I have recently bought a package from Aqua Skills, I have an upcoming trip and travel a lot so I would really love to be able to participate in activities while on vacation. I went to my first class terrified of breathing under water and feeling super anxious. However I really enjoy working with Lori, she definitely pushes me which I need. I like how she gives me direction, and shows me examples of what to do. We also have good conversation throughout the class, which helps me to relax and doesn't make the session so stressful. I am becoming more comfortable in the water and more confident. We have been working on breathing, stroke and treading. We always start on time and It's nice that you have time after your lesson to continue practicing if you please. The pool Is heated which is a plus. Craig is also very nice and pointed out a few things I didn't even realize I was doing wrong, which will definitely help me as I continue my sessions. I look forward to more lessons. read more

I am in my early 30s and have a fear of water. Though I know it is possible I just could not bring my legs to come up and move around in the pool. I was encouraged by my husband to learn how to swim again after a bad experience from swimming lessons when I was a child. I contacted Lori and one statement she said stuck to me, "You will not be afraid, if you have an exit strategy." She put me in touch with Craig and when we met up for my first lesson, he just said: "As long as you trust me and trust yourself, I can probably get you to float during your first lesson." I honestly thought that he was quite ambitious. I had a two hour lesson and Craig spent the first part of the lesson getting me comfortable in the water and explaining to me theoretically how the water can work to your favor. I told Craig that my biggest fear was the front float as I was extremely uncomfortable with my face in the water. He explained to me that when I take my makeup off and wash my face in the shower at night, I had to hold my breath. He told me to treat it as it was the same routine. I held my breath and dunked my face in the water knowing that he was right there. Then, he proceeded to hold my hand and told me to try again and this time lifting my legs up. Lastly, he said, "When you first saw me, you gave me a hug...I assumed you liked me enough, that's why you leaned forward to give me a hug." "Why don't you try again, come towards me...trust me I won't let anything happen to you." And I guess, that was it...I looked at him, held my breath, and leaned in towards him and there it was I floated...just like that. I had a total of 4 (2 hour long) lessons with Craig. Currently, I am able to partially do the breast stroke, free-style, and float on my front and back. I've still got lots to work on and plan to continue my swimming journey with Craig, but I never knew I was able to do it until Lori and Craig encouraged me that I can. If you are an adult with a fear of water, but is eager to learn how to swim, please consider Aqua Skills. If you trust Craig/Lori and yourself, you can definitely do it. read more

I learned enough here to enjoy some shallow pool swimming, which I'm truly grateful for, considering how I wouldn't even set foot in a pool before taking these classes. However, for the price, I could've probably learned much more elsewhere. Most of the instructors here are great; patient, friendly, and professional. But I'm sorry to have to join in the chorus with others and agree that the owner, Lori, is a terror. She sets a hostile environment, constantly screaming at her boyfriend, Craig, and interrupting lessons. The way that she communicates with her staff is simply weird and disrespectful. I've heard her disparage the instructors to students. Other times, I'll hear her TALK TO HERSELF out loud and say things like, "I''ve been doing this for 15 years, I know what I'm talking about, no need to make a big deal about this" - - the look on her employees' faces after these bizarre statements is one of resignation and confusion, because they must be used to her passive aggressive style, yet bewildered by her snide remarks. I'm not describing constructive criticism expressed harshly, I'm describing a woman who gossips and complains about her employees to students. So everyone is minding their own business, teaching and learning, and then out of nowhere she'll just scream at Craig, or say something snarky to/about her instructors for no apparent reason. One time, Craig, who was really kind to me, mentioned that I should come in ten minutes earlier just to warm up. I thought that was nice, so I did. I'm in the pool, and I see Lori get out and go to Craig and loudly complain to him how it's not okay to allow students to start early. It was passive aggressive and rude. I arrived 10 minutes early only once, and only because Craig offered. But even if he was mistaken, it would have been fine if she simply just told me that they couldn't accommodate. The pool can be busy. I get it; too many people in the pool would be disruptive to students who paid for their sessions. Instead, she chose the childish tantrum route and talked about me in front of me. This made me so uncomfortable that I wanted to quit immediately. I stayed because I was determined to learn. You will see from her response below that she's not one for healthy conflict resolution or professional propriety. It is disturbing how she lies as a defense. It means a lot to customers when they see that an owner cannot own up to a mistake. See photo of screenshot I posted: Lori edited her comments to my review 21 times. Each iteration more bizarre and divorced from reality than before. Obsessing over her response is not only creepy but the end result becomes contrived. Does it take 21+ attempts to make herself appear right? It became almost humorous so I took screenshots of her versions of alternate realities. She kept erasing her comments after I called out each lie. Thanks to all former students who messaged me to support my review. It's true that Lori is her own worst enemy. I would have left my review at 3 stars had she not been so relentlessly vindictive. Those who are ambivalent about this place can find many more testimonials on the TimeOut New York site: https://www.timeout.com/newyork/sport-fitness/aqua-skills#tab_panel_4 read more

