Is it too late to become a good swimmer?

I have a friend who just learned to swim at 49. It's never too late, OP!

I've been wondering the same thing now that other forms of exercise have taken a toll on my knees. I never learned to swim laps properly and I'm embarrassed to try at my gym's pool.

What r1 said. If you have a chance, do it, you won't regret it.

Go for it, OP.

Do it OP! Swimming is so good for you!

Never too late, OP! Swimming is great. You can do it for the rest of your life!

Take a Beginning Swimming course at your local community college -- lots of adult non-swimmers in the same boat.

I'm one of those people here on DL always admonishing people to learn to swim, especially when I read about people drowning (which seems like an especially horrible way to die). Do it, OP! It's an important life lesson to learn. You don't have to compete in the Olympics: no one is going to judge you if your 'form' isn't perfect.

It's never too late to learn.

Why would it be too late?

My father didn't learn to swim through most of his adulthood, and, when I was taking lessons as a toddler, he was taking lessons at the same time. He would have been in his late 40s.

R7, yep, that's what I did. Learned to swim as freshman at community college. It really bothered me I never learned to swim as a kid. It was partly down to being scared and also being body-conscious, I didn't want to be in a swimming suit in front of other kids. I got over that last part when I was a teen but then was too embarrassed to be an "older" learner. Luckily, I got over it when I got to college--it was a huge school and no one knew or cared about me anyway.

I only took one semester of lessons. I regret not taking the intermediate and advanced classes as I'm a pretty mediocre swimmer. But I learned enough to lap swim for exercise and in the ocean.

Not too late. A neighbor of mine, in his 60s, is taking lessons.

The whole point of life is to keep learning to understand more and more

Anything is possible.

I was just considering taking swimming lessons too but was a bit embarrassed to do that as an adult. I used to jog regularly but hurt my knee a few months ago and put on a few pounds. Swimming seems like a good alternative, except I can barely doggy paddle and I am a little body conscious.

Seeing someone else in the same situation is encouraging!

At the pool I go to, there are several adults of all ages taking swim lessons from private coaches. I doubt it's terribly expensive and everyone looks like they're learning new skills and having fun. Gof for it!

All of the advice on this thread is great OP.

It is, however, too late to become a hot swimmer.

Depends. How do you look in a speedo?

OP, adding my voice to the chorus of yeses. There is no downside to learning to swim at your age (or any age). Not only will you have another skill, a new form of exercise and strength training, but the feeling of accomplishment will spread into other areas of your life. Do it and enjoy it and come back and tell us about it!

Yes, OP, you should learn how to swim. Do you travel by plane? Wouldn't it feel good to know that, in the case of a "water landing," you could swim?

I learned to swim when I was little. However, I was well into being an adult when someone taught me how to do a flip turn in a swimming pool. It's very cool to do that!

Swimming is a very valuable skill. Everybody should know how to at least stay afloat in water.

Not too old at all, OP. Our gym even offers swim lessons - and it's an adults only gym.

So where do we get adult swim lessons?

OP, first of all, the word is "dog paddle" not "doggy paddle." But more important, if you can dog paddle, that means you are swimming. You're talking about just learning a more conventional swim stroke.

OP asked if older learners can become decent swimmers.

Bump? For becoming a good swimmer? Also, is swimming the best cardio there is?

I can swim enough to keep from drowning. Doing a bit of a side stroke. I hate to put my head under water, just hate swimming. Had a boat and would jump in and paddle around, but do not enjoy swimming at all. Took classes as a kid many times at the Y.

If you look like this, there will be many people willing to help your progress.

No, it's not too late at all! Many community rec centers offer beginning swim classes for adults. It truly is the best exercise, very toning.