It's great to see that you are feeling more confident and less panicked about swimming in the water. You have received some great advice here already so you do have some options on how to tackle your fear. Let us know what works for you and how your classes are coming along.
Anyway I'm doing better I just done some little crazy things in the pool for someone that fears water and it was ok. Crazy things like going beyond my tolerance level or at least what I was thinking that is my tolerance level.
sheba, you don't trust the water? you started off surrounded by water - it's a good thing as martha stewart would say. wildcat is right though, you're not there to torture yourself, maybe your anxiety is getting the better of you
different classes might offer you something more in your confort area. You are taking a class for your health and pleasure, not to torture yourself with more worries.
Most fitness classes at the local pool here are in the shallow end of the pool with boards and sponges and elastics that work with the water's resistance on building strenght and cardio. The swim clubs offer the lenghts back-and-forth with various pieces of equipment.
I have no advice as I have not gotten in the pool for wow over 5 years I believe. It irritates my skin. But I do want you to keep me posted on how your aquafitness class and swim classes go! You go girl! You can do this!
Sheba- looking at the laws of physics(your an intelligent woman) and learning those few safety techniques can be done with swimmies, a life jacket, a floating tube, water wings, those tube things they have these days and can be taught on dry land initially while you see a demonstration in the water. Those skills will help you become more trusting and let you know that you have power to handle situations(worst case scenarios) if they arise. You can learn correct body positioning, for all these skills on dry land and progress through doing them with your swim aid when you are comfortable. You definitely have to move at your OWN pace and others will be more/less comfortable than you, more/less trusting, more/less fearful. The class should let you move at your own pace and comfort level! "I should" float is a faulty belief. Knowing you will float is based on the laws of physics!
I still look forward to hearing your progress, the fact you wear a floating tube to take an aquafitness class is okay. It is not unusual and if a person is not comfortable in the water, then it's a smart thing to do, so you can get the maximum benefit from the class and stay in your comfort zone. It's okay to wear a floating tube to an adult swim class. Your slow progressive ease and comfort in the class should be the goal whether just getting in the water (was the objective) to swimming across the pool (whose objective was just getting their face wet) the person set their own goals, some pushed beyond them, some accomplished them and some got somewhere in between - they were all successful! It is what makes that class so rewarding for swimmer and instructor alike.
Use all the resources you have to make yourself more comfortable going in (to the class and to the water). I still maintain with or without a floaty thing - you'll do great and have fun!!!!!
