The four basics
The fundamentals of all water activity
When learning to read, you do not start with the Harry Potter books - you start with the letters. When learning to talk, you do not engage in longer conversations at once, you start with simple sounds, moving on to words.
It is the same in swimming - you do not start with the strokes, you start with the basics. The four basics are the foundation of all activity in water or around water.
The four basics are:
Combined these four will make you secure in and around water. And when you manage them, it is very easy to learn the strokes. Before you are able to learn the strokes, you are more than capable of learning the basics and self saving.
You will never master the basics to perfection, which is one of the most interesting parts (seen with swim teachers' eyes), as you can always make an activity or exercise more difficult. So no matter if you are an aquaphobic or on the Olympic team of swimming, you can always practice the basics - just on different levels of course.
Read more about each of the basics later (Remi and the change of element is already available)