My daughter started swim lessons about three years ago. She is 9 now. She liked being in the pool when we started although did not know how to swim (though she thought she knew how to swim!) She didn't want to start swim lessons. We wanted the peace of mind that she knew how to swim so we joined the wait list and started as soon as we could. We told her it is a life lesson and she had to do it and thankfully she agreed. Our daughter isn't quick to trust or warm up. I was a little concerned that the teachers wouldn't respect her shyness That was not the case at all. The coaches are all respectful, kind and professional. Now she knows how to swim and more! The picture is of her learning to dive! My husband started taking lessons too because he was inspired to improve his swim technique. Both really enjoyed swimming with the coaches and learned a lot. We highly recommend Woodys swim school! read more

Woody's Private Swim Instruction - Learning to dive - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Alameda, California

I was so excited to take swim lessons here. Unfortunately, I won't be able to. I inquired and specifically asked was the pool heated, the response was an enthusiastic, "Yes!" I show up to my lesson and before I even finish removing my sweatpants, the instructor, Shani states that the pool is Chilly. I respond, "I thought the pool was heated?" He states it is but it's chilly today and they only rent space so they can't control the temperature. He also states he is under the weather and wouldn't even be getting in the pool unless I really wanted him to. Why would I want someone who is sick being hands on during my lesson? And why would an instructor not just reschedule if something that should be hands on, like a swim lesson, is required if they were sick. Long story short, I couldn't do the lesson and was refused a refund. Wonderful! If you like cold pools and the instructor watching you flail on the sidelines, then go for it! read more

This review is long overdue! Growing up, I never learned how to swim, but it was always a goal of mine to conquer it. While I wasn't afraid of pools or the ocean, I'd drown if I found myself in deep water without a life vest. I decided to finally take the plunge and learn in my 30s, and I'm so glad I found Woody! At the time, she was offering lessons in Oakland, and I chose her because it was in my neighborhood. Although the 1:1 lessons were a bit pricey for my budget at the time, they were worth it! After a few months of lessons, I was able to get past the mental barrier I had around deep water and finally learned how to tread water. Beyond that, Woody equipped me with numerous skills and techniques to feel confident and comfortable in the water. Let me tell you, learning to swim as an adult is no easy feat, but having a fantastic instructor makes all the difference. I highly recommend Woody for swim lessons! Thank you, Woody! read more

Poor communication and accounting regarding lesson payment. Owner unfriendly and dismissive. Swim instructors were competent but the owner was not transparent regarding billing. read more

I had about half a dozen swim lessons with Woody's team. I was like number 290 when I signed up online, but was contacted just a few weeks later b/c I was a floater and had flexibility in my schedule for swim sessions in the middle of the day. Everyone I worked with was very nice but they were all different instructors which made it difficult to feel like I was progressing. I was caught in a pretty traumatic incident in Maui during a big canoe race so afterwards, I decided I needed to become a better swimmer, stronger and more comfortable in the the water. While I explained to each instructor my goals around being able to move through the water quickly / bursts of speed to catch a canoe / swimming while carrying a paddle etc - the lessons focused a lot on fundamentals and techniques. None of the instructors ever conflicted in their instructions and they were all very patient with different techniques and styles of teaching - but I think if I were to sign up again, it would be to lock in 1 instructor for more consistency. Also the lessons are 1 hour long (unlike a lot of other swim classes I had researched) and I thought this was a good amount of 1:1 time. I feel like 30 minutes would feel too short unless I had extra time to practice on my own or pool sessions in between lessons to keep practicing (which I did not) My lessons were at the Bellvue by Grand Lake and it was a great pool (aside from the haunted vibe). Everything was clean and it was almost always empty during the times I had my lessons. read more

Woody was an amazing instructor! My partner and I started without much swimming experience, and Woody was able to help us both learn everything we needed to feel confident getting into the water and swim comfortably. Highly recommend for adult lessons! read more

I had such a great experience with Woody's Private Swim. I took some swim lessons when I was a child but definitely consider myself a beginning swimmer who really needed to work on the basics. I took almost all my classes with Gustavo and he was fantastic, taking the time to teach not just the swim strokes but also explaining why things work the way they do in water. This helped me make adjustments across all my strokes. I'm a much more confident swimmer now and will be returning to Woody's to brush up on skills or to take my swimming to the next level. I also have to say that I felt comfortable and welcome as a woman of color in a space where I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. Fantastic experience all around - highly recommend. read more

