pool to teach in and the air temperature's been in the 90's. Perfect for getting into the water!
Who do you supposed signed up? Right, my office person who's afraid in water. Freebie for her.
Plus two people from Bermuda. A retired woman from North Carolina. Two from New York City.
Can anyone answer this question? Why are these people not taking YOUR $90 swimming class in their own town? Their friends are all asking, "Why are you going to FLORIDA to learn to swim?!"
Could it be that you don't know what they want to learn? Yes. Could it be that they don't believe you can teach them? Yes. That they tried yours already and they won't return? Yes. This is what 4000 of them have told us over 26 years. They are SO committed to learning to swim! They only WISH they could learn it from you.
Am I trying to anger you? No. I'm trying to put an important point across to you. You could be saving lives in your town and tapping into this vast, hungry market for the good of your community and for your biz, your image, or your municipality. What are you waiting for?
If you're afraid to take a step, call us: we're experts with fear. We can help you. We only want to help.
Who do you supposed signed up? Right, my office person who's afraid in water. Freebie for her.
Plus two people from Bermuda. A retired woman from North Carolina. Two from New York City.
Can anyone answer this question? Why are these people not taking YOUR $90 swimming class in their own town? Their friends are all asking, "Why are you going to FLORIDA to learn to swim?!"
Could it be that you don't know what they want to learn? Yes. Could it be that they don't believe you can teach them? Yes. That they tried yours already and they won't return? Yes. This is what 4000 of them have told us over 26 years. They are SO committed to learning to swim! They only WISH they could learn it from you.
Am I trying to anger you? No. I'm trying to put an important point across to you. You could be saving lives in your town and tapping into this vast, hungry market for the good of your community and for your biz, your image, or your municipality. What are you waiting for?
If you're afraid to take a step, call us: we're experts with fear. We can help you. We only want to help.
This story has been in the news for a few days. The loss of this man, this philanthropist, and this mind is staggering. And unnecessary. So is the grief of family, community, and world, the standstill that follows his death, and the energy output to give him a worthy goodbye. It could have been avoided. Likewise for the grief of all families when a drowning occurs. They are simply unnecessary. There's such a thing as too much grief. The world has it.
But how many people DON'T know there's a place for adults to learn to swim where they will succeed and have fun, rather than struggling and having to force themselves to go? Motwani probably didn't know.
And how many people who own backyard pools can't swim? The world would be shocked to know. The same can be said for sailors and fishermen/women, boat owners and river guides, pool maintenance people and even swimming teachers. None of them should be ashamed. All of them should be paid to learn to swim. None of them should be asked to learn swimming mechanics yet. All of them need to become fully comfortable with being in the water, both shallow and deep. In other words, they need to know about Miracle Swimming.
For your family, for your friends, for your co-workers and for the important people in your life, if you're a swim instructor, learn to teach in a way that EVERYONE SUCCEEDS, BAR NONE. Why keep this from your students? Your instructors??? Only you can stop the bleeding.
But how many people DON'T know there's a place for adults to learn to swim where they will succeed and have fun, rather than struggling and having to force themselves to go? Motwani probably didn't know.
And how many people who own backyard pools can't swim? The world would be shocked to know. The same can be said for sailors and fishermen/women, boat owners and river guides, pool maintenance people and even swimming teachers. None of them should be ashamed. All of them should be paid to learn to swim. None of them should be asked to learn swimming mechanics yet. All of them need to become fully comfortable with being in the water, both shallow and deep. In other words, they need to know about Miracle Swimming.
For your family, for your friends, for your co-workers and for the important people in your life, if you're a swim instructor, learn to teach in a way that EVERYONE SUCCEEDS, BAR NONE. Why keep this from your students? Your instructors??? Only you can stop the bleeding.
If you'd like to attract more people to your team or to swimming, adults in your community need to know how to swim. Parents who can swim make sure their children know how. Build your numbers and the water safety in your community by teaching adults to swim.
Don't know how? Haven't had much success? Thought adults weren't interested? There's a failsafe way to teach adults. And they're yearning to learn IF YOU TEACH THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW.
