LearnToSWIM Reviews 98

Had my first lesson with Sam. Coming from a place of trauma as a kid, to now being a fully grown man who hasn’t touched a pool for 20 years, I was really nervous. To say the least.

I could NEVER have imagined I’d be floating by myself by the end of the lesson. I got into the pool anxious, but Sam built a lot of trust with me and got me comfortable and fully aware of all the sensations and worries.

If it were not for Sam, I’d have not made that huge leap in faith and now find myself really excited about my upcoming lessons. If you’re nervous, don’t be. Sam is patient, incredibly skilled and knowledgeable on swimmer psychology. It’s no pressure and all reward. I really recommend anyone of any walk of life to give this a go. Highly recommended!

Thank you Sam. I’m still surprised I got this far in just one lesson, can’t wait to get my feet wet again.

I’ve taken a few lessons with Mark now and can already feel a noticeable improvement in my technique and confidence in the water. The lessons are clearly well prepared for and structured, and we make good progress each time. Would 100% recommend

Being in my 40s and having attempted to learn to swim a couple of times over the last few years, I spent time trying to find a good coach with good reviews who could help me get through old thought patterns from bad experiences and onto being a swimmer. Mark @ learn to swim had excellent reviews and so I gave it a chance but thought could he really be as good as the reviews say?

Pleased to say that Mark so far has exceeded expectations - he is not really like any teacher I’ve had before - time spent in the pool doesn’t feel like a lesson and I look fwd to sessions together. Mark has a way to put students at ease but at the same time a strong focus on end goals with theory and practical learning (and it helps he is IN the pool with you). I am still on my journey but I feel sure I will hit my swimming goals with Mark. I think I may have attempted lessons 3 times before in various set ups - group classes, local coaches, school. The one on one is money well spent if you have a coach like Mark. Recommended.

I've just completed five lessons with Mark at LearnToSWIM, and I'm so pleased that I chose him based on the positive reviews. He has been patient, professional and really encouraging from the start.

Mark has a great way of explaining things so they actually make sense in the water, and he takes the time to focus on the details that makes it easy for me to understand. I’ve already built much more confidence and feel that I’m making genuine progress with every lesson.

What stands out most is how supportive and tailored the lessons have been. They were never rushed, never generic, and always constructive. If you are nervous about learning to swim or want a teacher who is skilled, motivating and easy to learn from, I would highly recommend Mark and LearnToSWIM.

Completed five classes so far as a total beginner, and the experience is really positive. Mark does an excellent job focusing on water fundamentals, which is exactly what I needed to overcome confidence issues. He is clearly very knowledgeable and explain techniques in a way that is memorable and easy to understand. Before moving on to more advanced skills, he prioritised on the basics of floating/breathing/body position. The learning process is structured, with notes from each session.
Give it go. You won’t regret it.

Some coaches teach technique. Mark and the Learn to Swim team rewires how you think about water entirely.

I arrived at my first session carrying years of anxiety -the kind that had kept me from ever seriously trying to swim. I wasn't just nervous. I was convinced this wasn't something I was capable of. Within an hour, that belief was gone.

The structure is what sets Mark apart. Every lesson is prepared in advance with clear goals, notes, and a solid theoretical foundation. Sessions include practical demonstrations, best-in-class swimmer examples, videos, and a knowledge base you can actually draw on. You leave each class with something concrete - not just time in the pool.

The guidance is practical, structured, and genuinely empowering. And throughout it all, the encouragement is constant and sincere.

If you're hesitant, anxious, or convinced that swimming simply "isn't for you" - this is exactly where to start.

I’m 32 and never quite learned how to swim so wanted to finally do it as a New Year’s resolution. Reading reviews for this swim school, and the long list of rave testimonials about Mark, I wondered, could this guy be the real deal? Let me tell you, from the moment my partner and I entered the pool (2 can learn for the price of 1 FYI!) we felt so comfortable! We genuinely look forward to our lessons each week and after just a few lessons already feel a lot more confident in the pool. I’ve already recommended Mark’s lessons to friends and if you’re reading this, still on the fence about taking up lessons - you should definitely take the plunge!

