Salty Swim School, LLC. — Local services in Hawaii

Thank you so much Victoria and Salty Swim School for a fantastic swimming experience. I’m soo grateful to have found you!

I love swimming, I learned to swim early in my childhood but I never learned how to swim properly the front crawl style so I never felt good and at ease swimming it. I could hardly breath one side. In fact, I was uncomfortable breathing, point. So I have focused instead on improving my breast stroke, swimming it comfortably - at an average speed - during Olympic distance triathlon races which I have been enjoying since more than a decade. 3 weeks ago, motivated by all the inspiring swimmers at the Kona pier, I contacted Salty Swim School and took my first front crawl swimming lesson with coach Victoria. And I just can’t say enough great things about her. Swimming with Victoria was a fantastic experience - beyond words or 5 starts ratings. What struck me most was Victoria’s sensitive and real client-centered approach coaching. When we first met, I didn’t get the usual coaching resume ‘I am the best and I have achieved this’ but instead I was welcomed with a heartfelt inquiry about what I needed and what I wanted to achieve. You could tell that Victoria really cares about her students. She went out of her way to accommodate my wishes and adapt to my schedule. I had such a great time swimming with her. Every swim I learnt something new and I could make it a little bit further. She was thoughtful and made me comfortable and gave me tips and encouraged me to continue practicing what we learned on my own. I love how she thought me to pay attention to and develop my natural ‘swimmer breath’ and how she used metaphors and was continuously making connections with what was going on with my body and mind and also in relation with other sports I practice.

Victoria’s approach is truly mindful and holistic. I really appreciate her yoga and body therapy background. And, learning with Victoria is so much fun - I couldn’t stop laughing when practicing ‘open water peeing’ at the Ironman buoy :) Also witnessing her love for the ocean and the underwater creatures is moving and so inspiring …

15 years ago, in a triathlon camp, I was told by a swim coach to stick with my breaststroke in and out of races and don’t even bother learning the front crawl style - my breast stroke was good enough. I am writing this review after 3 coaching sessions with Victoria and completing the Ironman course yesterday. Escorted by Victoria, I enjoyed this swim so much, breathing comfortably both sides. It has been amazing to see how I progressed in such a very short period of time. Words cannot describe my joy and gratitude.

Thank you again for everything, Victoria and Salty Swim School! I look forward to more swimming...

There's this magical place in the Big Island where mere mortals, like myself, get to learn how to open water swim, where demigods (aka Ironmen of Kona) swim once a year! All thanks to the talented instructor, Victoria, whose school is IN THE OCEAN (hence the name Salty Swim School.) The moment I met her, Coach Victoria immediately erased all self doubts I had with my swimming ability ("what if I drown?" "What if I see livining creatures and I panic?" "what happens when I get tired?" "What ...") Before meeting Coach Victoria, I was 14 weeks into learning how to swim. I was doing well in the pool, so decided to test my abilities in Lake Tahoe (2 weeks before going to the Big Island). I was doing well until I saw the ground get further from me and I started to panic. Had a friend rescue me on her SUP. Since I was going to the Big Island for a well deserved vacation, I decided to get some open water swim lessons. Searched the web and found Salty Swim School and talked to Victoria and told her about my anxiety of swimming into the deep "I can help you with that." For some reason, I trusted her, and I'm not a trusting person. Coach Victoria delivered! I think it helped a lot too that she was warm, patient and empowering. Within 3 days (1 hour lessons each morning) I was swimming where the Kona Ironmen swim once a year!!! It took me three days to get to the one mile buoy, and when I did, I jumped for joy!!!! Who knew one can jump off the water like a dolphin! Of course, I can't do that again even if someone offered me a million dollars. I highly recommend Salty Swim School. Coach Victoria IS AMAZING!!!! Keep an open mind w/ your swim/ability and trust her.

Two days after the attached photo(s), I did a triathlon at Santa Cruz (the water was cold, murky and rough), I was scared for a split second but heard Coach Victoria's voice saying "You are now a swimmer. This is something you cannot undo." So I swam. I will never be a Kona Demigod triathlete, but I AM now a triathlete. Thank you, Coach...

By far my best swimming experience ever. I had an amazing time with Coach Victoria. She is an excellent coach who is patient, caring, and always willing to help and learn. She believes in learning through communication and makes it easy for her students to communicate with her. My favorite thing about the six weeks of lessons was how Coach Victoria would expose me to new techniques and would give me time to practice them. She observed my progress and carefully provided micro-adjustments to help me adapt and make the tools my own.

Another great callout about Coach Victoria is that she's a visual teacher who makes learning feel natural. She has a keen sense for communication via visual language and gestures, but they are easy to understand and to use. Just a look was enough to tell me a full narrative while in the water with her. Coach Victoria conducts classes in the open ocean, which allows her students to see and experience unpredictable conditions. This exposure helps them become familiar with and comfortable with the ever changing environment that is the ocean. I recall one instance where I started to panic, and she skillfully noticed it and found a way to calm me down and focus on safety and understanding my surroundings.

I highly recommend Coach Victoria, and welcome the opportunity to swim and learn under her guidance in the near future. (AND I WILL)...