VIDEO. When seniors take the plunge: lessons to learn to swim at the age of 60

This Monday, it’s 5 p.m., the opportunity to enjoy the last rays of sunshine at the Biars-sur-Cère swimming pool. A few children are lined up, chips under their elbows, to attend their swimming lesson. And in the other half of the pool, there are seniors who are jumping into the water. There are five of them, four this afternoon, because one is sick, taking lessons. They never really learned to swim, but at over 60, it’s never too late to get wet.

Equipped with their swimming caps and goggles, the four seniors go down into the water. On this side, the depth is one meter twenty-two. Phew, they can all stand up. They are ready for their fifth session. And some are already doing very well. Anthony, the lifeguard, stays on the edge of the pool for the moment. He starts the exercises gently: doing the starfish, with his head under water. A real apprehension for some. “That’s good Daniel, keep it up!” Anthony says.

“Why not in the sea!”

Then, the seniors put on the noodles. The goal: to learn how to take in air and breathe underwater. “I know you can do it!” encourages the lifeguard. It’s not easy. Towards the end of the session, Anthony jumps into the water with the seniors. “And we enjoy seeing him in the water!” the women joke. They continue their swimming exercises. Then, it’s time to take a little trip to the side of the pool where the bottom is more than two meters. The lifeguard obviously stays behind the apprentice swimmers. The latter must move, head under water, hands hanging on the edge of the pool. And slowly, let go of the hands. Quite an accomplishment. Daniel quickly returns to where he can touch the bottom. He is quickly followed by the others. “So, do we float here too? Oddly enough, yes! It’s the same water!” Anthony gently teases.

For the swimming instructor, teaching seniors or young children is the same. The exercises are similar. The apprehension is, perhaps, more complicated to overcome in sixty-year-olds. Marie-Joëlle was afraid of depth. “I didn’t imagine that you could float like that! I went into the small pool but nothing more. I was a little afraid of putting my head under water too”, she says. A fear that was overcome from the first session since it was the first exercise that Anthony had his apprentice swimmers do. “After the lessons, I hope to be able to go into the big pool and swim. And why not in the sea!” smiles Marie-Joëlle.

Cécile is short-sighted. And because of that, she never learned to swim. “I wear contact lenses, and thanks to that I can put my head under water safely. I could have learned when I was young but I was scared because they made me put my glasses on the edge and the others jumped everywhere. I was scared to death, and then I couldn’t see,” she says. From the first session, her fears flew away. Now, Cécile is doing pretty well. Why did you jump in the deep end at 62? “I said to myself: I mustn’t die stupid, so let’s go! And then, I have more time for myself. Physically, it will do me good. And I will be able to enjoy myself with my grandchildren.” A motivation that can be found in many participants. In the meantime, the seniors still have five sessions to learn to be as comfortable as a fish in water.