AquaSkills - After 21 comments to my review by Lori, she dispatches her boyfriend to defend her hostility as "loudness". - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

I don't like to give low stars but I'm going by my experience and what I received in return for the package I bought. I took lessons with Aquaskills more than a year ago. I had hoped the owner could hear the feedback well and not get defensive for her business' sake. I know too many details about the owner, how the lessons went, and where lessons took place, for this to be a fake review (as the owner claims). It seems whenever she can't take feedback, she claims the yelper has never been a student and/or she personalizes it (i.e., "this reviewer hates me"). 7/5/18 Update: If you do want to see a review from the owner, there's a screenshot in my Photos of Lori P giving the business a 5-star review in yellowpages.com. Her profile states her name and has her photo but her review states "Saad". CONS: If you take lessons here, ask for Craig or any of the owner's employees. When the owner, Lori, learned I'm a psychotherapist by profession, she thought this gave her permission to use my private lessons to vent about how tired she is of teaching others how to swim; how she has no patience for it anymore; and of her difficulties dealing with one of her swim teachers and other paying students. I fail to understand why she thought this was a good way to have positive word of mouth about her business. Also, my private lessons with Lori were often interrupted by administrative tasks she had to do, i.e., registering other students, interrupting other instructors to tell them what to do, and yes, the frequent venting. I did not get the one-on-one focus which is expected when one pays for private lessons. PROS: The heated indoor swimming pool is in a private spa which doesn't seem to get much use on Saturday mornings, so the locker room isn't busy. The pool isn't crowded and you could practice swimming until noon. Craig was a patient and knowledgeable instructor. I wish I could have had him for more lessons but he was in greater demand than Lori. RECOMMENDATION: Let employees teach and the owner to focus on administrative and marketing responsibilities. She could damage the school's reputation as one specializing on teaching those with swimming anxiety if she keeps teaching without patience. I regret paying almost $1,000 for a package of lessons. I learned and gained more confidence from an hour's unpaid lesson by my adult niece a few weeks after my package ended, which tells you the big difference a patient, focused instructor makes. At least I learned how to float and swim for 3 yards through Aquaskills but for the price paid, I deserved better. RESPONSE TO OWNER'S COMMENTS BELOW: To use your own words, "I am appalled" that a business owner would use a client's paid time as if it were the owner's own therapy sessions. The kindness intended was for future students, so they would know what to do if they choose to take lessons at your swim school. The level of defensiveness in your response below indicates to potential students what to expect. Instead of apologizing, you showed that you don't own your mistakes. Many business owners and psychotherapists get stressed out, but you never ever vent to your clients. It's bad practice. Learn from feedback instead of personalizing it. This was a review about the services received, and not about hating the owner as she now claims. 7/5/18 UPDATE: 17 months after I posted, the owner had commented at least 12 times, the latest was last night. The latest iteration of "fake reviewer" + "can you imagine going to her as a therapist? lol" may still be below though I posted a screenshot of it under my Photos. Her comment doesn't help:(a) the reader, since you're not looking for a therapist, (b) the owner, since it shows the reader how useless it is to give her feedback, and again she shoots herself in her own foot. It's illogical also since, if I were a fake reviewer, she wouldn't need to mock "fake" reviewer's skills. From now on, I'll post a screenshot of each comment she posts under my Photos. And if owner wants to "be on top of quality" and "not being condescending" to her instructors, then give them dignity by speaking to them after clients have left. It makes everyone uncomfortable to be around that. Waiting for privacy would be the right thing to do. read more

