Freestyle Class
Prerequisites for Freestyle Classes:
- Must have taken our BEGINNING class.
- Must understand "being in your body"
- Must be in your body for trying all "toys" in shallow end (sitting on bottom, falling forward, somersaults, handstands, whale jumps). You don't necessarily have to be able to do those skills: just be comfortable trying them.
- All of those skills must be done without speed.
- You may learn open turns or flip turns.
Once you know you're safe and you can move from here to there with confidence and ease, you're ready to learn strokes.
The Freestyle class builds on the confidence you learned in the first classes and teaches the sequence of steps needed to put together a whole freestyle: balance, line, kick, propulsion, and breathing at your own pace. Learn turns, drills, swimming toys, and ways to make workouts and lap swimming fun. Yes, once you're in your body, it only takes a week to learn the freestyle.
“I can't believe I learned it. I just let myself slow down and it came. After all these years. I'm so happy!"
—Mary Tansey
"Very surprised by progress. All good. " —Michael Jee
"I'm getting lots of benefit from being watched and getting immediate feedback as well as from the videotape."
—Ellen Dietschy
"Life-changing,
Confidence-boosting,
Bonding,
Excellent"
—Terri Pickering, San Francisco
Learn how to use swimming for exercise (workout construction), lap swimming etiquette, and how to use a pace clock. Daily video of you for maximum feedback.
Ten 3-hour classes over 7 days.
Schedule is approximately:
Day 1: 9-noon and 3-6 p.m.
Day 2: 9-noon
Day 3: 9-noon
Day 4: 9-noon and 3-6 p.m.
Day 5: 9-noon
Day 6: 9-noon and 3-6 p.m.
Day 7: 8-11 a.m.
Lodging, especially when classes are in the San Francisco Bay Area: We recommend that you stay in a hotel nearby so you can devote your week to swimming and absorbing information, and reduce stress of commuting and household responsibilities.
In Sarasota, we go sailing on one free afternoon if you're interested.
Sarasota: Lido Beach Resort, on the beach next to pool.
Fins
If you don't have fins, we recommend TYR Split Fins or Aquasphere Fitness Fins. Test them in the pool and make sure they're comfortable, not too stiff. Allow time to replace them, just in case. It's VERY important to have fins that work on Day 1. If these don't work for you, buy full-foot rubber snorkeling fins. We can recommend some.
Fred McGriff in class, former Tampa Devil Rays Baseball All-Star
Wetsuit shirt
In Sarasota, the pool will be 85 degrees, balmy for Freestyle. If outdoors, like Moraga, a wetsuit vest or shirt may be appropriate for warmth. Virtually everyone has worn them in the past. Rent is $19 for 1-7 days, or buy your own for use afterward.
Please bring these items to class:
two bathing suits, dark goggles if class is outdoors (otherwise, regular goggles), rubber full-foot snorkeling fins if you have them, sun block and hat. Also, something warm to wear from pool.
Soda Aquatic Center, Moraga, California
Learn the Freestyle and the culture of Lap Swimming.
Early Registration Discount $75 if you register 4 months early. Use earlyfs as your coupon code during Checkout.
Freestyle Refresher
Sarasota, FL
If you've already been in a lap swimming class, you may take our Refresher Class to boost your freestyle and flip turns to the next level.
CLUB MSI
Tune up your freestyle if you haven't swum in a while or if you have developed unwanted habits. They're fixable.
At 75, Pat settles into a freestyle
she's dreamt about for 60 years.