I love Woody's. Within 3 sessions, I've made so much progress compared to multiple classes I've taken in the past with other instructors. Cameron is amazing in making me feel comfortable in the water. He is very informative and always finds creative solutions for situations I struggle with. Highly recommend! I used to dread going to a swimming class but now Im actually excited to learn more and look forward to it every single time I go. read more

Wow, what can I say about Gustavo and Cameron. This was the best experience working with these two swim instructors who taught my sons how to swim. My sons were very nervous the first day and Gustavo and Cameron really calmed their nerves and gave them confidence at the same time as new swimmers. My two Sons Robert 12 and Kevin 7, now have developed confidence while in the water and they received survival skills as well. The best part was the 1-on-1 attention my sons received. They had a blast learning how to swim and looked forward to going each week. The whole experience was very professional, from communication, scheduling and location. I am so very pleased with the service I received. Thank you Woody's Private Swim Team. Definitely recommending this program. read more

See all

I don't post reviews very often-- only when I feel strongly about a place. I am so very grateful for my daughter's experience at Woody's. My goal for my 7-year-old was to have her water safe. We had had her in lessons at different places in the east bay on and off for three years trying to make that happen (COVID put slight a blip in our goals.) Being water safe is very important to our family. She had been in private lessons for about a year and still wasn't water safe despite my constant communication with the training team. Even after all of those lessons she still couldn't jump in the deep end of a pool and make it to the edge without a struggle. We finally found success at Woody's. She worked primarily with Cameron and completely thrived under his leadership. He is patient, creative, and offers gentle encouragement. My daughter is now completely water safe and I don't have that fear of her drowning if we took her to a pool to go swimming. She really loves to swim. Our overall experience, not only with Cameron's instruction, but the ease of setting up the class schedules and the location have been great. So happy to have worked with them. read more

Regardless of age, you will definitely learn how to swim and achieve your personal goals with Woody's Private Swim Instruction one-on-one coaching/teaching methodology. As each student-swimmer is unique, customized and personalized learning sessions specifically address individual needs, strengths and areas to develop. Been coached by all 4 of them. Each instructor is unique and possesses individual styles but they are all in-sync with their core teaching philosophy, Gustavo has a natural gift of motivating and encouraging a student learn the challenging fundamental swimming skills for beginners. Cameron explores and incorporates practical drills and exercises so that the student continue to acquire and develop desired and necessary swimming skills. Rosie explains concepts clearly and demonstrates them vividly in a way that is retained by memory rather easily. The bulk of my lessons and coaching is from Woody. She is beyond Awesome. Not only does she have a deep experience and knowledge of swimming and of coaching/teaching/training swimmers of any skill levels...she is also very understanding and supportive, so patient, so gentle. Learning becomes both Fun and Therapy. She motivates yet challenges students reach their goals. Yes, learning always presents challenges but at Woody's Private Swim Instruction, challenges turn into Fun Moments. So dive in, bring in your unsinkable determination and dedication so you can join the Fun Pool Academy Party. read more

Had a phenomenal experience here and can definitely recommend it, as this was the first swim class that actually thought me swim skills properly. I had classes with both Woody and Cameron and both of them were great. Super patient, great swim exercises and the pool and environment are perfect to feel comfortable and focus on your swim! read more

Look no further. Woody, Cameron, and Rosie are worth all the hype. They've earned every 5-star review you see here. I took swim lessons as a kid and even had my scuba cert, but my goal was to be able to confidently and comfortably lap-swim. They took me from Comfortable In the Water to Oh You Can Actually Swim Now. I won't bother waxing poetic about Woody because so many people have already done so. (Someone called her the "Swim Whisperer" and that's pretty darn on the nose. I heart her. The End!) Woody's name might be on the proverbial-door, but you're in great hands with anyone she deems worthy to be part of her team-- especially Cameron. I've witnessed his incredible care and rapport when working with kids and regardless of your age, you will have FUN in his class. He has the absolute ability to challenge the athlete in you, but first and foremost, he has an uplifting word. Also, if you're lucky, he'll play music during your lesson :) Cameron and Woody have always made me feel safe and encouraged. I'm so grateful for all their help and enjoy my time in the pool because of them! read more

