Why are we not able to swim without any training or learnig?
By knrsekar
@knrsekar (1009)
India
August 19, 2009 1:08pm CST
Almost all of the animals used to swim themselves without any training soon after their birth even. But we are not able to swim without learning it even after our growth.What may be the reason for that?
4 responses
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
19 Aug 09
I honestly believe that all people could swim for survival were it not for the element of fear. We as people are afraid of things that we cannot control and when you are in water and can't put your feet down, the fear within you starts to build.
My daughter, who is 6.5 years old, was able to swim in a shallow pool without touching before she was 3 years old but when she was 4 years old, she nearly drowned because it was the first time that she was in a pool where she couldn't put her feet down and touch the bottom.
My 2.5 year old son is learning to swim in the conventional sense, but he can do a survival type of swim when he needs to.
Perhaps another part of the issue is that parents are so protective of their children when they are at a young age that they don't have the chance to develop what could be an instinct.
Both of my children were allowed in swimming pools from the time they were about six months old and can swim. My siblings and myself were all able to swim without instruction. The only instruction that we had was to learn stroke refinement.
@glambank (217)
• United States
19 Aug 09
I agree, fear is the number one factor that holds us back from learning to swim.
No one taught me how to swim. I learned when I was 4 years old. I was afraid of the water which annoyed my father so he threw me in the water (not deep)and each time I try to run out he threw me back in. All I can remember is that I eventually got over the fear and then when it was time for us to go home I didn't want to come out.
I didn't learn how to swim that day and I can't remember the day I did. But each time we went to the beach I would be the first one in the water and the last one out.
Somewhere along the way I taught myself. I had no instructions. I do remember however that I was very young.
@knrsekar (1009)
• India
21 Aug 09
We may start to swim if we are forced to do so in our young age to survive. But no one will like to take risk in the lives of their child. This may be the fact for the inability to swim.But I have red somewhere that all of us are able to swim for the survival of our life if we are in such a situation.But nowadays we are able to see lots of people who don't know to swim even after their growth. In our villages, all are able to swim who are now in the age more than 15 years and others who are less than this age don't know to swim. Now we don't have enough water resources to learn or proactive nowadays as like when we were young.This may be also one of the reasons. Because genes plays important role in our life from generation to generation.Thanks for responding to this discussion to you both.
@Quiplet (255)
• United States
19 Aug 09
We can learn to swim without training. I agree that fear plays a part in drowning. I was thrown into the deep water and told to swim when I was a kid and I flubbed around a bit and I'm sure there was a panic stricken look on my face, but I was able to make it shore safely through my own efforts.
I continued to swim (lake) into my adulthood and loved it. When I eventually swam in the ocean, it was a little different with the huge waves, but still seemed natural.
@knrsekar (1009)
• India
21 Aug 09
The main reason may be the fear on our life as you have mentioned. Also nowadays, we don't have enough water resources to learn or practice as like we had in the past. Beacuse of this reason, even the adults are not able to swim. Fortunately some of us are trying to learn from the swimming pools. But there are lot of difference between swimming the the running water and in the water in the pond or lake. I know well to swim in the pond or lake but will not swim well in the river water. But I can survive.Thanks for responding to this discussion.
@rhoday (152)
• United States
19 Aug 09
In fact they had it so that women were having babies in the water about 10 year's ago they said the babies were more comfortable being born that way, and it was much more relaxing for the women. They also showed the babies, they were trying to swim, right after birth. I believe it's due to fear. Because if we can do it when were tiny infant's then why not when we are 5 or 10 year's old without being taught.
@knrsekar (1009)
• India
21 Aug 09
We may learn to swim if we forced into water, ourselves in the age where we don't know what the fear is. As we grow, we our fear is also growing with us and fear is preventing us from learning swimming. As you told, the babies may start swim if they are allowed. But as we don't like to take the risk in the life of our child, this opportunity is not given to them.Anyway, if we learn to swim after we grow, it is enough to save our life.Thanks for responding to this discussion.
@jokerwild86 (13)
• United States
19 Aug 09
I think because were not made to go swimming daily so... I don't know I'm just saying my opinion
@knrsekar (1009)
• India
21 Aug 09
I am wondering from my child hood about this. Even the young elephants are able to swim without any training but we are not able to do so.I have red in some books that all the mammals are capable of swimming without being trained including ourselves. May be due to that fact of hereditary changes we are not able to swim.Anyhow we should learn it at least after training as this the essential one for saving our life as well as the best exercise to our body.Thanks for responding to this discussion.
