You can try!
There’s no doubt that Youtube is a fantastic resource with more free tutorials than anyone is capable of watching!
But……however tempting (and addictive) it is to plough your way through all of the stuff (and I’ve definitely been there too so I get it!) it might not be the best choice to help you reach your swimming goals.
Whilst not swimming related I have definitely been down that YouTube rabbit hole!
When I’m not teaching swimming I like to paint using inks and oils and not so long ago I fancied trying a new technique that I’d seen an artist use to great effect. I remember spending ages on YouTube trying to work out how the artist was getting the effects that I was looking for but I just could not get it to work, I tried everything, bought different brands of inks and papers but it just wouldn’t work for me.
I got so frustrated and finally gave in and signed up for one of the artist’s online classes, attended the workshop and within the first five minutes, discovered the simple thing that had stopped me getting the results I wanted – the wrong type of paper! Whilst I had tried different types I didn’t realise that the paper the artist was using was specially made and only available from one online source! Such an easy solution that took me so long and so much frustration (and wasted money) to find, the class was only a few pounds – much less than all the ink and wrong paper that I had bought!
Lesson well and truly learned!
What might seem like a good idea to save a few pounds can quickly spiral into a cycle of wasted time, energy, and resources.
Here’s a few reasons why:
Personalised guidance: We’re all different, and what works for one person might not work for another. With YouTube, you’re bombarded with tons of different approaches and techniques, leaving you feeling lost and unsure of where to start.
Feedback: Learning to swim isn’t just about watching videos; it’s about getting hands-on practice and feedback. Without someone there to guide you and correct your form, you could end up developing bad habits that hold you back.
Injury risk: Swimming isn’t risk-free, plenty of swimmers injure themselves through poor technique and learning from YouTube videos can be risky without proper instruction and supervision.
Time efficiency: Your time is valuable, and scrolling through endless YouTube videos isn’t the most efficient use of it. Rather than spend hours trying by yourself, it’s much quicker and easier to find a teacher who will help you maximise your learning efficiency and progress.
Confusion: There are so many different approaches and opinions available that getting confused about what’s best for you is inevitable. You’ll find contradictory advice and trying to mix and match approaches really doesn’t work.
Understanding: Learning to swim well is not about how something looks, it’s about how it feels, and understanding what muscles and joints you should be using, copying something you’ve seen on YouTube won’t give you the understanding you need to get things right.
Rather than spending hours scrolling, investing your time and effort into lessons with a teacher who knows their stuff isn’t just about the money; the true cost of trying to figure it out for yourself extends far beyond your bank account – it’s the price of missed opportunities, slow progress, frustration and unfulfilled potential.