Woody is by far the best swim teacher I have ever seen. She is great at pushing my children to their limits and them pulling them slightly back into their comfort zone so they are always making progress. My youngest, 6, in particular has blossomed with Woody. Going from not putting her face in the water to doing a nice freestyle stroke over a series of about 15 lessons. Not just for youngsters, Woody knows enough to coach any swimmer to improvement. The Bellevue is an outstanding swim spot. Indoor - so no weather issues. Private and nice. There are showers and changing rooms downstairs. The site is a really quaint belle epoch hidden gem near Lake Merritt. Consider becoming a swim/gym club member (kids welcome in the pool) at stunningly reasonable prices. You don't have to be a member for lessons with Woody. Swimming is a life-saving skill. Woody is the best teacher for any age or experience. Highly recommended all around! read more

See all

Kudos to Woody's private swim lessons!!!!! Good parking, clean showers, large private changing rooms, indoor heated pool and thank God, a swimsuit wringer!!!! Woody is very personal and accommodating. If you're on the waiting list, it's definitely worth the wait. Gustavo is a great swim instructor, very patient and thorough!!! Seeing his enthusiasm of my progress, made me feel totally awesome. read more

Woody is the "swim whisperer"!! I just had my 1st 30min swim lesson and by the end of it, I was swimming!!....Let me give you a little back story about me.. I had a very traumatic pool incident when I was a young girl and my mother reminded me of it constantly which stuck with me 47 years later.. So I finally wanted to change that and I researched multiple websites and Woody's webpage stuck with me because she mentioned helping people through their fears of swimming and I just felt this positive energy from her pic/website. She definitely didn't disappoint, I went from holding my breath under water to actually swimming in just 30 minutes..I swear she " Mr. Miyagi'd" me!! I still have 6 more lessons to go and I'm looking forward to every one of them.. read more

Love this program, as a competitive swimmer this is the only swim instruction for kids which actually teaches proper swimming techniques. Our daughter (5), has made leaps and bounds with her swimming after just 12wks with Gustavo! Gustavo knows how to have fun with her in the water and motivate her to keep going. She was previously at a swim school in Alameda and had been there since she was 6 months old and when we left she was mostly kicking with fins. Now she can actually swim, arms and everything! The lessons are on the pricey side, but when you consider the progress made, it is well worth the money. Also, they don't take kids until they are 5 and I recommend getting on the waitlist when your child is 4. read more

My instructor, Cameron, is a great teacher and takes full advantage of the lesson time to get into drills, swim techniques, and making you feel confident in the water. I never feel pressured but always leave my sessions feeling more confident than before. read more

Gustavo is great! The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is just because scheduling was a bit tricky - but every time I spoke to Woody on the phone she did her best right any snafus. Did I mention Gustavo is great? He is. He was thoughtful, encouraging, and gave good pointers to me and my friend (we are middle-aged women who know how to swim but wanted to improve our strokes). He had good exercises to help us figure it out with our bodies, not just understand with our minds. Highly recommend! read more

I just concluded my swimming lessons with Woody's. I really enjoyed the experience despite the natural anxiety that comes with being an adult learner with a fear of deep water. My primary instructor was Cameron. He was very easy to work with and pretty much everything you want in a swim instructor - skilled; encouraging; and he makes you feel 100% safe. While I'm not ready to go out into the ocean or swim full laps, I definitely have the confidence to continue to practice outside of Woody's. Thanks, Woody's! read more