AquaSkills - To the owner: To use your words, "I am appalled" that you use my swimming lessons as if you paid for your own therapy sessions. - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me

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Months later I'm finally getting a chance to write a review. I'm a fan of AquaSkills. I enrolled in classes last August after deciding it was finally time to conquer my fear or swimming. Not water but swimming and the feeling of being out of control. With a few minor tweaks I would give them 5 stars. I purchased the 6 class package and it was extremely convenient for my schedule since I am self-employed. Pros: I learned to swim and get comfortable in the water. I also learned proper breathing techniques, learned to float on my stomach, and started to learn how to float on my back. I love that the pool is small and heated and the instruction is one on one. Cons: The showering facilities and locker room need work. That's beyond Lori and Craig's control, but, they're not awesome. I found it difficult to make significant progress because I was paired with a different teacher each time. I made the most progress with Craig during my 3rd lesson. He basically told me I was doing a few things wrong that other instructors had let me run with and he helped me make dramatic improvements during our lesson. The next lesson I wanted Craig, but Lori informed me that he was under high demand and "everyone could teach me how to swim". I worked with her that day. Lori knows her stuff and I have nothing against her, but I felt the most frustrated working with her. During our lesson she decided it was time for me to float on my back and the entire situation was tense. I went home feeling defeated, but returned and got back in the pool (the sessions aren't cheap) and continued to make progress. Despite the inconsistencies, I learned to swim enough to go snorkeling for the first time ever just two months later. I was more relaxed in the water (although I didn't leave the shore) and my husband was in awe as I actually went under water. So it was a big improvement. I would have continued lessons had I had the expendable income before we moved across country. read more

Extremely unprofessional! I purchased a series of six private lessons (not cheap). Every other lesson I had a different instructor who had different teaching methods and would begin from scratch. For the last two lessons, the owner, Lori took over and, in between complaining about her life and business, and putting down other students, showed me a few things (again - beginning from scratch). When I wrote to tell her I was disappointed, she answered with a long defensive screed (in ALL CAPS), and still hinted at up-selling me more lessons (at a partial discount). Yeesh. Wow. Over two years have gone by. The owner chose today to once again argue against her customer's feedback. Her rebuttal is full of inaccuracies. 1) I didn't ask for her to be my exclusive teacher. To the contrary. I just wanted A teacher to stay with me for continuity of lessons. 2) I cancelled a lesson because I was sick with flu. 3) She did spend a good portion of our lesson complaining, when not trying to upsell more lessons. All that being said, I did manage to learn a few things. I believe I would have learned much more and gotten much more value with a consistent learning plan and instructor(s). It was extremely haphazard. And not cheap. Since we're revisiting this, after I posted my negative feedback two years ago, the owner, Lori, posted a number of personally insulting rebuttals - which included straight out lies and vicious name calling. I complained to Yelp and they agreed, blocked her and prevented more comments. Bottom line - they have a number of talented instructors. The owner has more issues than Time magazine. Yelp was created to allow customers to give business owners honest feedback. Feedback can be gold if you can hear it without defending and deflecting. ****************** From owner posted today: "We have no problem with complimentary free sessions to iron out any classes you paid for that you personally feel were poorly executed. You wanted me to teach you exclusively for the balance of your classes , because you thought I was such a great teacher-but then did a last minute cancellations Twice - The school has cancellation policies and when we enforce them people such as yourself get very upset when they do not get their own way-We demand a lot from our hires if-it is called supervising and constructive criticism-- I'm a teacher, obviously I care about people are I would not being doing this profession so to say I made fun of students is something that I NEVER do or WOULD ..address UNPROFESSIONAL-If an establishment has cancellation policies should they be punished for endorsing them?.." read more

