Did you know that it’s never too early to learn swimming? Apart from being a fun, recreational activity, swimming is a vital life skill that everyone should have. Learning to swim has a wide range of benefits, both physically and mentally. This article explores the immense benefits you can enjoy by swimming that will convince you to enrol in a swimming class next summer.
Swimming Helps Save Lives
Water sports and activities are fun. But none of them comes with an inherent risk of drowning. Were you aware that drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide? Besides, New Zealand has one of the highest drowning rates in the Western world. Isn’t that scary?
Swimming lessons are the best way to decrease the risk of drowning especially when started earlier in life. This is known as one of the life-saving skills that teaches you some of the crucial water survival techniques like proper breathing, floating, and right stroke techniques, which can save lives during emergencies.
Improve Fitness
Swimming is a form of low-impact exercise that helps you with a full-body workout. Despite the age, it keeps you physically fit and healthy. Swimming is an effective exercise to improve your muscle strength and cardiovascular health. In fact, according to a study, swimming helps prevent heart attacks and adults who swam had a lower risk of all-cause death. It also reduces the stress on your body, making it one of the ideal therapies for rehabilitation or those with joint pain or mobility limitations. The sport also improves your flexibility, coordination, balance and posture.
Enhance the Developmental Cognitive Skills of Younger Children
When it comes to children, swimming improves motor skills and body coordination, aiding their physical development. Regular swimming can help them build muscle strength, improve stamina and contribute to effective weight management. They learn to follow instructions, train patience and develop discipline with regular practice. A long-term study has also found that toddlers (3-5 years) who learned to swim early had shown better cognitive improvement in verbal, math and literacy skills compared to non-swimmers of the same age.
Build Mental Health and Confidence
Swimming helps reduce stress and anxiety. The rhythmic movement of swimming along with the water’s buoyancy helps create a calming effect in the brain. This can eliminate symptoms related to depression and develop sleep quality.
On the other hand, learning to swim inculcates a sense of accomplishment and improves self-confidence. Children overcoming the fear of water and acquiring new skills have a larger impact when they turn adults. It builds their self-esteem and creates a positive self-image. With this, young swimmers will be more willing to try new things beyond the pool as they feel good about themselves.
Better Social Interaction
Swimming is enjoyed by people of all ages. When you take a group lesson, you learn to be a part of a team. This creates chances for social connections and community engagement via swim clubs and teams, resulting in life-long friendships with people who share similar interests.
Earn a Lifelong Skill
You can start swimming at any age and practice all year round. Being in an island nation like NZ, you are surrounded by water and learning to swim through it is vital. Continuing swimming lessons into adulthood helps maintain physical fitness and enjoy long-term health benefits.
Moreover, mastering swimming opens you to a range of water sports like snorkelling, boating, water skiing, surfing and much more. Your little one can develop skills to enjoy these sports that can foster a sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship.
The Final Words
We believe that everyone should learn to swim. By learning the right skills with the right techniques, you can enjoy all the above advantages throughout your life. It promotes safety, health and lifelong enjoyment of water sports. Make sure to select a swimming program that follows a nationally recognised curriculum with experienced instructors. Enjoy a lifetime of confidence and fun in the water. Start learning how to swim today!