if you're looking for one-on-one swimming instruction in a safe, comfortable, and roomy environment, take lessons from Woody! I spend alot of time on the water, but irony of ironies I don't swim very well. I set out to take swimming lessons in order to save myself just in case I get dumped in the water without a lifevest. I took group lessons awhile back at a public pool, but I didn't learn very much because the student to teacher ratio was a little high, so I set out to find one-on-one instruction. Woody teaches at an indoor pool at the Bellvue, which is literally across the street from Lake Merritt. The club has its own parking (which is always nearly empty), and you don't have to be a member to take lessons with Woody. The facilities are clean and crowds definitely aren't an issue. During all of my lessons, we either had the entire pool to ourselves or were just sharing it with just one other club member. Woody teaches half hour sessions. May not sound like a very long time, but Woody will have you constantly working and improving and practicing things. Its an action packed half hour! Woody has a lot of experience and it shows, from your first moments with her she will evaluate you and make suggestions on what to work on. She's also very friendly, fun, and easy going. She works with many types of swimmer, from kids to established swimmers to big clumsy adults like me who've forgotten how to swim! I'm a big oafish guy, definitely not coordinated at all, but she was able to get me to remember how to do a freestyle stroke, tread water, and do other things to help me save myself if I ever get dumped in the water. She will modify things according to your body type and skill level so you can learn what you need to. I'm definitely more comfortable around the water now that I have these basic skills. So if you're looking for swimming lessons, give Woody a try. On an unrelated note she also makes really good mustard (ask her about it). Cheers read more

Unfortunately, Woody never called me back. I called twice, almost two weeks apart, leaving articulate voice mails. I was really eager to take a lesson for myself - for more confidence in my swim strokes so that I can use the techniques for keeping myself active. I am bummed that I will not reap her benefits. read more

They have a very special way of teaching you how to swim considering your pace and comfort with the water. Absolutely loved taking lessons from them. All the instructors are amazing and very professional. Learnt it in just about 3 months or so! read more

I highly recommend Woody's private lessons. My time with her was amazing. She not only helps you to identify your weaknesses so that you can improve, but she also praises what you do well to build your confidence. She works at your pace but pushes you to improve. Woody also provides exercises that you can do outside of the pool to improve your swimming. She makes you feel comfortable to make mistakes while encouraging you to keep going. Learning to swim from Woody in private lessons was the best investment I have made in myself in a very long time. If you can get into one of her classes, go for it. There is a reason her schedule is always booked, she is well worth it! read more

I took lessons from Woody a year ago and loved it. Prior to taking the lessons, I was slightly afraid of swimming in deep water, and had wanted to take lessons for a long time. When I found Woody's private instruction class on Yelp, I knew it was exactly what I wanted. Like some of the other reviewers mentioned, Woody inspires confidence and trust. Woody started me off with the basics of getting comfortable being in deep water, then moved on to breast stroke, elementary back stroke and freestyle. What I liked about her was her ability to observe my movements and breathing technique, and suggest subtle changes that made a huge difference in the way I swam. She also recommended exercises that I could do at home that helped me become more flexible, loosen my muscles, and also improve my breathing technique. Over the course of the month of instructions, it was quite incredible to watch myself get better so quickly and feel more confident being in water! Woody was super communicative and flexible when it came to scheduling. I have a super long commute from Mountain View, and she was able to fit me into her schedule. Anyway, now I swim almost every weekend, and it's my favorite workout. Thanks to Woody for her awesome instructions, I went from being apprehensive about swimming to loving it! read more

Great team that can help you if you are just learning to swim or want to improve your technique and take it to the next level. Highly recommend Woody, Cameron, and Gustavo to anyone looking to get more comfortable in the water read more

My son has been taking lessons from Rosie Fitzsimmons (who works for Woody) for the past couple of months. She has been a great instructor who is amazingly patient with my son who is very high energy and gets easily distracted during his lesson. I've seen him make tremendous progress from being scared of putting his head under water to being able to swim a few strokes independently and starting to float on his back. My son can be a challenging person to teach, so I really appreciate all the work she puts in each week with him! read more

I love swimming but was getting swimmer's shoulder from, apparently, doing it wrong all these years. I tried to self-correct, but YouTube videos weren't quite helpful enough. I chose Woody skeptically. She had no website and taught her lessons at a random private pool. But her reviews were good... ..and for good reason! Woody can watch you swim for about 5 minutes and immediately start analyzing what you're doing wrong. Within a few lessons she had me massively improving, without ever feeling like an idiot. Highly recommended! read more

I'm a decent swimmer but definitely not great. I signed up with Woody's in hopes of fine tuning my stroke and she definitely worked some magic. Within 5 sessions I was swimming like Phelps (at least I felt like it). She taught me proper head positioning, breathing techniques and effective kicking methods. Not only that, she videoed all my actions under water and emailed them along with detailed summaries of our sessions. If you're a decent swimmer looking to get better, you can't go wrong with Woody. read more

Best swim instructor, hands down. I tried a couple other swim schools before finally finding Woody. Don't be discouraged by the long wait list. It's well worth the wait. I pretty much started at zero with Woody and her team and every week I came out feeling like I'd made very tangible progress. I can call myself a swimmer now. She's patient, encouraging and very focused on proper swim technique. She recognized my commitment to the lessons and swimming goals and is very committed to helping me achieve them. read more

I did everything that was requested. Texted her and emailed her from her own website. Seems pretty flaky.

