How to learn swimming from zero

Step 1: Be comfortable standing in the water

Walk around the shallow end at chest depth. Notice how the water pushes you slightly and how your balance changes. Bend your knees until your shoulders are under. That's all. If you're tense here, stay here for a session or two. It isn't wasted time.

Step 2: Face in, bubbles out

Hold the edge, take a breath, put your face in and hum or blow bubbles out through your nose and mouth. Lift your face, breathe in, repeat. Aim for ten calm repetitions. This one skill fixes more swimming problems than any other, because it stops you holding your breath. The breathing guide goes deeper.

Step 3: Learn to stand up from a float

Before you float, learn how to get out of one. From a front float: bring your knees towards your chest, press your hands down, lift your head and put your feet down. Practise it holding the wall first. Knowing you can stand up whenever you want is what makes floating feel safe.

Step 4: Float on your front and back

Take a breath, put your face in, and let your arms and legs spread wide like a starfish. Relax. Most people float with air in their lungs, though legs often sink slowly, which is normal. Then try your back with ears in the water and tummy up. See the full floating guide.

Step 5: Push and glide

Stand with your back to the wall, one foot on the wall. Put your face in, arms stretched forward, and push off gently into a long, flat shape. Glide until you slow down, then stand up. This teaches streamline, the body position every stroke uses.

Step 6: Add a kick

From your glide, add small, relaxed kicks from the hips with nearly straight legs. Use a kickboard if it helps. How to kick properly.

Step 7: Your first stroke

Only now add arms. For most people this is freestyle: glide, kick, reach one arm at a time, and breathe out into the water. Start by swimming a few metres, standing up to breathe. Breathing to the side comes after. Learn freestyle step by step.

Common mistakes when starting from zero

• Trying to swim a stroke before you can float and stand up calmly.
• Practising in water that's too deep "to force yourself". Fear slows learning down.
• Very long sessions. Short, regular sessions build confidence faster.
• Comparing yourself with others. Children, adults and nervous learners all progress differently.

How long will it take?

It varies widely. Someone relaxed in water who practises twice a week may swim a short distance within a few weeks. Someone very nervous may spend several weeks on the first three steps, and that's fine. What affects learning time.