Jennifer Hook, left, helped Jennifer Willis into the water while the children learned how to use life jackets.

Crockette Leible learned how to do the back float from Amy Edwards.

Lacey Neal, left, dove into the deep end of Capaha Park pool while her instructor watched.

Swimming basically means being able to throw yourself at the water without sinking. Once you've grasped that concept, other swimming skills usually come easily.

With the summer heat reaching a steady broil, spending time in the cool waters of a pool learning not to sink is a longstanding tradition. And as usual, pools are completely booked for summer swimming classes.

Classes at both the Jackson pool and Capaha Park pool in Cape Girardeau kicked off in mid-June. They run through July at Jackson and early August at Capaha.

Approximately 675 people are participating or will participate in lessons at Jackson, where the third of three sessions kicked off Monday. By the end of the summer about 400 swimmers will have taken lessons at Capaha, currently in the second of three scheduled sessions.

At both pools the programs for infants and toddlers from 6 months to 3 years are popular.

"That program is designed to introduce children to a water environment where they can learn in a non-threatening way," said Doug Gannon, recreation coordinator for the Cape Girardeau Department of Parks and Recreation.

Parents take classes along with their kids as a way of helping them develop affinity with water. Brett Blackman, assistant manager at the Jackson pool, said instruction also shows parents different ways to safely hold small children in the water.

For children 3 to 12, more serious swimming instruction begins.

At Capaha, instructors use the seven-level teaching program designed by the American Red Cross. Level 1 begins with the basics. By the time the student hits level 7 they should be able to do all the strokes.

Jackson uses a different instructional method.

"We're really different from other pools," Blackman said. "We offer our own program that I designed along with some of our instructors called the City of Jackson Program."

While similar to the standard Red Cross method used most places, the Jackson plan has only six steps.

Swimming lessons are not just for children; both pools offer several classes for older novices. For beginners, regardless of age, Gannon stresses that summer is not the only time for swimming.

"One thing I think makes our program unique is that we do this full time," said Gannon. "Skills you learn in the summer can be built year-round; you're not going to learn to swim in a three-week program."

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department offers swimming classes year-round, using the indoor facility at Cape Girardeau Central High School.

For advanced swimmers a number of lifesaving and general water-safety classes are offered. Both pools use Red Cross guidelines for those classes.

Blackman said Red Cross lifesaving techniques were recently overhauled. They used to recommended caring for a victim in the water, but now stress getting the victim to land before beginning treatment.

Swimming for physical fitness is also promoted. In addition to special times reserved for those who swim laps, the Jackson pool offers a water aerobics program, a different way to get into shape while enjoying the water.

"It really tones your muscles well," Blackman said. "This is the first year we've had it, and it's really popular."