Some more practical bits - the website FAQs are pretty clear but all you need to get started are swimmers, goggles 😎 and posi attitude

I had my swimming classes with Alejandra. She is a great teacher, is patient, and provides you with ideas to improve swimming. I highly recommend her to have your lessons.

I have been learning to swim with Learn to Swim for just over a month now, at their London Bridge venue in Fitness First. Mark is an amazing instructor with an incredible gift for teaching. I am learning to swim in my 60’s, in the recent past I have found it quite challenging, as I am not confident and quite slow to embrace the techniques. Mark has a patient and caring approach, he really tunes into your needs, which, in turn, helps you to build up your confidence, in each sequence, which is broken down into manageable steps. The tutors remain in the pool with you at all times. The sessions are not just practical: Mark uses a pool side whiteboard to help consolidate each practical step. The feedback is motivating: Mark sends inspiring clips, the theory steps from the whiteboard and at times filming you swimming, for someone who doesn’t have a great degree of self awareness in the water, this is invaluable.

Fitness First is a very nice venue: the staff are friendly; they speak highly of the swimming instructors; and all areas are very clean and well maintained by their ever present friendly cleaning team.

I am beginning to feel myself progress: I feel nurtured. This is a wonderful learning establishment. I highly recommend it.

Thank you Mark.

Sam is a truly exceptional teacher with a remarkable talent for guiding students. Each week, he carefully evaluates my progress and pinpoints exactly what I need to work on to improve.

Sam always offers thoughtful and motivating feedback and thanks to his guidance, I feel real progress with every lesson. I genuinely look forward to practicing and to returning for the next session.

On top of his technical skills, Sam makes my swimming lessons very enjoyable. His upbeat and engaging personality creates a fun, positive atmosphere. I’m so thankful for the confidence I’m building in the water and couldn’t imagine a better teacher. I highly recommend him!

I am currently having swimming lessons with Mark. At the age of nearly 61 I decided it’s time to overcome my fear of water. The lessons with Mark are fun. He is kind, patient, very knowledgeable and an extremely amazing teacher. I actually look forward to my lesson each week. Mark has taught me breathing techniques, has got me floating with my face down in the water, floating on my back and today I was using snorkling equipment after just a few lessons. I have a permanent smile on my face today as feeling quite proud of myself !!

I thoroughly recommend swimming lessons with Mark. He is calm, patient, kind, quite funny and teaches you to overcome your fears.

The venue of the pool at Fitness First is easy to get to. I travel one hour to get to the venue and only because of Marks 5* reviews. The pool is clean, warm, changing facilities are spotless and staff are very welcoming.

Thank you Mark. Looking forward to my next lesson.

I started taking lessons with Learn To Swim in December 2024. Even though I could swim, I wasn't very efficient and didn't enjoy it much. I wanted to do a short triathlon and just enjoy swimming more, so at 66 I decided to improve.

I've had five or six lessons with my instructor, Mark. He has a wealth of experience, including several years with the French national squad, and is enthusiastic, patient and funny. Mark’s teaching style is evolutionary – he starts with the basics and then adds or subtracts elements to generate improvements. He always seems to have a go-to exercise if something new is proving tricky to master.

Lessons are an hour long, giving plenty of time to learn new techniques and reinforce previous ones. The 20m pool at Fitness First, Cottons Centre, is relaxed, never too busy, and has friendly staff and clean facilities. (Don't forget to bring a padlock and goggles; they provide towels.)

Booking through the LearnToSwim app is easy, and prices are fair, with no extra fees for pool admission or facility use. I highly recommend Learn To Swim to anyone wanting to learn or improve their swimming.

I’ve been taking lessons from Mark for 2 months and they have been absolutely amazing. Mark’s knowledge on swimming, his humour and method of teaching are what make his lessons memorable and enjoyable. I couldn’t recommend learnToswim enough for those who are looking to improve their swimming.

I have had several swimming lessons with Mark and I have found him to be an excellent instructor, he is both patient and encouraging.
His lessons are well organised and varied. They are tailored to my individual needs and broken down into manageable steps. Unlike most other instructors Mark is in the pool with you, which has helped me build up confidence in the water. Swimming aids are provided if needed.
After each session there is a resume on WhatsApp. This is a very useful reference point for future practising.
The venue is situated close to London Bridge Station. There is a designated lane for the swimming lesson and the venue is clean and well maintained. The staff are friendly and helpful.
I have recommended Mark to friends who have been equally impressed with his teaching skills.

