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  • Swim Lessons for Adults

    The Red Cross offers adult swim lessons through our learn-at-your-own-pace Learn-to-Swim program. Developed for older teens and adults, our program gives adult swimmers at every level the opportunity to improve their skills in a safe environment – and under the guidance of a Water Safety Instructor® certified professional, commonly referred to as a WSI™.

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    What to Expect

    Adults learning to swim from a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor

    Red Cross Adult Swim allows swimmers to progress at their own pace, mastering one set of skills before moving on to the next. Swim lessons for adults are available in the following three levels, developed to meet the needs of adult learners:

    1) Learning the Basics: Earn basic swimming strokes and skills needed to become water competent, which is a combination of knowing water safety, having swimming skills and knowing how to help others in a water emergency.

    2) Improving Skills and Swimming Strokes: Participants will gain proficiency in basic aquatic skills and the six basic swimming strokes.

    3) Swimming for Fitness: Participants will learn to refine their front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke and turns to build endurance.

    At the American Red Cross, our swim lessons for adults include best-in-class instruction that can help you build your skills, and swim more efficiently. Visit our Learn-to-Swim Providers page to find a facility offering adult swim lessons near you.

    Free Swim App

    Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety logo

    Red Cross Swim, sponsored by The ZAC Foundation, can help children and adults learn to be safer in and around water. Knowing how to swim is exciting and opens the door to many opportunities, but water is not without risk. Learning to enjoy the water safely should be the first step for anyone who will be around water. Have fun learning water safety in an engaging way with video and activities for kids and families. Track your kids’ progress with this FREE app as they learn to swim.

    Looking to take a class? Find swim lessons and aquatics certification classes in your area.

    Looking to teach others about water safety? Take our online course, Becoming an Ambassador for Water Safety.

    Why Train With the Red Cross

    Red Cross CPR Training Saves Lives

    Reid Heiser, Life Saver
    One week after 17-year-old Reid completed his Red Cross CPR training, he needed to use it. In November 2011, Reid saved the life of Jim Hammer after he collapsed at the recreation center where Reid worked. Now friends, they share their story.

    Red Cross training matters
    For more than a century, we've prepared people to respond to emergencies of all sizes - from the everyday to the large disaster. Join the millions we train every year and learn the skills that can save a life.

    "Without my friend's training, I would not be here"
    - Watch Bre Dumke's Story

    "The first 7 minutes are critical"
    - Watch More