Once a week or twice? Group or private? Here's the honest answer — and it depends on what you're trying to achieve.
One of the first practical questions every parent asks is: how often? The answer depends on your child's age, their goals, and how quickly you want them to progress. Here's how we think about it at Anax.
Once a Week: The Minimum for Progress
One group lesson per week is the entry-level commitment for most families — and it works, especially for beginners. At this frequency, most children will reach independent swimming standard within 12–18 months, depending on age and starting point.
The limitation of once-a-week training is that between lessons, skills degrade slightly — especially for young children. You'll see noticeably faster progress if you supplement with even one 30-minute recreational swim per week where your child practices what they've been taught.
Twice a Week: The Sweet Spot for Progress
Two lessons a week dramatically increases the rate of progress — often by more than double. Skills get reinforced before they fade, technique becomes more ingrained, and the overall training volume is enough to produce real fitness gains.
For children who are working on technique (ages 6–12) or preparing for competitive swimming, twice-a-week lessons are the minimum we'd recommend for meaningful development.
Private vs. Group Lessons
Group lessons (up to 6 swimmers per coach) are excellent value and develop social confidence in the water. Children learn well from watching their peers, and the group energy is motivating.
Private lessons are ideal for: swimmers with specific technique issues, children with anxiety who need individual attention, adults learning to swim, or swimmers preparing for competition. The one-on-one focus means faster progress on targeted skills.
Many Anax families combine a group squad session twice a week with one private lesson every few weeks to work on specific technique. This gives you the social and fitness benefits of group training plus the focused development of private coaching.
Squad Training: 3–5 Sessions a Week
For competitive swimmers, squad training is the pathway. Our Anax squads train 3 to 5 times per week, building the volume, strength, and race-readiness needed for Western Cape competition.
Squad is not for everyone — it's a significant time commitment for the whole family. But for children who love swimming and want to compete, it provides structure, community, and the challenge that high-energy kids need.