The early registration discount deadline is June 1 for the 21st Century Swimming Instructor World Conference ($100 off). Send your staff and come, yourself, to Sarasota, Florida October 7-9, 2009 to learn a new way to teach that works 100% of the time. It's a shift in the paradigm of teaching swimming, a shift that's been tested for 26 years. It cannot fail.
Take advantage of this conference and open up a new world of possibility for your teams, your athletes, and your community. Want to watch a video about what adults say about our work? It's here.
Don't know how? Haven't had much success? Thought adults weren't interested? There's a failsafe way to teach adults. And they're yearning to learn IF YOU TEACH THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW.
The early registration discount deadline is June 1 for the 21st Century Swimming Instructor World Conference ($100 off). Send your staff and come, yourself, to Sarasota, Florida October 7-9, 2009 to learn a new way to teach that works 100% of the time. It's a shift in the paradigm of teaching swimming, a shift that's been tested for 26 years. It cannot fail.
Take advantage of this conference and open up a new world of possibility for your teams, your athletes, and your community. Want to watch a video about what adults say about our work? It's here.
April 10, 2009: We've Finally Announced Our Work As A Paradigm Shift
After 26 years, many of which were spent thinking, "Everybody must teach this way: this is so sensible we CAN'T be the only people using it," we finally have not only acknowledged it to ourselves, but are willing to announce, "Friends, this is a paradigm shift in teaching."
Yes, we've been told so by other teachers. Yes, we knew.
"But I wrote it all in my book. I've told people about the new paradigm. It's right there for all the world to see." But Bob said, "They didn't get it. You need to write a book about just that, alone."
Today, April 10, we're announcing the first World Swimming Instructors Conference: "The 21st Century Swimming Instructor." Every single instructor in the world needs to know about this paradigm shift. The systematic cure for overcoming fear in water is known. It's not hit-or-miss. It's not dependent on a nice teacher or an athletic student. It's a system, and I think you'd agree: it should be THE system with which swimming is taught. You'll only know for sure when you see it with your own eyes. Let's work together and end drowning. That's what's next when we get this system up and running worldwide.
Yes, we've been told so by other teachers. Yes, we knew.
"But I wrote it all in my book. I've told people about the new paradigm. It's right there for all the world to see." But Bob said, "They didn't get it. You need to write a book about just that, alone."
Today, April 10, we're announcing the first World Swimming Instructors Conference: "The 21st Century Swimming Instructor." Every single instructor in the world needs to know about this paradigm shift. The systematic cure for overcoming fear in water is known. It's not hit-or-miss. It's not dependent on a nice teacher or an athletic student. It's a system, and I think you'd agree: it should be THE system with which swimming is taught. You'll only know for sure when you see it with your own eyes. Let's work together and end drowning. That's what's next when we get this system up and running worldwide.
Miracle Swimming Institute will host a conference for all swimming instructors worldwide October 7-9, 2009 "on the beach" in Sarasota, Florida to help instructors bring its 21st-Century swim teaching technology to swimming lessons. The meeting will be held at the Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel on Lido Beach. Instructors will observe and participate in our introductory class for adults afraid in water with afraid adult students and learn the basics of Miracle Swimming principles. Instructors are encouraged to bring their most challenging students to participate in this session.
The 5 Circles Teaching Method TM is the paradigm shift, the new development in teaching (1983) since 100 years ago when the current system began. It's applicable to teaching afraid students and the non-afraid. In fact, it's applicable to all teaching and learning regardless of topic.
Details to follow soon.
The 5 Circles Teaching Method TM is the paradigm shift, the new development in teaching (1983) since 100 years ago when the current system began. It's applicable to teaching afraid students and the non-afraid. In fact, it's applicable to all teaching and learning regardless of topic.
Details to follow soon.
March 14, 2009: Great Messages in Aquatics International magazine in March!
The March issue of AI has a 3-part article about Miracle Swimming that greatly differentiates our work from the rest of the world's. Woohoo!
Fear Factor
5 Circles (TM) Teaching Method
How Fear Affects Learning
BTW, our company is called Miracle Swimming, no longer Transpersonal Swimming....
March 04, 2009: Day 3 of Tampa Beginning Class
Today, the student from Raleigh, NC said, "I'm very surprised at my progress in only 2 days. But I'm still worried I won't get to where I want to be by Friday." That was at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
At 5 p.m. he said, "Absolutely amazing. I did it! How do you do this?"
