The received idea is as follows --- EVERYBODY CAN SWIM EXCEPT ME ---
IT IS WRONG REALLY WRONG
We are going to prove that that idea, which consists in leading people to believe that everybody can swim, is completely wrong.
For too many years, the participants in our aquaphobia lessons have always had the same speech : "I don't suffer aquaphobia but I don't understand why despite my age I have always been unable to swim whereas everybody can". That's the reason why we have to clarify everything.
First of all, we have to define what correct swimming means :
it consists in creeping on the surface of water by means of a codified swimming (breaststroke, free style, backstroke or the wrongly dreaded butterfly), across a 200 metre length without getting breathless in an artificial or natural pool and in calm water with at least a 2 meter depth.
Unofficial swimming like backstroke with simultaneous arm gesture and sidestroke can be accepted.
Question now your circle : it is very difficult to find a person who will say that he or she cannot swim. The most frequent answer is "I can swim unless I can touch the bottom with my feet"otherwise said " I panic where I am unable to touch the bottom with my feet".
A ship berthed rarely sinks.
What's the point of being only able to swim as long as we can touch the bottom ?
Indeed, the ability of swimming according to these conditions is irrationnal since this nautical practice is supposed to save your life or to save people from drowning in every circumstance.
If a tangible example must be given, you can count on your own the number of people who come to a swimming pool in summer and the number of people who for an hour swim in the big pool (the place where the swimming pool is deep).The percentage is very surprising because il doesn't exceed 10 %.
This example is typical of the uneasiness of human beings when they are confronted with water.
As water used to be our element during our life in the womb, the latter is too early replaced by more solid elements.
After a survey without the interviewees' knowing, with a few smart questions it's very easy for an advised person to conclude that only a handful of people satisfied by the nautic criteria discribed above.
The received idea can be replaced by "I cannot swim like everybody".
The only purpose is to claim that being able to swim is the result of a technique learned carefully and that is not natural, it is the same case as in other sports.
The person that cannot swim, whereas he or she is 30, belongs to the majority od people.
The cultural factor is also reponsable for the restriction of the number of swimmer.
That is the reason why there will always be more californians who can swim than Tuareg, whereas the population is the same.
So, we have two reasons which can explain why we cannot swim if we are old.
The first reason must be dealt with human condition, the second reason is cultural, it is so cultural that very many island people cannot swim simply because they are superstitious.
To conclude, the adult who cannot swim belongs to the majority of people and in general doesn't suffer aquaphobia. He or she is just anxious while the media and your circle want you to believe the contrary.
