SOUTHFIELD, Mich. \u2013 Most people learn to swim as kids, but what happens when you never did?<\/p>\n
For a growing number of adults, that gap is more than just an inconvenience. Royal Swim School wants to close it, one video at a time, with its new digital platform, Zero to Swim.<\/p>\n
A poll conducted by Gallop found 55 percent of people around the world can\u2019t swim without help. Researchers interviewed more than 150,000 people from roughly 140 countries, aged 15 and older.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody should be able to save their own life,\u201d said Katie Sullivan, co-owner of Royal Swim School. \u201cThere\u2019s water everywhere, and you should be able to save yourself no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fear tops list of barriers for adult learners<\/p>\n
Sullivan said fear is the biggest obstacle keeping adults out of the pool \u2014 and that hesitation is more common than many people think.<\/p>\n
Sullivan added that some adults feel embarrassed taking in-person lessons alongside children or other beginners. Zero to Swim eliminates that barrier by allowing learners to work through video lessons independently, at a pool of their choosing with a lifeguard present.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can go to a pool and do it on their own, but also at their own pace, because everybody learns at their pace,\u201d Sullivan said.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s inside Zero to Swim<\/p>\n
The course walks learners through the basics \u2014 from entering the water safely to floating, breathing technique and freestyle swimming. Videos generally run about three minutes, with the longest clocking in at nine minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cRepetition is key,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cGetting comfortable in the water, if you\u2019re literally starting at zero where you don\u2019t want to put your face in the water \u2014 the videos start with how to get in the water safely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sullivan said the back float is one of the most important survival skills taught in the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cFloating in the water is just freedom,\u201d she said. \u201cThe best way to save your life is a back float. And when you do that and your ears are underwater and you\u2019re in the right body position, you can hear what\u2019s going on underwater, and you\u2019ve got that free-floating feeling. It\u2019s actually really relaxing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Co-owner Zach Ortiz said the mental hurdle of getting into the pool is often the hardest part.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest, I think it\u2019s just overcoming the fear of getting into the water,\u201d Ortiz said. \u201cI\u2019ve taught lots of adults, and what I tend to see is once we can get them to relax, they start to learn everything really quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
For learners who need extra support, Sullivan said the team offers live FaceTime or Zoom sessions \u2014 and will also review video submissions and send back personalized analysis.<\/p>\n
The course costs $99 and includes access to the full library of lessons. Learners who follow Zero to Swim on Instagram or TikTok and comment \u201cswim\u201d can receive at least $20 off.<\/p>\n
One swimmer\u2019s story: \u2018It\u2019s never too late\u2019<\/p>\n
Courtney Cook, an editor at Local 4, knew she wanted to learn how to swim. She just didn\u2019t know where to start.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Y was full, all these places were full,\u201d Cook said.<\/p>\n
I remember someone mentioning, why not try Aqua-Tots and I thought it was a joke, she recalled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was like, wait, there\u2019s nothing but kids on the page,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Before turning 40 years old, Cook completed swim lessons and learned how to breathe underwater, float on her back and freestyle. She said the experience was about far more than just learning strokes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a few reasons why I wanted to learn how to swim,\u201d Cook said. \u201cOne was for survival. I didn\u2019t want to feel uncomfortable when I would go out with friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cook also cited a deeper motivation \u2014 representation.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t see a lot of people of color that know how to swim, unfortunately,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, I wanted to beat the odds. I even put it on my social media \u2014 beating the stereotype.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also swam in honor of a family member.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy aunt was learning how to swim in her 60s, and unfortunately she passed away and she didn\u2019t finish the class, so I wanted to finish for her,\u201d Cook said.<\/p>\n
Overcoming a childhood trauma<\/p>\n
One of the biggest challenges Cook faced wasn\u2019t physical \u2014 it was mental. She had nearly drowned as a child and had blocked out the memory until her swim instructor asked about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe challenging part, actually, for me \u2014 I\u2019m an overthinker,\u201d Cook said. \u201cSo, this was the one place I couldn\u2019t think. I had to allow myself to get comfortable with the water and trust the water so that I could float.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cook said her instructor helped her recognize the connection between that childhood experience and her hesitation in the water.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe minute I wasn\u2019t thinking and I would clear my mind, I was floating,\u201d Cook said.<\/p>\n
She recalled the near-drowning incident from when she was younger than eight years old, saying she had followed an older cousin into deeper water and began struggling before a bystander pulled her out.<\/p>\n
Cook\u2019s advice for hesitant adults<\/p>\n
Cook, who documented her swimming journey on social media, said she hopes her story encourages others who are on the fence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would just say it\u2019s never too late,\u201d Cook said. \u201cWe always pivot in our lives. I\u2019ll say it \u2014 I\u2019m 40. I\u2019m not ashamed of learning at 40. We hear it all the time, people talk about picking up a new hobby or switching careers. So, why can\u2019t we do it with swimming? There\u2019s no age limit.\u201d<\/p>\n
This summer, Cook said her goal is to get comfortable in the deep end \u2014 and to eventually go kayaking without a second thought.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe water won\u2019t determine if I\u2019m gonna have a good mood on a cruise or kayaking,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ll know how to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n
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