Lori and Craig, the instructors who have been teaching my wife and I to swim (we're at lesson number 5!), are the most patient, fun, sweetest people we could have imagined. Actually, they're so much better than that; there is no way me and my wife, after a lifetime of being unable to swim, could have imagined such incredible people as Lori and a Craig. As I say, it's been just 5 lessons and we have not only overcome our fears (for the most part!) but we have learned the basics of swimming. It's changed our lives for the better. We only wished we had taken Aquaskills' classes earlier. Not only are we not afraid and uncertain of swimming any more, you can hardly get us out of the water. An amazing change for us. We could never thank them enough! read more

So far so very good. I decided to go with Aquaskills after pretty abysmal experience with the local YMCA. I think the major differentiation is access to a big team of instructors. If you are stuck on trying to master one technique, one of them will be able to explain or give you drill in a way that speaks to you. The instructors are all very nice people who have played competitive water sports or are competitive swimmers. I definitely I have been progressing and it's amazing to envision knowing how to swim and being able to travel to destinations that I couldn't go before. They are very generous about letting you stay in the pool before and after the session to get in extra practice and get acclimated to the water. Lori, Craig, George, Daniel, Eric and the others are amazing instructors. I strongly recommend. read more

I decided to attend private swim classes at Aqua Skills as an extension of my local YMCA swim training in order to improve my freestyle stroke technique and learn the coveted Flip turn. Based on Lori's initial assessment, I classified as an experienced swimmer that needed a cleaner, more efficient freestyle stroke. After briefly working with Lori and Craig during their introductory session, I must say that I am highly pleased with the comprehensive and meticulous skill Craig and Lori exude in their teaching. Swimming, like many other competitive sports, requires constant practice and perseverance. The key in swimming is to use less energy and sharpen one's stroke so that its efficient and hydrodynamic. The pool used to train students at Aqua Skills is smaller than the usual 25 yard pool, but is impeccably clean and well heated, a stark contrast to some of the other Brooklyn pools that I have used which are not well heated in the winter. During our session Lori quickly noticed that I have a tendency to kick at the knees (not at the hips), which is hindering my performance and exacerbating muscle fatigue. With several select drills, Lori was able to correct my flutter kick, then instruct me on drills to practice and eventually break this bad habit. The beauty of Aqua Skills instruction is that the training is individually customized to meet the specific student's needs. A one sized fits all approach is not the best methodology to teach swimming, and neither Lori nor Craig advocate for such an approach. Lori understands the exorbitant cost of living in NYC and works with her clients on either a package or individual session rate. Aqua Skills has financing plans, too, which is a huge plus. In conclusion, I must emphatically state that Lori and Craig are truly professional, courteous, and offer thorough criticism to aid swimmers in improving their swimming technique, whether it be breastroke, backstroke, freestyle, or butterfly. I highly recommend Aqua Skills to any neophyte swimmer, adult or child, willing to learn how to swim, or for an experienced swimmer, who requires refinement of his/her technique. The quality was truly remarkable. Once I finally learn the somersault/flip turn, I will be back to Aqua Skills for more advanced coaching. Thank you, Lori and Craig. You have a life-long client! Regards, EB. read more

I absolutely recommend Aquaskills to any individual that desires to learn how to swim. The environment is conducive for adults irrespective of their ages. Instructors are amazing. So patient and extremely nice. Craig and Lori are awesome,very accommodating and make one at ease as soon as one walks through the door. I came in with zero skills in swimming and now l can go to any pool with confidence. I have to mention these amazing instructors that worked with me...Beriz,Eric,Andrew and of course Lori and Craig..Thanks a whole bunch! You guys rock!! read more

