INFORMATION
Swim in Balance: unique in the Netherlands
All our swimming lessons are based on the Shaw Method and Alexander Technique. We have a diverse range of 6-week courses, workshops, private lessons and swimming holidays. On this website it is possible to register for the courses and workshops. Swim in Balance has locations in Amsterdam, Haarlem and Utrecht. Swimming lessons are given by Esther Visser and her enthusiastic team of teachers. In the Netherlands Swim in Balance has the exclusive right to teach this method, no other swimming school is allowed to do this.
Swim in Balance: unique in the Netherlands
All our swimming lessons are based on the Shaw Method and Alexander Technique. We have a diverse range of 6-week courses, workshops, private lessons and swimming holidays. On this website it is possible to register for the courses and workshops. Swim in Balance has locations in Amsterdam, Haarlem and Utrecht. Swimming lessons are given by Esther Visser and her enthusiastic team of teachers. In the Netherlands Swim in Balance has the exclusive right to teach this method, no other swimming school is allowed to do this.
About our method
At Swim in Balance we use the Shaw Method for swimmers (UK). This approach is beneficial for building confidence, effectively learning new swimming strokes, improving your performance, making moving more enjoyable in the water, and if you are suffering from or recovering from neck and back pain.
Alexander technique
The Shaw Method for swimmers is based on the principles of the Alexander Technique. With the Alexander Technique you learn to move in a fluent and efficient way and to use your body without overloading. This technique is known worldwide and is widely used by professional athletes, musicians, dancers and actors.
Front crawl
The front crawl at Swim in Balance is a swimming stroke where you barely use your legs (just for balance) and let 80% of the propulsion come from your arms. If you want to train your arms, this is a suitable stroke. It is a swimming stroke in which you rotate from one side to the other, and so 'screw' through the water. This stroke is particularly suitable if you participate in a triathlon, because this stroke (for everyone) is faster than the other strokes and the least tiring for your legs.
Breast stroke
The breaststroke at Swim in Balance is a swimming stroke in which you always dive under water like a dolphin. This is very good for mobility in the lower back and hips. 80% of the propulsion comes from the legs, so if you want to train these muscles, this is a suitable stroke. You make an undulating movement (a sine wave) that is very similar to the butterfly stroke but is lighter on your arms.
Butterfly
The Butterfly in Swim in Balance is the most balanced of all. 50% of the propulsion comes from the legs and 50% of the propulsion comes from the arms, a kind of '4-wheel drive'. Many people think that this is a heavy blow, but with our technology this is not the case at all. After 6 lessons you are guaranteed to be able to swim the entire stroke and if you automate this nicely you can swim for miles. We've also taught this to people over 75, so don't hesitate to try this beautiful trick, it's a wonderful addition to your repertoire.
Back crawl
VOf all 4 strokes, the back crawl is the most strenuous, so ideal if you want to burn a lot of calories. It is not an easy battle that you do 'just for a while', the coordination is tight. It is easier if you have already done the front crawl course at Swim in Balance. An advantage is that breathing is easy with this stroke: you are always with your mouth above water.
Water Confidence
Did you never learn to swim as a child? Have you suffered a trauma that caused you to develop hydrophobia? Do you want to go swimming with your (grand)children but do you lack self-confidence when you are in the water with them? Then this course is ideal to familiarize yourself in the water, to be able to go under water without any problems, to learn to float, to overcome your fear and to lay a healthy foundation.
Neck, shoulder and back pain
The swimming style you learn at Swim in Balance is specifically beneficial for people with neck, shoulder and back problems. This is because all four swimming strokes have been redesigned from the Alexander Technique, where all movements logically match the structure of your skeleton and the functioning of your muscles. We don't do anything that goes against the structure and natural movement of your body. A lot of attention is paid to the alignment of your body while swimming and we emphasize the moments when you can relax. This ensures that your swimming stroke becomes efficient without taking a lot of effort.
Triathlon
Are you training for a (1/16, 1/8, 1/4) triathlon? What you then need is a front crawl technique in which your legs are hardly loaded or not at all, which does not cost much energy, is easy to maintain and yet goes quickly… in short, exactly the technique that we teach at Swim in Balance.
Reviews
Thanks to the breaststroke course, I have overcome my aversion to swimming underwater and am much more relaxed in the water. The guidance was very nice. This allowed me to step out of my comfort zone with confidence. Many thanks and maybe see you soon!