Mark is an amazing swimming instructor. His method of teaching covers the fundamentals of swimming and is tailored to your needs. He is very friendly and so you will feel at ease. Would highly recommend Mark for people at all levels looking for a swimming instructor.

l have been taking swimming classes with Coach Mark at LearnToSwim, and I couldn't be more satisfied. My swimming skills have improved significantly since I started. Mark is an advanced-level coach with excellent communication skills. He uses a variety of supporting equipment during lessons, making the learning process both effective and enjoyable.

One thing I really appreciate is that after each class, he sends me notes and videos via WhatsApp, allowing me to track my progress and review my performance.
As a teacher myself, I can confidently say that Mark has exceptional teaching skills. He knows how to break down complex techniques and ensures that you understand and improve every step of the way.
Highly recommended for anyone looking to improve their swimming

I recently started my swimming lessons with Mark. I couldn't be more pleased with my experience and progress so far. Mark helped me from zero swimming to now where I am able to do a complete sequence for front crawl with improved confidence in water in just 4 lessons! I also like the fact that he puts a focus on water safety and shares general knowledge for swimming alongside techniques. Mark's approach keeps the lesson fun, engaging, and digestible as he tailors teaching content to individual fitness levels and needs. I thought the pace was good, and the personalised feedback helped me progressed faster than I expected. He is very good! I'd highly recommend LearnToSwim for any one seeking a high quality swimming lesson experience. :)

I enrolled in this swim course on the recommendation of a friend who had previously completed it. They can now confidently swim in open waters, which convinced me it was the right choice!

Course Content/ Teacher
Mark was highly skilled but I really appreciate that he is patient. He would make sure to make you feel at ease and confident throughout the lessons which is very helpful for someone who has anxiety with swimming.
The lessons, which are 1 hour each, were well-organized and tailored to my individual skill level. After completing 8 sessions, I’ve noticed significant improvement in both my technique and overall confidence. Mark provided clear, step-by-step instructions and supplemented the in-water practice with video references and notes, which were incredibly helpful for reviewing after each class.

Venue/ Pool Facilities:
The venue's location is convenient, just a short walk from the station, making it easy to commute to. The swimming facilities are great. The pool is well-heated and clean and there is a dedicated lane for the lesson.
The shower and changing rooms are also clean and spacious with plenty of lockers.

Cost:
Given the quality of the lesson, the well-kept facilities, and the fact that each lesson lasts a full hour, I found the cost very reasonable. It is definitely worth the investment for the life saving skill you will gain!

Booking Process:
It is easy to book via the app and there is also a helpful reminder sent to confirm your booking ahead of lesson.

10/10 I would definitely recommend the course. Thank you so much Mark!

If you’re after a swimming teacher who knows how to make lessons enjoyable, Mark is the right person. From the very first session, he managed to turn learning to swim into something genuinely fun rather than a daunting task. Mark has a brilliant way of breaking down swimming techniques so they’re easy to remember—probably because he makes the whole experience so engaging that you hardly realise you’re learning.

What I particularly appreciate about Mark is his calm and encouraging manner. I’ve always had a bit of a fear of deep water, but with Mark’s relaxed and supportive approach, I’m feeling far more confident that I’ll overcome it soon. He’s like that one friend who’s incredibly good at something but never makes you feel like you’re out of your depth.

In short, if you’re looking to learn how to swim while actually enjoying the process and building some real confidence in the water, Mark is definitely worth recommending!

Mark is a really knowledgeable and friendly teacher and all of my sessions with him have been great. Already being able to swim confidently, Mark has helped me make huge leaps in terms of refining my technique and I learn a great amount every lesson. Mark can spot improvements just by watching one length and is really switched on when identifying potential improvements.

Mark breaks down all of the technical aspects in an easy to understand manner and is clearly highly experienced, also leaning on his past experiences coaching with Olympic athletes, which offers some really interesting insight.

Booking sessions is super easy using the app and a good price considering sessions are an hour long. Mark is also available outside of sessions and is responsive when asking for any additional advice. Would highly recommend for anyone looking to take their swimming to the next level.