I am so grateful for all the people I have met at AquaSkills. This place is fantastic for anyone, from beginners to people looking to advance their swimming skills. The owners and instructors are very professional. Lori and Craig, the owners, are just great, every class my husband and I took at AquaSkills, they would ask how our classes were coming along. Dan, one of our instructors, was very professional and had a lot of patience. We also worked with Lori, who was great, professional and straightforward. For the price of these classes, it is worth it and I am actually considering taking more classes to further my swimming skills. My husband and I would always look forward to our classes and actually miss going there. Thank you AquaSkills for all your help, we had a lot of fun! read more

Classes continue to go great for me despite my fears of the water. Craig and Lori are very accommodating to your personal needs as a beginner swimmer no matter what age. read more

I been swimming for 40 years, first learned in day camp, but never learned proper breathing techniques. Very hard to swim laps, when your spinning your head from side to side. I searched the web, and the only school who offered advance instruction, and welcomed the challenge was Aqua Skills. Registration - Called the number at night, and to my surprise the phone was answered by Lori.. Lori is a real sweet heart, answered all my questions, I was able to register online, and after I registered, Lori set up an appointment, Fee's - I shopped around and the fee's were very fair, especially for a private lesson, taught by an expert, Lori recommended six lessons. I was given a discount. As with everything in life you get what you pay for. No short cuts or cheap way out when you want quality. Lessons - Lori taught me herself, as I was an advanced student. By the second lesson I had my breathing down very well - by the last lesson I was swimming like a pro.This is not the Y were you are crowded in a pool with 50 other people. This was a private lesson, with Lori in the water with me the entire time, instructing on the proper technique. Facility - The facility is great. It is in a spa, which has a steam room, sauna, showers, and all kind of spa treatments. They also have a great restaurant. Pool - The pool was a nice size, but not meant for laps, this is why I gave 4 stars instead of 5. Definitively more then adequate for swimming lessons, and can hold a 100 people, but its size and shape made it hard to do laps - OK I am being picky, but I like to mention everything. Bottom Line: I will recommend Aqua Skills to my friends and family, and that is the best compliment you can give a business IMHO. , read more

I came to AquaSkills wanting help over coming my fear of the water and to learn some basic swimming skills. I tried a group swimming class at another location but quickly realized I need one-on-one help. Craig, Lori, Shea, and George were extremely helpful and patient throughout the lessons. They were mindful of my knee injury and helped me to correct my form to ensure I did not hurt myself. In 10 lessons I went from barely being able to keep my head under the water to swimming freestyle, learning the breaststroke, and floating without fear. I am grateful to the AquaSkills team and would definitely recommend their services. Thank you! read more

Where do I start? So many things are wrong with this business. I don't know how they got so many good reviews! The worst part: LORI! The moment I walked in for the trial class, she asked if I brought a check to sign up for the next classes. She didn't stop trying to get me to sign up for more sessions until the last minute, taking up even time during the class, borderline harassment. I even overheard her telling the other instructor how the trial class was about getting customers to sign up for sessions. When the class finally started she could not stop talking about other instructors (they don't know how to teach properly, or making comments about how some students have been coming for weeks and not making progress, etc.) . She constantly interrupts the class to talk to other people, drink coffee, go to the restrooms.... I could deal with the gossip and not getting a full hour of class (yeah, the moment the time is up, they will let you know. Even though you can stay to practice, the pool is small and there is not much space). But I can't stand people being rude and disrespectful. I asked if I could postpone a class and she said she could not because of the short notice. I understood and told her I would come to the class. When I got there, I could hear her complaining about me. she was telling the other instructor how I was trying to cancel the class last minute and how she would not do that for people anymore. When she talked to me about my request to postpone at the beginning of the class, I felt that she was scolding me in front of people. So I decided I did not want to pursue anymore classes besides the one I already scheduled. Once I told her that, she paid even less attention to me and what I wanted to learn. She kept insisting on teaching me water safety while I really wanted to learn freestyling. When I told her that, she said: "with only 2 sessions , we don't have time to teach you freestyling" (Passive aggressive much?) So I went along with her water safety lessons. Then, she decided to actually show me the freestyles moves and tried to convince me to sign up for more lessons! This whole process was very uncomfortable for me. Even though I paid for two more classes, I stopped going. I do not recommend this place. Overpriced, unprofessional, unpleasant! TimeOut magazine reviews are more accurate: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/sport-fitness/aqua-skills read more

