Learn Back Floating: A Life-Saving Skill

Imagine you slip or fall into a pool or pond of water. In panic, your instinct might drive you to move your hands and legs rapidly to reach the surface. But the harder you try the more you may find yourself sinking deeper into the water, increasing the chance of drowning. This is where knowing how to back float is essential to save your life…

When in a state of panic, our bodies tend to lose buoyancy thus making it difficult to stay afloat. The best safety measure is to stay calm, relax your body and breathe deeply to fill your lungs with air while exhaling slowly. These steps will help you float on your back until help arrives.

NOTE: Lungs filled with air act as natural floaters that help to keep your body above water and prevent drowning.

The back float, also known as the supine float (A still and face-up position in the water), involves lying on your back with arms and legs gently spread to maintain balance and stability. Knowing how to float on your back is a vital life-saving skill which is very important to learn at all ages. Floating on your back helps you conserve energy, reduce fatigue and lower the risk of drowning.

Besides the fact that it can save your life, it’s also the first step to help you get comfortable in the water and learn to swim. Although it may seem challenging initially, simply learning to relax and look up at the sky will allow your body to lift itself naturally up. With sufficient air in your lungs, be confident and assured that you won’t sink.

Here are a few simple steps to back float successfully:

Trust in your ability to do it
Take a deep breath to fill your lungs with air
Relax your body and look upwards to naturally float
See your body automatically lift itself in the water. Importantly, practice regularly to perfect the back floating skill

If these tips are still not enough for you to try, a trained swimming instructor can help you practice the back floating technique till you overcome your initial fear.

At Sapphire Swimming Academy, we believe back floating is an indispensable safety skill for all swimmers, which is one of the first lessons we teach beginners. Our certified swimming instructor will patiently help you master the back floating technique. We use no force or fear tactics when teaching swimming to beginners. We first build your confidence and comfort in the water, and our time-tested instructions will gradually help you float and swim safely in no time.

Do visit our state-of-the-art swimming pool in Navnagar, Hubli and speak to our swimming coaches to know how we can help you at the beginner level in swimming. Alternatively, call +91 740666 3069 to know more about our facilities/ swimming classes.