Nice courses! I have done both the breaststroke course and the front crawl course and I will continue until I have done all the courses. Why? It made me happy and I learned new swimming strokes in a nice way. Learning takes place in small steps, so that it is easy to follow for everyone and yet it is not boring for anyone. So the material is well put together. In addition, the courses are given by well-trained instructors who stand next to you in the water and clearly show the steps a number of times. If you want to learn how to swim well in a relaxed way, this is definitely recommended!
An absolute must - during the course (breaststroke) you learn to swim in a different way than you are used to. The teachers give clear instructions and also give individual feedback. In addition, I had a nice group (8 people).
A nice personal course in a small group. Where you can crack your brain while learning a (new) swimming stroke.
Very nice course! Good teachers and pleasant temperature water to practice well!
I have rediscovered swimming in a very relaxed way.
I am very satisfied with the way Tyrone and Esther have taught. I feel like a fish in water more than ever and the lessons at Swim in Balance definitely contributed to that. Satisfying.
I really liked the lessons. Esther teaches in a clear and professional way and there was a relaxed atmosphere. I notice that because of this course I now come out of the water nice and relaxed after an hour of swimming. Very glad I took this course.
Take a course. Swim in balance is good for your body and mind!
The step-by-step learning approach worked very well for me. Esther's feedback did the rest.
I think you are doing very well from the course. You will also learn something that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Keep it up. I am glad I came to you.
In 3 months time I can now swim 1km front crawl, I never thought that! I could barely front crawl for this.
Very nice course where you can get out of your head and learn something new!
Nice, clear, didactically well structured swimming lessons. Have therefore learned the technique and breathing at chest crawl in a relaxed way. Recommended.
I have (already) followed a very nice course. Under professional guidance I was taken step by step in learning a new swimming stroke. It feels like dancing in the water. Recommended!
During the basic front crawl course, it was explained step-by-step and clearly how we can crawl according to the Shaw method. This is quite a bit different from what I've ever learned. But because of the clear explanation and the slow build up of the battle, it was easy to adjust. Lydia was also a very nice and enthusiastic instructor.
If you want to learn how to swim better and have 6 evenings in a nice group…. then Swim in Balance is the right choice! in 6 evenings I learned to crawl well.
Fantastic, every lesson gave a feeling of victory and euphoria. Guidance was excellent, no pressure but just the will to try.
Every lesson something was conquered and every week my confidence in the water grew. The last two lessons I cycled home with a big smile.
In 12 weeks I now swim 1000m front crawl, before this I barely made the 25m, so crazy!
Great meaningful DIY vacation. Didn't think I could learn so much in a week.
What else do you want? With nice people on a trip to a sunny holiday resort and then also learn a lot. I loved this swimming vacation! Thank you Esther, Tyrone and fellow swimmers!
“Last Wednesday I had my first private lesson with you. We are now two days later and I am still living on the energy and relaxation of 1 hour of swimming. Every euro of the almost 600 I spent is so worth it. And that is largely due to the way Esther teaches. She is calm and knows how to convey the technique in a special way that I don't need to explain it a second time. I have already decided that after this I also want to follow front crawl 2 through private lessons.”.
“Very nice week in a nice environment to learn the Shaw method.”
“If like me you thought you could never learn to crawl, and if you want to learn to get more impact (not just in the pool) with less force, then this is a course to do. Accessible, nice people, interesting method, wonderful location and real results.”
“I wholeheartedly recommend Swim in Balance swimming holidays. Learning a new stroke really well, with all the individual guidance that every participant needs, is guaranteed to succeed here. In addition, I learned a lot about the Alexander Technique, on which Swim in Balance bases its swimming method – also super valuable for other sports, making music and life in general. Even though we worked hard, it really felt like a holiday – great to hit the sauna after a swim! I wish Swim in Balance many more happy participants!”
“A memorable adventure, where to my amazement I really learned to front crawl, unbelievable!”
"Great, fun course, does what it promises"
"During the basic front crawl course, it was explained step-by-step and clearly how we can crawl according to the Shaw method. This is quite a bit different from what I've ever learned. But because of the clear explanation and the slow build up of the battle, it was easy to adjust. Lydia was also a very nice and enthusiastic instructor."
