What kind of person do you think is a swimmer?

What kind of person snorkels in the ocean?

How do you think someone feels being in the ocean, not just sunbathing?

How does someone talk about themselves after they jump off a boat for the first time?

Are you this kind of person? Why or why not?​

What qualities do you share with a swimmer?

Perhaps you do not display these qualities in the water yet, but in other areas of your life. Think about self-talk, frame of mind, general physical abilities.

The way we learn new skills is to borrow confidence from other successes in our life. What successes do you have in other areas that would also make you successful in learning to swim or take your swimming to the next step?

Signing up for your next water experience is about believing in yourself just enough that you are willing to experience the positive and negative of growth.

We would love to grow with you in the most beautiful water.

Here is the link for your next step.

So looking forward to it!

Swimmingly,

Cori

The post Questions To Ask Yourself To Improve Your Swimming appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Now we have been living in a pandemic for almost 2 years and the thought of traveling can feel risky from both a health and financial standpoint. Here is some information to help mitigate the risks.

Travel Insurance

When you register we connect you with Debbi Johnson at Mill Creek Travel to get a quote on travel insurance if you would like. We are highly recommending at least the basic plan to cover your flight and resort fees. If you would like more information about travel insurance before registering please contact Debbi directly at debbi@millcreektravel.com.

Orca Program Refund Policy

If the class cannot happen because the student is not able to travel due to a positive COVID test or the laws have prevented travel from happening (like the governor of Hawaii closes tourist travel) then the student will be refunded their program fees ($2339 for F1 Program, $3186 for Advanced Program) minus the $500 deposit. Hotel, airplane tickets will follow the policies of those organizations and/or your travel insurance policy.

COVID Testing

Currently, anyone traveling to Hawaii must have a negative COVID test prior to the flight, see information here. Every person on the flight by federal law must be masked. For me this is part of why going to Hawaii is such a great travel option. Additionally, all of our activities will be outdoors.

Ready to get planning for Maui, May 2022?

​Click here to join the Foundations 1 Class May 10-13, make your $500 non-refundable deposit.

​Click here to make your $500 non-refundable deposit here and join the Advanced Group May 13-17.

Aloha and Mahalo,

The post Traveling During Covid – Maui 2022 appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Join Cori and Lynar this Friday to learn how you can use breathwork to remain in control while facing the new challenge of the cold water. Be in control, know what to expect, and expand your comfort zone during this fun event at Pritchard Island Park (just a block away from the Seattle Pool).

Friday, June 18th from 6-7:15 pm

Please note, this is not a swim event, you will be guided through breath work on the beach and then the group will enter the water for a short 2-4 minute plunge.

Learn how to use your breath to control your body as you get ready to explore the open water this summer.

Water shoes are highly recommended for this event.

Price: $97 for members/$150 for non-members​

Still not a member? Click here to get signed up at only $19/month.

Can’t wait to see you at the Beach,

NOTE: This class is not recommended for those with high blood pressure or those prone to seizure disorder.

The post Breath Work and Lake Dip Event appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Stories are the best.  Join me to hear Jodi’s story of growing up loving the water, but never really learning to swim.  She has spent this year like many people repurposing her time while being on furlough.  It was about this time last year she made some real plans for 2020 that were to include preparing for a swim vacation.  The vacation didn’t happen but the swimming transformation sure did! 

Watch Below:

Jump-In Membership

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Jump-In Membership. Our Jump-In program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Student Swim Journey with Jodi appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Watch Episode 17 Below: 

Healing Fear in Warm Water

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the 5 Circles Teaching Method. The Miracle Swimming system uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Episode 17: Maria’s Swim Journey appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Interview with 85-year-old Charlotte Ruff | Orca Swim School Student

Have you ever thought… “Oh, I give up! I’ll never learn to swim.” Or “I’m no longer a kid. I can quit trying.”

Maybe you moved from a warm state (California) to a cloudy state (Washington) and thought it no longer necessary to get in a pool.

Well, eighty-six-year-old Charlotte Ruff had similar thoughts, but just recently completed her beginning series swim lessons and is ready for more. Please check out our interview with her about her swim journey and experience her contagious joy (video below.)

Taking Inspiration

When you are 86 years old what would you like to be doing?  If you want some inspiration come to check out today’s episode which features Charlotte who said I still want to achieve my life dream of how to swim.  

One of the questions we ask our students at the beginning of the course is what benefits do you get by being afraid or not knowing how to swim.  It can seem like an odd question because at first glance there seem to be no benefits. We just see what we have been missing.  

86-year-old Charlotte is a great inspiration to the benefit of not learning in the past because she has this amazing opportunity for growth.  To be able to fully live life no matter what.  

