10 Healthy Benefits of Swimming Lessons

United States Masters Swimming released an article reminding those with healthy lifestyles that swimming can be a "rigorous, effective fitness workout—and be fun in the process." This might seem like a no brainer to the avid swimmer, but to those who need further convincing, here's a breath of fresh air and 10 reasons to stop what you’re doing and get in the pool.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Swimming is an incredibly versatile sport. Recreational swim lessons can provide you with a low impact workout making it the perfect daily activity, or a way to cool off from the blazing summers. Strokes like the breaststroke, backstroke and sidestroke are perfect for relaxation. If you’re looking for something more challenging, the freestyle or the butterfly will leave you feeling accomplished.

Learning Healthy Habits At A Young Age Can Be Implemented Throughout Life

When children learn to eat healthy foods at a young age, their palates adjust to preferring those foods which is carried out to adulthood. The same rule applies when developing most habits. Learning at an early age that staying active is vital will give children the best chance at leading healthy and successful lives. Even as an adult, habits can be learned and broken. The benefit of swimming is that it encompasses all three elements of physical activity that can be advantageous to anyone: endurance, strength and flexibility.

Swimming Can Teach Great Team Building Skills

Swimming on teams or in classes allows for better team building skills to be developed. Swimmers learn to work together, build trust, communicate effectively, allow for open encouragement and can improve leadership skills. All of these skills can be translated and developed which can be utilized in the future for a wide range of real world skills such as finding and keeping jobs, maintaining strong professional relationships and character-building.

Swimming is a Heart-Healthy Activity

According to the Heart Foundation, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. Research indicates that aerobic activities can reduce overall inflammation that can decrease your risk for contracting heart disease. One hour of swimming laps vigorously can burn as much as 715 calories! Even engaging in a lower impact stroke such as the breaststroke for 30 minutes is estimated to burn approximately 367 calories surpassing running, cycling and walking!

Swimming is Good for Treating Asthma

According to an article published by ScienceDaily, a recent study was conducted where a group of children completed a six week swim program. The results showed that there were improvements in snoring, mouth breathing, ER visits and hospitalization. These results were observed a year after the program concluded. Asthma.partner.org states that swimming is the best exercise for asthma patients because the moisture from the water replaces the moisture expelled during vigorous breathing.

Swimming Requires Minimal Gear

Unlike most sports where lots of equipment is required, minimal gear is needed for a nice dip in the pool, ocean or lake. All you need are the skills you acquired to enjoy yourself.

Swimming Is a Skill That You Won't Forget

Similar to riding a bike or throwing a ball, you won’t forget the basics of swimming. Perhaps the fine details might slip away from you without practice but skills like floating, basic stroke movement and kicking stays with you for a lifetime.

Goodbye Stress, Hello Happiness

A survey of 4000 swimmers undertaken by Speedo states that, “74% agree that swimming releases stress and tension, 68% say that being in the water helps them to feel good about themselves and 70% feel mentally refreshed after swimming.” This can be compared to a “runner’s high”, thanks serotonin!

The deep breathing techniques used in swimming can also create a response similar to the relaxation achieved in yoga. Constant stimuli from the outside world can be overwhelming, but once you’re in the water you’re surroundings only compose of one thing: H2O.

Swimming Lessons Promote Good Learning Skills

Research suggests that the average person hears between 20,000 and 30,000 words during the course of a 24-hour period. People spend between 70% and 80% of their day engaged in some form of communication, and only about 55% of their time is devoted to listening.

Swimming lessons are wonderful in the sense that the instructor can verbally describe the objective, lead by example, alter the techniques or use analogies to relate swimming to something similar and the learner is then given the task of doing it on their own. Since there are 7 types of learning styles, this allows for the learner to absorb these skills this a multitude of ways

Swimming Develops Muscle Strength

The resistance of water can be 44 times greater than air, meaning you’ll have a more difficult time moving through it. This is why professional football players use a training method where they “run” in swimming pools. Swimming requires movement from your entire body to stay afloat. By exercising your body as a whole unit, this strengthens and tones all areas. This can benefit you in ways you wouldn’t expect, like your posture for example. Looking down your cell phone or working on a computer for hours on end can take a toll on your back. Swimming allows you to work out horizontally and involves a lot of arm movements. By having increased shoulder mobility and supportive muscles to hold you up correctly this can be a way to avoid rounded shoulders which is the cause for the infamous “texting posture.”

About the Author: Jennifer Rellora
My name is Jen and my cumulative experience with swimming, instructing and coaching totals to 7 years. I've worked with children and young adults as a babysitter and Sports medicine trainer and I also have 3 nephews that are 3, 8 and 10 years old who I enjoy spending time with outdoors. I'm currently a student at Mesa Community College earning my associates in Dietetics. What I love most about teaching swim is the ability to pass on such a vital skill to a child and watch them flourish.