Everyone can learn to swim Comfort comes first You can float vertically Overcoming fear IS learning to swim Having fun is the best way to learn Feel safe all the time Overcome fear without feeling afraid Go at your own pace Learn with your swimming people It’s amazing what 5 days can do Correct information does wonders!

“I originally intended to do Essentials 1 and not SloMo when I read the website. I didn’t give it too much thought but SloMo didn’t feel like it was for me.”

Reasons I took SloMo:

1. Location – I didn’t want to go to California.
2. Timing – I wanted to do Essentials 2 in the summer, so I wanted to do one of the courses in May or June, preferably May.
3. When we had a call, I told you my story of the first time I took swimming lessons and how I spent 10 lessons struggling to do a front float, and you had said you were sorry to hear that, and suggested I might be a good candidate for SloMo. I resisted that suggestion at first, but then I thought about our conversation, and I thought you may be right.
4. I watched some of the backfloat videos on YouTube for Essentials 1 (I think?) and they kind of stressed me out. It wasn’t in a zero entry pool and the water looked pretty high.

Reasons I initially resisted

• I think I resisted because I thought I would be fine, didn’t want extra help, wanted to learn the normal way, or had the idea it would be too basic. I didn’t want to limit myself, or have any regrets.
• I have no idea honestly. I don’t think I understood the difference when I signed up. Even now, I have no idea what the difference is.  

When I got to the class:

• I was SO happy and relieved to be in SloMo as soon as I got there.
• The other [students] had also expressed how good it was to be in the SloMo version of the class.
• I think Teresa said the pool was definitely a SloMo pool (the zero entry* pool). Seeing that pool made me feel very comfortable and excited on Day 1. When I was learning, if I didn’t feel comfortable with something, I could always walk myself to the 1-2 inch of water. I’m not sure if every SloMo class has a zero entry pool, but I LOVED the pool. (It does.)
• Teresa said we were a pretty advanced class even though we were technically SloMo. But I don’t think I would have been able to do any of the harder stuff if I had been in Essentials 1. I feel SloMo was perfect to start from literally 0, unlearn everything I learned in the past, and take my time. I could see immediately I was learning very quickly. I literally never felt limited.
• I told Teresa and the other [students] that I had no idea what anyone else in the class was doing 85% of the time, I was able to focus completely on myself.
• It felt nice to mentally be in a space where I could take it easy, relax, and go at my own pace. SloMo felt like the place for it.  
• I felt like I spared myself from regretting that I didn’t take the easier class. I didn’t struggle in SloMo. I think I would have struggled in Essentials 1.

If someone were to ask me about E1 vs SloMo, I would probably say something like:

• “I don’t know what Essentials 1 is like, it’s probably fine but I am very glad I did SloMo. Check if there’s going to be a zero entry pool. (Yes.) From my experience, it’s less risky, it’ll be easier to learn, it won’t limit what you can do, and you’ll still get to the same end result if you follow the [teaching].”

…Since I loved SloMo, I think SloMo should have been my default choice unless I had a very good reason to do Essentials 1….”

(This student is ready for Essentials 2 and will take it as planned.)
(Thank you, FM, for sharing this.)

*Zero entry or beach entry refers to zero inches of depth, 1 inch, 2 inches, 3 inches, etc. like a beach.