The student from West Palm said, "I'm loving this. This is an amazing teaching method. I almost didn't come because of my skepticism. Now, my endorphins are popping!"
Hello, World! Is anybody awake? What are you doing, sitting at home on your puter when you could be on a plane to see this?
At 5 p.m. he said, "Absolutely amazing. I did it! How do you do this?"
The student from West Palm said, "I'm loving this. This is an amazing teaching method. I almost didn't come because of my skepticism. Now, my endorphins are popping!"
Hello, World! Is anybody awake? What are you doing, sitting at home on your puter when you could be on a plane to see this?
March 03, 2009: What Did Yesterday's Newbies in Tampa Say?
Our Tampa Beginning class started yesterday: three students from New Jersey, Raleigh (NC) and West Palm (FL). Their comments were priceless.
—"If you'd told me yesterday what I'd be doing today, I would have laughed at you."
—"My teacher told me I was a sinker because I didn't float horizontally."
—"This is the first time in my life I've floated. I love this. I could do this all day. Usually I'm watching the clock, wishing it was time to leave."
—"It's so nice that there's no pressure. Why doesn't everyone teach this way?"
—"Here I am, floating in the deep end and there's no panic."
Would that every swim instructor were here to watch. Brains would scramble, what with all the contradictions to what they believe. They'd see 3 sets of miracles unfold.
—"If you'd told me yesterday what I'd be doing today, I would have laughed at you."
—"My teacher told me I was a sinker because I didn't float horizontally."
—"This is the first time in my life I've floated. I love this. I could do this all day. Usually I'm watching the clock, wishing it was time to leave."
—"It's so nice that there's no pressure. Why doesn't everyone teach this way?"
—"Here I am, floating in the deep end and there's no panic."
Would that every swim instructor were here to watch. Brains would scramble, what with all the contradictions to what they believe. They'd see 3 sets of miracles unfold.
February 26, 2009: Who Wants To Prevent Adults From Drowning?
I do.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance was a good meeting, especially if you're a child who might wander out through the slider in your kitchen into your backyard pool.
Actually, it was a good meeting with lots of ardent supporters and creators of various means of making pools safer.
I had to ask, "Why is no one trying to prevent adult drowning?" I doubt that no one cares. I believe it's that no one knows how to do it. And that embarrasses them, though it needn't. I'd like to tell them. My students have taught me over these 26 years: let's not waste the data.
Step 1: Scrub the system being used to teach adults in every program across the country (which isn't many). There is no system out there for adults. It's a system for children, applied to adults.
Step 2. Use ours: it works 100% of the time. And it's the only adult system the nation has. It will drop the drowning rate dramatically, quickly if people know about it.
Side step: get the nation's swimming instructors to put down their pride, especially the experienced, best instructors. There is something new to learn. It will make a huge difference.
Side step 2: convince aquatic directors and swim school owners that just because they're making plenty of money with the program they have now, it doesn't mean they've got reason for complacency. Show them that they could be far more effective teaching safety if they taught what we teach. And when people learn how to feel safe, they automatically start learning to swim.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance was a good meeting, especially if you're a child who might wander out through the slider in your kitchen into your backyard pool.
Actually, it was a good meeting with lots of ardent supporters and creators of various means of making pools safer.
I had to ask, "Why is no one trying to prevent adult drowning?" I doubt that no one cares. I believe it's that no one knows how to do it. And that embarrasses them, though it needn't. I'd like to tell them. My students have taught me over these 26 years: let's not waste the data.
Step 1: Scrub the system being used to teach adults in every program across the country (which isn't many). There is no system out there for adults. It's a system for children, applied to adults.
Step 2. Use ours: it works 100% of the time. And it's the only adult system the nation has. It will drop the drowning rate dramatically, quickly if people know about it.
Side step: get the nation's swimming instructors to put down their pride, especially the experienced, best instructors. There is something new to learn. It will make a huge difference.
Side step 2: convince aquatic directors and swim school owners that just because they're making plenty of money with the program they have now, it doesn't mean they've got reason for complacency. Show them that they could be far more effective teaching safety if they taught what we teach. And when people learn how to feel safe, they automatically start learning to swim.
