Caribe Nation, When my students arrive in Puerto Rico, we don’t start with strokes. We start with the first 4 foundational steps. Because if the foundation is solid, swimming becomes simple. If it’s not… it doesn’t matter how hard you try. Here’s the truth: If you haven’t learned to swim yet, it’s almost always because one of these steps is missing. If you want to see exactly how we build this step-by-step, watch the video: 👉 [The First 4 Steps to Swimming (No Fear)] The First 4 Steps: 1. Relaxation (out of the water first) If you can’t create relaxation outside the water, you won’t sustain it inside. 2. Proper warm-up You don’t just jump in and “figure it out.” Your body needs time to adjust and feel safe. 3. Breath control (20 seconds) You should be able to hold a calm, relaxed breath for 20 seconds. 4. Front float You must be able to relax and let the water support you. Miss one of these, and everything after gets harder. Get all four, and everything gets easier. I can’t wait to hear what stands out to you. BIG Love, Coach Jeff P.S. I’m filling the final spots for my June & July retreats in San Juan, Puerto Rico. If you want help building this foundation the right way — with coaching, structure, and support — complete this form and I’ll reach out personally. Complete Your 3 Minute Application Here

Caribe Nation, A question I get all the time is: “How do I know when I’m ready to move on to the next skill?” Good question. Because progress matters. And when you’re excited to improve, it’s easy to want to move on as fast as possible. But sometimes trying to progress too fast is the exact thing slowing you down. So here are 4 warning signs that tell you it’s time to stay where you are and clean things up first. Warning Sign #1: Water is going up your nose This usually means there’s still tension in your body. A lot of times what’s happening is simple: your face goes in, your body gets nervous, and you take a quick inhale through your nose. That’s not a floating problem. That’s a relaxation and breath-hold problem. What to do: Go back and practice a calm 20-second breath hold with your face in the water without floating. Do 10 reps. Your goal is simple: face in, no panic, no water in the nose. Warning Sign #2: You’re forcing your legs up If you’re kicking or lifting your legs to the surface and they fall right back down, you’re trying to create the float instead of allowing it. That’s not how floating works. We do not force a front float. We relax into it and let the water help us find our body’s natural position. What to do: Return to wall-supported front floats. Do 20 reps where your only goal is: face down legs relaxed no lifting no trying to “make it look right” Let the water do the work. Warning Sign #3: You’re tense in the float If your shoulders, hips, legs, or jaw feel tight, you’re not floating yet. You’re holding. And holding creates sinking. What to do: Shorten the float. Instead of trying to hold for 20 seconds, do 5-second relaxed floats. Do 15 reps. Only increase the time when the shorter float feels calm. Warning Sign #4: You’re worried about getting out of the float This is a big one. If you’re in the float thinking: “How do I stand up?” “What if I get stuck?” “I don’t want to let go of the wall…” Then your body is not ready for the next step yet.

Caribe Nation, I spoke with a member of our community yesterday who’s had 31 swimming lessons at his local YMCA — with very little progress. That part is frustrating. But the hardest part of the conversation wasn’t the number of lessons. It was his goal. He doesn’t want to swim laps or compete.He just wants to kayak with friends without feeling like a safety liability. That should not take 31 lessons. As a profession, we have to do better. Here is the process I shared with him. https://caribeswim.beehiiv.com/p/after-31-lessons-he-can-t-swim-here-s-why If you have a similar experience please share it in the comments! BIG Love, Coach Jeff

Caribe Nation, It’s here! Our brand-new YouTube series, Caribe Swim LIVE, kicks off TONIGHT at 6:00 PM EST. Coach Jeff and Meredith will be teaching right from our backyard pool — showing you real swim lessons, breaking down key concepts, and answering YOUR questions in real time. Want guaranteed answers? Drop a SUPERLIKE during the live stream, and we’ll make sure your question gets answered before we sign off. Don’t miss this first episode — it’s your chance to get personalized coaching, see exactly how we teach, and feel like you’re right here in the pool with us. Join us tonight: LIVE LINK CLICK HERE BIG Love, Coaches Jeff & Meredith P.S. We have a goal of 10 super likes in tonight's show! We just wanted to share that with the Universe! 💪💗🫣

Is there any technique or best way to go from using floation devices, noodles, kickboard etc to not using them? I can kick myself across a pool with a kickboard but apprehensive to not use one.