1.

Learn how to do a crawl. Crawls are great strokes to learn as a beginner, and they'll move you
pretty quickly. Here's how to do them:[6]
 Try a backstroke first. Float flat on your back, and do a flutter kick with your legs.
With your arms, do the "crawl" motion, lifting one arm straight into the air and
keeping it straight as it re-enters the water next to your head. Once it's underwater,
bend it to bring it back to a straight position next to your side, and repeat. Alternate
arms as you swim, and try to keep your fingers together and your hands as flat as
possible.
 Try a front stroke (also known as a freestyle or American crawl). Floating on your
stomach, do a flutter kick with your legs and use your arms to "crawl" forward. Bring
one arm out of the water so that it's "reaching" forward, then bring it back down and
use your cupped hand to "push" the water behind you. Alternate arms. To breathe, turn
your head to one side under the arm that's currently crawling, lifting enough for you to
take a breath. Take a breath under the same arm each time, so that you're breathing
once every two strokes.

2.

3
Tread water. Treading water can help you catch your breath and keep your head up without
actually swimming. Do the eggbeater kick listed above, and use your hands to keep your balance
by "sculling" - keep your forearms flat on the surface of the water, and imagine they're butter
knives spreading on a piece of toast. Move one arm in a clockwise circle, and the other arm in a
counterclockwise circle.[7]
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4
Use your arms to come up from the bottom. If you're below water and would like to come up,
use your arms to propel yourself. Put them straight up above your head, and quickly bring them
down to your sides. This should push you up a few feet. Repeat until you break the surface.