Saying only giving exclusivity to customers who you think will benefit from it? So because I am fearful of water I'm not worth it? Terrible. That is not how you run a business Lori. read more

Went on a Saturday morning intro class, granted i did arrive late. But there was no clerical organization the guy who is in charge off all the instructors was also trying to teach lessons as he was signing people up. And the owner Lori can be heard a mile away shamelessly boasting about her ad in the New York Times. Need to fix their management structure. read more

I just called here to ask if I could get some ballpark prices. The woman who answered the phone was SO RUDE. She basically said she didn't have a calculator and couldnt' give me a flat rate which wasn't even what I asked for. I asked her what time the classes were and she didn't answer me she kept talking saying she didn't have the information ... then she hung up on me. It astonished me how rude she was when all I did was ask a simple question. read more

I went to New York City to spend a few months with some relatives, I found Aquaskills online made a call and spoke to Lori for quite sometimes, I finally went down and met with her signed up and had the most amazing experience of excellent care especially since I have a Huge phobia , the results were as promised and now Thank you Lori I am able to jump in the water and feel confident ! Can't wait to come back for a visit again. I highly recommend aqua Skills. Thank you Lori !!!! read more

I have always been terrified of water. Finally decided to overcome my fear and take swimming lesson, for me it was a huge step. I heard about AquaSkills through a New York Times article. I have not been disappointed. The instruction has been even better than I expected. The sessions always start punctually and frequently extend past the end of the class. I have experienced tremendous encouragement, understanding and support. I have progressed steadily and remain amazed at what is possible when you have great instruction in a supportive environment. If you want to become a proficient swimmer I would highly recommend AquaSkills. Lori, Craig, George and Eric are without doubt the BEST read more

The best place to go! All the instructors are very patient and friendly, including Lori and Craig! I'm 23 and a late learner but I made the right decision signing up for these classes. Lori is a really nice person and she understands your problems. The pool and the locker rooms are clean, the location is great, the instructors are awesome! All in all, it's absolutely worth the money you invest! read more

Very Professional instructors excellent venue !!! I'm not sure what these people are taking about with their reviews. I have been a student with Aqua Skills for the past 6 months and I have nothing but good things to say about the company. All of the instructors had different strengths but all equally qualified. My classes were very focused and I thought the prices were fair. I highly recommend Aqua Skills. read more

With summer upon me I felt compelled to write a review albeit a few years later about this business. As I watch children frolic in the water without fear or apprehension I longingly wish I could join them. I signed up for several sessions for 1 on 1 swimming lessons. To say that I left worse off than I started would be an understatement. I will start the review by discussing the actual pool and location, if you aren't concerned with walking past dead waterbugs on the way to the changing rooms you're in luck as this was my experience on more than one occasion. Lori was my instructor and I was thrilled to be taught by the founder of Aquaskill. First lesson went fairly well learning proper breathing. Subsequent sessions not so much, I am fit and athletic and catch on quickly but based on the verbal cues I just couldn't master what I was being asked to do, Lori spent more time talking about redecorating her house than teaching. I ended up not going to the last few classes after being bounced around from one instructor to another, one of whom insisted on instructing me in Spanish. Though I am a native speaker I never agreed to swim lessons in spanish, after asking me to make a CORAZON (heart) to suggest a breaststroke ( I think) she yanked on my hands then swam away. Another time as I attempted to glide to the end of the pool Lori's partner/husband yelled what are you doing? Clearing I wasn't doing something right but he never explained what. I would not believe the reviews, I left no better than I started but definitely poorer! read more