My greatest inspiration was my 102-year-old grandfather.  Not because he simply lived such a long life, but because each time I talked to him he had grown as a person.  He kept living life as his body continued to live.  

Now don’t get me wrong here I am not saying wait for 10, 20, 30 or 40 more years without being free in the water.  But look at how you want to live your life. Do you want to live in fear, missing out and regret or do you want to be an inspiration to yourself and others?  

Let Charlotte be your inspiration.  No matter what your story or circumstances it is only your thoughts that stop you.  

We are so grateful for the open hearts and minds of our beautiful swimmers.  It is our deepest privilege to work with each and every one.  

Thank you, Charlotte for sharing your joy with us. Congratulations on never giving up! 

Watch Episode 9 Below: 

The post Episode 9: Never Give Up… Lessons from an 85-Year-Old Swim Student appeared first on Orca Swim School.

What would make the best ever winter getaway trip?

Long days on a warm sunny beach.  Strip off your raincoat, your hats, and scarfs and finally stand up straight to embrace the sun!  

When I think of something as dreamy and enticing as a winter getaway there is a song that springs up in my head…

“It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to.  Cry if I want to.”

What does this have to do with a winter getaway?  Sometimes the expectations that build-up prior to an event could be dashed when you are actually living it.  

In this episode, I share 10 tips for snorkeling to ensure you actually enjoy the party on your tropical vacation.  This is a preview into the full snorkeling course we will release later this year.

We want to help you reach your wildest dreams.  No one wants to learn something new so it becomes a plodding, boring thing on a checklist.  We learn so we can expand to new opportunities and discoveries.  

So where do you dream of escaping the winter blues?  Come be inspired!

Watch Episode 8 Below: 

The post Episode 8: Tips for a Tropical Vacation appeared first on Orca Swim School.

During our initial consultation, Diane expressed her interest in registering with Orca Swim School and wanting to start swim lessons.  Her goal was to learn how to be comfortable in the water, float, and move in the water without touching the ground.  These may seem like simple goals, however for those with a fear of the water these goals are significant!  As we spoke that day, Diane informed me that she has previously taken a swim class, but still felt uncomfortable in the water.  She noted, “I took a college swim class as a P.E. elective and was able to float at the time. However, now I basically don’t feel comfortable in the water and fear not touching the ground.”

Registering for Class

After our initial consultation, Diane registered for our Beginner Class (this past Fall) even after the fact that she found out she was pregnant.  Throughout the course of a few weeks, she graduated and moved on to take our Next Step and Practice Swims.  During this time she gained her confidence while in the water and before the baby was born, decided to take a trip to Hawaii.  For one of the first times in her life, she enjoyed the water unlike she ever could have before.

Baby Lessons

Realizing her goal of being comfortable in the water and after the baby was born, Diane took another trip with her family where at 3 months old she introduced her son to the water.  In a Facebook post to the Orca Swim School Group, she stated “while it was crazy challenging traveling with a baby, I had such a great time splashing in the water (something I never did before Orca Swim School). This little guy was a bit more skeptical of the sand, the sun, and the water but we have time to work on that”!

From Fear or Discomfort to Freedom and Joy

The post Being Comfortable in the Water – Diane’s Swim Journey appeared first on Orca Swim School.

At 6 years old my mom dutifly took me to swim lessons.  I never finished.  They were scary, the teachers were not trustworthy and they kept sharks under the platform where the little kids stood.   Yet my whole career has been based on teaching swimming!

Last month I had the wonderful opportunity to do a podcast with Debbie Gonzales author of Girls with Guts. It’s a children’s book about women and athletic though history.  While I don’t think of myself as a particularly athletic person since I’ve never won a swim race (or come close). However, I have drawn my inspiration from my connection to physical movement and the freedom gained from carving my own path.

At the time of the interview, I had several classes of adult beginner swim students. They had me feeling very inspired by there learning.  Amazingly Debbie created a comfortable setting to freely share my own swim story mixed in with our student’s journies.  In our conversation, I revealed how I never completed a swim lesson as a kid. This is because I didn’t trust the teachers. While I swam competitively with USA Swimming and was an American Red Cross lifeguard I never won.  None of this stopped me from growing in my own path.  Just like the women featured in Debbie’s book.

Take a listen (EP13: It’s Okay to be Afraid with Cori Myka)!  It is fun to hear about Debbie’s book for girls and about some of the remarkable women I have worked with in the water making their own swim path to success.  My own swim story is also revealed.

About Orca Swim School

The post Why you don’t have to pass a swim lesson to be an expert! appeared first on Orca Swim School.