She is amazing!!! She taught both of my kids how to swim. They learned so quickly and my daughter was afraid of the water because she fell in a pool when she was a toddler. Woody made her feel comfortable in the water. I'm so glad I found her. read more

I am so happy that I found Woody's Swim School! Cameron was my main instructor but I had one session with Gustavo and did one session of the optional swim class w/ Woody. Everyone was thorough, professional and motivating. I knew how to swim prior to working with Woody's crew but not well. I had some back injuries and poor technique so would hurt myself swimming. I definitely improved and am now able to swim without hurting myself. I am taking a break from the swim school to work on everything I have learned but I will be back!!! read more

Woody is fantastic swim instructor! I was taught 'how not to drown' as a child, and never really learned the appropriate swim strokes. I started going to Woody last spring at 40 something, and it's been great. I'm 6 months post-op from a major knee surgery, and I'm back at it with Woody. No matter your skill set, check out Woody. You won't be disappointed! read more

I decided to take swim lessons with Woody to review and improve my technique before I began swimming regularly. I'm so glad I did! Thanks to her observations and advice, during each session I learned ways to swim more efficiently and to break the outdated habits I picked up in my high school swim class decades ago. She also gave me helpful suggestions and drills for becoming more comfortable in deep water. I highly recommend Woody - she's knowledgeable, patient, and very friendly. read more

I have swam all my life and love being in the pool; however, I never learned how to swim properly. Recovering from a recent foot surgery, I had to find a way to keep my body fit. Woody has helped me grasp the strokes I need to get on track. Thanks Woody! read more

I can't say enough great things about Woody as a swim teacher. I started taking private lessons with her 3 months ago in order to improve/re-learn how to swim so I could swim laps for exercise and not feel completely embarrassed by my strokes. I'm an adult who swam on a swim team as a small kid but never really mastered it. As time passed, I loved being in the water but knew I didn't have the skills, strength or endurance to swim laps for exercise. She was very gentle with me as she figured out my comfort level in the water and as I developed some strength. She was kind and considerate and also pushed me to grow at a reasonable pace. My classes with her were something I AWLAYS looked forward to and the 30 minute session flew by. The Bellevue Club pool, where she teaches, is heated to a delightfully warm temperature and the facilities are charming. The pool itself, built in the 1920's is huge and barely occupied by anyone but you and Woody so the private lessons are truly private. If you have any worries at all about swimming or are doing it for the first time ever, Woody is your gal! I've just finished my last class with her and can say that I now swim laps every day before work and absolutely love it, thanks to Woody! A quick note that she's in high demand and it was a few weeks between the time that I called her and my first session but it was well-worth the wait. read more

My daughter had taken at Aquatech, but when she got more advanced, she started to feel like a number and swimming was no longer fun. Fast forward to Cameron, her new, fun, incredibly positive and motivating swim instructor. She looks forward to every lesson and is finally getting the personal attention to improve the things that are important for her. She has come a long way in just 4 lessons. Cameron is relaxed and friendly, all while stressing water safety. Woody herself is professional and communicative. I'm so happy we got off the waiting list! read more

All the great reviews on this site are true. Woody is amazing! I've taken alot of lessons but never got as far in three lessons that Woody had me at! She is somehow instructive, supportive, challenging and puts one at ease in the whole process! While I still have quite a bit to go in becoming a very confident swimmer, I no longer fear the water and look forward to it! read more

Woody has been great with our kids, one who was already a swimmer and one who had some fear. Woody showed our son new strokes and he got them down in a matter of a few weeks (including some practice tips she gave him to work on when he was away during the summer). Our little one now loves the water and looks forward to swimming and going to the pool, which she used to resist. Thanks Woody for your patience and skill! Like JCA said, the pool/facility where she holds her lessons (Bellevue Club) is really nice. read more