Not really - I just started with simple 'floating on the back', with a little support from below. After a while you find that you can remove your hand and the pupil will continue to float for a few seconds - just repeat and build on this.
I learnt to swim when I was 7 y/o and have swum regularly in many parts of the world.
Back in UK I was going to the local pool once a week and swimming 80 lengths (2kms) in an hour (and walking 1 km each way, there and back). Unfortunately that has stopped here in Phils - I only swim when we visit our beach.