The New Wave of Supercharged Swim Classes

Swimming instruction, long the purview of the YMCA, has witnessed a rise in schools offering smaller classes and warmer pools for much steeper prices

Maya Smirnova practices floating on her own with British Swim School instructor Derian Lopez watching closely. Photo: British Swim School

Summer may be ending, but Anastasia Smirnova will still be swimming every week with her 6-month-old daughter, Maya. The pair started taking baby swim lessons at the British Swim School in Secaucus, N.J., about two months ago and Maya can now float on her back independently—without the help of a flotation device.

“I wanted my baby to learn to love the water and not be scared of it,” says the 26-year-old Ms. Smirnova, an avid swimmer. “She’s a water baby now. When she’s crying, if you put her in the water, she stops.”

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