Aquaphobia : Your body has not forgotten the trauma.
About one in ten athletes who come to me in the swimming channel unconsciously struggles with aquaphobia – a deep-seated fear of the water. This fear is often not a conscious thought, but a physical blockage that severely restricts swimming style and performance.
The root of the problem: the repressed event
The origin usually lies in childhood. A harmless game where you were pushed under water for too long, or the well-intentioned but fatal method used by parents: “Just throw him in deep water and he’ll learn.”
your head has long forgotten these experiences – your body has not. As soon as you get into the water, your nervous system switches to survival mode (fight or flight). In this state, it is impossible to hone your technique.
The symptoms: How to recognize that you have water trauma.
- Extreme head position: The head is held up convulsively. The latent fear of drowning prevents a flat, efficient position in the water.
- Blocked breathing: For fear of not being able to breathe, the lungs are never completely emptied. This results in a build-up of CO2, which triggers the feeling of real shortness of breath.
- The escape reflex: As soon as the head dives under water, a jerky reflex follows to immediately bring the face back into the air.
- Sensory isolation: Many of those affected lose their visual perception under water. Although their eyes are open, they are not aware of their surroundings. They are trapped in their own world and cannot pick up any trainer impulses.
- Physical shock reaction: Just the sight of water can trigger shivering, feelings of cold and shallow breathing.
My approach: trust first, then technology
It would be dubious to teach technical details to a person in this state. When inner fear dominates, cognitive learning processes do not work.
First of all, we need to regain confidence, dedication and pleasure in the element of water.
My experience shows: With the right, targeted exercises, almost any water trauma can be resolved. So far, I have helped every affected person within just 30 minutes into a reasonably safe and relaxed swimmer. We are not just building a swimming style – we are building a new relationship with the water.