"All my life I was afraid of water and afraid of learning to swim. But after 6 weeks of Water Confidence I managed to leave most of my fear behind. Fantastic, I am very grateful to you!"
"Take a course. Swim in balance is good for your body and mind!"
"I have (already) followed a very nice course. Under professional guidance I was taken step by step in learning a new swimming stroke. It feels like dancing in the water. Recommended!"
“I really benefit from the lessons and come home happy every time.”
“I have never dared to put my head under water in all my life. After 2 lessons with Esther I completely got over my fear and because of that I was able to snorkel with the sea lions and their babies during my holiday in Galapagos!!! Top!!!!"
“I've been trying to teach myself the front crawl for years. With regular lessons you are quickly “forgotten” as a beginner. Esther teaches you, in a relaxed way, a very nice stroke without forcing your back or shoulders. From water habituation (floating) to the entire stroke. Recommended!”
“The course really made me realize that the more aligned you are in the water, the more comfortable swimming is. Very glad I learned this, thank you!”
“Celebrating a holiday and also learning something has never been so much fun!”
“Instructive course, recommended!”
"Finally working on my front crawl in a relaxed way, before I mainly did this with brute force, but now through Swim in Balance courses and exercises this is done in a relaxed way, very happy with it."
“This special journey has brought me a lot, through the Alexander swimming technique and the relaxing way of teaching I have become friends with water again. Besides this “friendship reunited”, other wonderful people and experiences have come my way. Thanks for this special week.”
“My experience with the course was teaching the professional approach of the correct technique, in both the group instructions and the individual guidance, as well as the conviviality.”
“Being always a bit afraid of the water, this has really been a life changing experience. I will not be doing the Olympics any time soon, but I definitely am happy with the outcome.”
”I thought the crawl basic course was a very nice course, very relaxed setting, Niels is a great teacher with an eye for detail, and a clear explanation. Before the course I had no experience with the front crawl, and now I can swim the front crawl in a good and relaxed way, and I have the basics to train this stroke in a good way. Outside the bath I also benefit from the body awareness that you get in this method, so that I am more often aware of my posture and can improve it.”
“Nice course. You learn to swim again, but in a constructive way. Very nice to discover that you can swim quickly with not much effort. And the crawl like this is a beautiful stroke.”
“In small steps, with good instruction and stimulating guidance, the basics for chest crawl learned in a short time.”
“Great lessons, fun and effective.”
“The swimming holiday to Croatia was wonderful! Good weather, beautiful people, learning new things every day in the salt water pool, fun optional activities and plenty of free time to go your own way. Perfect!"
“I thought it was a great experience to learn so much in such a short time! The classes were at the same time very relaxed, completely relaxed! Delicious! I had surgery on my back a few months ago, the result is not good, I hesitated to take the classes, but it has given me a lot of good! Recommended!"
“I was very happy with the front crawl level 1 course (in the swimming pool) as well as the 2 hour workshop in the lake 't Wed. Both have given me the skills to feel confident to swim laps in a pool or to swim in open water. Esther is a great instructor with patience and a passion for this sport. She is very relaxed and explains things in a concise and encouraging way. Anyone interested in improving their technique so you can swim more efficiently would benefit greatly from following Esther's courses.”
“This course completely fulfills the promise! Really fun and educational to do.”
“Perfect course. Never thought that something I've wanted to do for years could be taught so easily. I wish I had done it years earlier.”
“A wonderful mix of sporting effort and relaxation. Exactly what I needed! Sun, sea, salt water and inspiring swimmers!”
“I have experienced the Shaw Method as subtle, friendly, logical, natural, intelligent and effective. The instructors are calm and thoughtful. The technology is made up of building blocks so that you can fall back on the basics if you have lost the technology for a while.”
“Esther taught me the basics of the front crawl in 6 lessons. The lessons are very clearly structured and ensure that you slowly get used to a new habit. The Shaw Method provides a relaxed way of swimming where relaxation is the most important. The advanced lessons allowed me to continue working on my technique and since then I have been jumping in the pool with great pleasure and confidence. Thanks!”
“If you thought you could swim, give this a try. You will learn relaxing techniques from expert teachers in a beautiful swimming pool on the coast of Croatia.”
“A wonderful hour of relaxing in the water and at the same time developing more feeling. Nice to experience how effective it is to apply the Alexander Technique to swimming! I recommend it to all swimming enthusiasts.”
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