Very great experience! I grew up with a river by my family's country house, but while all my friends were jumping in and having fun I stood by the shore line, then one day some of so called friends threw me in the river not believing I don't know how to swim, and it took someone w common sense to pull me out! Ever since I been terrified of water and depths. But I always wanted to get over it. I saw aqua skills on YouTube and decided to give it a go. Everyone who is an instructor is very knowledgeable and patient and makes you feel completely comfortable and safe, and makes you FEEL the water and all of it amazing properties. and the pool itself is lovely and warp, perfect for learning a new element and technique and not be freezing! I definitely recommend it, and they let you practice on your own after class if time permits but still keep an eye on you to make sure u safe read more

I read a ton about Aqua skills before going there. I was preparing for a triathlon the last few months and needed some extra help with my swimming speed/technique. This place was awesome!! The teachers were knowledgable and patient with me. My form improved consistently and I was happy with my progress by the time the race came. Would recommend this place to anyone. When it comes to fear of water, my friend took a class there and after the first class she actually told me she was no longer scared!! Don't know how they did it, but they are incredible. read more

I've an extreme fear of water and AquaSkills has been helping me overcome it. Both Lori and Craig have been super understanding and patient with me. Lori has been an excellent teacher to me - she takes the time to explain the mechanics and physics which has been extremely helpful to me. She is very passionate about her students learning the right technique. She teaches with a sense of humor which has been good for me. I've also worked with Craig and other instructors who are excellent. I highly recommend Aquaskills if you're an adult and want to learn to swim!! read more

I took 6 sessions private lessons from AquaSkills and found it to be less than what I expected. I had one instructor for first half of the lesson and she was good, patient and instructive. I basically learned front crawl within three lessons. The second instructor spent way too much time explaining how to get rid of fear, float then actually letting me practice and make corrections even though I said I'd like to practice. He wasn't a terrible teacher if you have an extreme fear of water and like to overcome that fear (be prepared to pay for many many lessons though) But for someone like myself who was self taught and never quit swam correctly, the second teacher wasted my time and money. I was really hoping to learn both free styles and front crawl by the end of my private lessons but didn't get a chance to. read more

I've always been scared of pools and the ocean. My feet need to constantly feel the ground underneath. I decided that this year for my bday I was going to finally do something different. I signed up for 10 private lessons with AquaSkills. There's about 4 instructors that I've worked with including Craig and Lori who all had equal patience with me as I kept trying over and over again. I learned the basic techniques on how to float, tread water, breathing, breaststroke, and kicking. I'm actually happy that I worked with all 4. They all swim slightly different with the same technique which makes me feel less stressed and freaked out about doing it perfect or "the right way". Am I a great swimmer now? Not at all!! There's no way that 10 classes can suddenly make my fear disappear. I can definitely say that I feel more comfortable and I'm proud of myself for finally taking the first step to get over my fear after years of procrastinating. You guys are awesome! Thank you. read more

Loved everything about Aquaskills swimming school. Great instructors ! Was able to achieve my goals thanks to profesional and friendly approach . Dan has helped me to overcome my fears and develop a couple strokes , so I'm not scared to swim on my side be anywhere I want ! The location of school is perfect it's easy to comité there . Lori and Craig are amazing people! highly recommend to learn something that will stay with you for entire life at Aquaskills swimming school !!!‍‍‍ read more

Extremely unprofessional...you will never learn to swim here. super disorganized and bizarre instructors. almost like a comedy, except it is a waste of time and money. Very bad teaching techniques and very negative. Find a good place like the Chelsea Piers to learn...I have rarely left a bad review of anything...even if it was bad, but I want to spare other students the experience I had. After posting this review I received a message from the owner saying I had never taken her class and whose idea was it to write this review. I had taken a semi private and the experience was enough to prompt the only bad review I have ever written on any forum. I really believe if you don't have something good to say keep your mouth shut, but this place was an insult and a rip off. read more

