IM Program

IM Safe is a pre-beginner water safety program that provides entry-level swimming instruction. It is the official learn-to-swim program of the Michael Phelps Swim School and was used by Michael himself to develop his skills and confidence as a swimmer.

IM Safe offers water instruction and safety certification, as required, to ensure that all IM program participants are qualified for other water activities. IM Safe has three levels: Get Comfortable, Get Moving and Get Strong. Most participants will start in either Get Comfortable or Get Moving. In order for participants to be certified in the water, they must demonstrate proficiency in the necessary skills in a Water Safety Review. This consists of swimming from one side of the pool to the other, treading water, and other basic but important skills.

The Special Olympics Young Athletes IM program is about the initial introduction to the swimming experience. The environment and instructors need to be warm and inviting. Because of the short attention span of young children, moving quickly through skills activities will keep the class interesting. The manual accompanies a video, which is translated in six languages.

IM Fun creates an exciting, but structured environment that provides instructions and rules for some of Michael’s favorite pool games. From Marco Polo to Poison Pool Toss, these activities are designed to keep participants interested and engaged while developing specific water skills.

IM Fun is open only to participants who have successfully completed the Water Safety Review.

Through a coordinated training regimen of both in-pool skills instruction and exercises, experienced swim instructors further develop the swimmers’ overall fitness levels and help them reach their fullest potential. im fast’s has three skill levels — Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each level focuses on the development of individual strokes, starts, turns, lap swimming, and racing.

IM Healthy complements the swimming components of IM Safe, IM Fun, and IM Fast by showing participants how a healthy body can better achieve fitness goals. Participants will learn how to make good choices about what they eat, how much they exercise, and how they handle stressful situations. The IM Healthy program’s 16 lessons are conducted in a group setting. Each lesson includes an instructor’s guide and participant handouts for use during the lessons and/or at home.

Using the Dream, Plan, Reach approach, IM Successful encourages bold, long-term goals while acknowledging that patience, planning, and persistence are integral to success. IM Successful also covers goals beyond those in the pool, such as improving school performance, learning a new skill, or getting along better with a sibling. Achieving a modest goal can serve as a blueprint and confidence-builder.

The IM Successful program’s 8 lessons are conducted in a group setting. Each lesson includes an instructor’s guide and participant handouts for use during the lessons and/or at home.