ADULT swim classes + Open practice

We love adult swimmers! We are excited to offer Adult Instructional Swim Classes and Open Practice for all ability levels classes at our Center City and South Philly pools. These are drop-in classes and sessions, so you can book as many as you’d like. Not sure which class is right for you? Please email us at appointments@fitnessalivephilly.com so we can assist you.

Class Descriptions

Please click each class name below to read a description.

Adult 0: Survival Techniques

Adult 0: Survival Techniques

Class size: Up to 4 swimmers max

This small-group class is for adults with little to no prior pool experience, or those with fears to overcome and confidence to build. Your goal in this class will be to learn to feel comfortable in the water and be able to execute life-saving techniques. This class is ideal for people looking to become more confident in and around the water for vacation and other recreational purposes. Adults will learn how to float, tread water, and save themselves in the event of a water emergency. At the end of the course you will feel equipped for participation in activities in and around the water.

Skills Learned:
• Safely enter and exit the water
• Learning how to fall in the water and regain footing (simulate vacation situation -- walking in the ocean and stepping on rock, eg.)
• Comfortable with falling/jumping in the pool and getting back to the side safely
• Front + back float
• Flipping from front to back float
• Swim rudimentary freestyle 10 feet
• Swim elementary backstroke 10 feet
• Introduction of treading water


Adult 1: Swimming Basics

Adult 1: Swimming Basics

Class size: Up to 4 swimmers max

This small-group class is for adults that have learned how to be comfortable in the water and are looking to start learning basic stroke techniques. Your goal in this course is to learn rudimentary freestyle and backstroke as well as improving your confidence in floating, treading water, and the other life saving techniques introduced in Adult 0: Survival Techniques. At the end of the course you should feel equipped to swim a full lap of both freestyle and elementary backstroke.

Skills Learned:
• Proper kick technique and body position
• Discussion of push/pull in the water
• Swim freestyle full length of the pool utilizing flipping on back to breathe
• Swim elementary backstroke full length of the pool
• Introduce regular backstroke
• Tread water for 10 seconds


Adult 2: Swimming Mechanics

Adult 2: Swimming Mechanics

Class size: Up to 4 swimmers max

This small-group class is for adults who are comfortable in the water and can perform basic strokes. The focus of this course is to increase swimming efficiency by learning more technical stroke mechanics. At the end of this course, you will feel equipped to swim at least half the length of the pool freestyle with side breathing, a full lap of backstroke, have a basic understanding of breaststroke, and increase your endurance with treading water.

Skills Learned:
• Swim backstroke full length of the pool
• Swim freestyle with side breathing at least half the length of the pool
• Introduction of breaststroke
• Tread water for 30 seconds


Adult 3: Refinement

Adult 3: Refinement

Class size: Up to 4 swimmers max

This small-group class is for adults who are proficient in freestyle and backstroke and are looking to both increase their endurance with swimming and learn advanced-level swimming techniques. The focus of this course is to become comfortable swimming longer distances of freestyle and backstroke, improve proficiency in breaststroke, and introduce butterfly and flip turns. At the end of the course, you will feel confident swimming multiple laps of backstroke and freestyle, swim breaststroke at least half the length of the pool, and have a basic understanding of how to execute butterfly and flip turns.

Skills Learned:
• Swim freestyle with side breathing the entire length of the pool
• Swim backstroke the length of the pool
• Swim breaststroke at least half of the length of the pool
• Introduction of butterfly
• Introduction of flip turns
• Tread water for 60 seconds


Open Practice

Adult Open Practice

Because we could all use a little extra practice time, right? Right. Open Practice provides extra swim hours for you to work on your skills at your own pace.

Open Practice times are uncoached. Sessions are booked in 30-minute increments; you can book as many slots as you’d like. Swimmers may share a swim lane with up to 1 other person. Open Practice is available at our Center City location only (1425 Arch Street), and advance reservations are required; we cannot accept walk-ins.

Open Practice pricing is $15 per half hour session.


About Adult Classes

Expand each section below to learn more.

+ How Enrollment Works

Adult Instructional Classes and Open Practice are drop-in only. That means you can book as many as you'd like, whenever you'd like. Passes are sold as single drop-ins or packs of four (see Pricing below).

You must book each class individually (one by one) even if you purchase a 4-pack. You are not automatically enrolled in the next 4 classes just because you bought a 4 pack.

All classes and Open Practice sessions are 30 minutes in length.

+ Pricing

Instructional Classes:

  • $35 for a single drop-in (30 days expiration)
  • $120 for four-pack (60 days expiration)

Open Practice:

  • $15 for a 30-minute swim session

+ Adult Open Practice

Open Practice sessions are uncoached swim times at our Center City pool where you can swim laps, practice skills, or do your own water workout. Sessions are booked in 30-minute increments. Swimmers may share a swim lane with up to 1 other person during Open Practice. (watch this video on how lane-sharing etiquette and circle swimming!). Open Practice is available at our Center City location only (1425 Arch Street), and advance reservations are required; we cannot accept walk-ins. Swimmers must be aged 18+; no exceptions.

+ Cancellation and Refund Policy

Fitness Alive has a 24-hour cancellation policy. No exceptions.

There are no refunds for class cards or unused class credits. You can cancel your reservation through your Mindbody profile or in the Mindbody App.

The following cancellation policies are strictly enforced:

  • Cancellation with at least 24 hours notice - no additional charge (prepaid class credit placed back on account for future use).
  • Cancellation with less than 24 hours notice - class credit charged and no refund.
  • No-shows - class credit charged and no refund.

Book Now

Use the table below to search for and book a class. Please note your selected location when booking. Sessions may be booked up to 30 days in advance. You must book each class individually (one by one) even if you purchase a 4-pack. You are not automatically enrolled in the next 4 classes just because you bought a 4 pack.