Everyone should learn to swim!
Why you say?
Summer is officially here! What better way to escape the heat on holiday than taking a quick dip in the sea or pool? And as temperatures rise here in the UK, your local swimming pool will be just as refreshing. But, how can you enjoy all the benefits and fun of water, if you or your family can’t swim?
Learning to swim is a vital life skill. Unfortunately, lots of us are missing out. Did you know that just over a quarter of the British population cannot swim to a primary school standard? The national curriculum requirement for all primary school children is to be able to swim 25m (the length of most public swimming pools) unaided. Here are our reasons why we think everyone should learn how to swim!
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Good for mental health
The valuable mental benefits of swimming and exercise are often overlooked but extremely important! Swimming, like most exercises releases endorphins and improves mood. It is also a great way to relieve stress and anxiety – it can redirect the mind away from troubling thoughts to make you feel relaxed.
It is fun!
People tend to get bored with repetitive exercise but there are many ways to keep swimming interesting. There are several strokes to master and various bits of equipment to work different areas of your body like kickboards, pull-buoys or foot fins. There are also many classes and competitions to add variety – for example, water aerobics, water polo, racing or diving.
Great full body work out
Swimming is a full body workout! It engages and tones all your muscles and helps to lose and manage weight – the harder you work, the more calories you burn. There is no need for fancy equipment or weights - a good workout can be done with just your body and the resistance of the water.
It's inclusive
It is suitable for all ages and fitness levels; it allows you to go at your own pace and it's perfect for newcomers. As swimming is a low impact exercise, it's also good for people with injuries or conditions like Arthritis. Water supports the muscles and joints when you want to ease yourself into gentle exercise.
It can be dangerous!
If for some reason you decide swimming is not right for you as an exercise – then learning to swim for your safety is still important. According to the World Health Organization – every day, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning. It's the 6th leading cause of unintentional death for people of all ages, and the 2nd cause of death for children ages 1 to 14 years.
Throughout a person’s life, everyone has the risk of landing themselves in some dangerous situations they may need to survive. To think that you could have a skill that could even save someone else’s life as well as your own can create a lot of confidence that you can feel and project around a swimming environment.
Creates opportunities
Learning how to swim can open many different doors. It creates opportunities to discover water sports like kayaking, water skiing, surfing, canoeing, sailing or snorkelling for example.
Swimming also opens up employment opportunities. You could become a lifeguard or a swim teacher?
Or maybe something more adventurous like a dolphin trainer, underwater photographer? The world really is your oyster once you learn how to swim! Find out what to expect in your first swimming lessons.
If you enjoyed this blog then you may enjoy our Benefits to learning a new sport blog too! Who knows what you can achieve?