I have wanted to give AquaSkills a review for a few weeks now but the words to properly expressed my experience simply failed me . Well it has been 10 weeks since I forced my very much terrified self to take their introductory class so I think I'm ready. As an adult this was not my first attempt at learning how to swim and overcoming my fear of the water but it never worked. I always failed, the fear was always paralyzing. Lori's friendliness was enough to carry me through the first class. In between jokes and stories she was able to skillfully introduce me to the very basics which made me feel valiant and hopeful enough to sign up for my first package. Those first lessons for me were terrifying but knowing I was in expert hands made all the difference as did seeing myself doing things I never would have dared do. Their guidance and teaching with my very present fear was unparalleled to any teachings I had in the past. Craig was sympathetic yet he used common sense, a lot of logical facts and patience to help me get comfortable in the water. He is the best, they are all wonderful and I have been working with Eric who has brought me so far. I am now at a point where I look forward to every single class and spending time in the water versus just making it through those first lessons. I speak from the stance of someone with a paralyzing fear of the water and of drowning. I can now move across the pool, float on my back, flip around, learning the freestyle stroke, just went on vacation and was able to glide underwater with my husband and come up and breathe and go back under. A dream come true and thanks to AquaSkills I have inspired others in my circle and are developing into a swimmer. I am forever grateful and cannot recommend them enough. They are worth every single penny. The best investment you will ever make on yourself.. read more

The woman who answers the phone is so rude. The office location is listed - not the pool; which is on fulton street. entirely different commute to get here. you're trying to acquire customers not scare them. she's trying to tell me "people from all over the world come here" um doubt that. you should be clearer on your directions. i would never come here if it was down the street from me with that attitude. UPDATE after going back and forth with me she has edited her responses and deleted nasty remarks because she is finally aware of how she looks and how she conducts business!!! She never said "sorry" in any way nor will it not suit my needs. It was the opposite which is the purpose of this whole thing. This was just a phone call to inquire about her business and this is what I got. her responses below are absurd Classic horrible business owner. An adult is doing this. I called and asked questions and she was incredibly rude. Well I guess she shouldn't answer the phones if she doesn't think her actions don't have consequences. DISGUSTING. It's evident by the reviews of her business. I mean who talks to customers this way? She also can't read nor speak to someone with class. DONT EVER COME HERE. She has called me a Yelping bully before she deleted it. wow, spend your money here folks. This is what you get when you call someone and ask questions for 2 minutes and all they do is say that I'm weird because I should be able to find a train to come see them - "people from all over the world" go there. laughable. truly a horrible human being. She calls people Yelp bullies because she can't fathom several people CRITIQUING HER BUSINESS. her going back and forth is evident she spoke to me so she just can't acknowledge that she's wrong. And oh yes I target small swimming schools and write bad reviews about them. Makes sense! Read HER OTHER REVIEWS ABOUT HER BUSINESS. read more

not a good learning experience - very inconsistent - rotated through a different instructor ever class we went to - one session even rotated through FOUR different instructors. learned nothing after 8 sessions - would not recommend to anyone. read more

I recently completed six package swimming lessons with AquaSkills. Overall, I had a great experience, and was able to significantly improved my swimming skills. I must say that I was worried upon initially signing up, as I was already an experienced swimmer, and was not fearful of the water. They specialize in teaching people how to swim who have severe anxiety as it pertains to the water. Fortunately, that was not my problem, but I did need improvement. I was assigned to work with Dan, who was not only experienced, but a pleasure to work with. After six lessons, I learned how to breaststroke, backstroke, kick more effectively and conquer bilateral breathing, etc. Please note that I had to take control of my lessons, which meant that I created my own lesson plan. This way, I made sure to get the most out of each lesson. I found Dan to be an effective instructor, who focused not just on theory, but on practicality. However, all of the teachers are great! Additionally, Lori and Craig were involved in making sure that I had a worthwhile and great experience. It was well worth the money! read more