Why swimming is so good for children and adults of all ages
Swimming is one of the most beneficial sports that not only develops the body, it is a great method of recovering from injuries. It is a good way to harden and effectively prevent various diseases.
In this article, we will tell you what is the difference between recreational and sports swimming, at what age you can start swimming and why it is so good for health from an early age.
Children’s swimming
You can start health-improving and hardening swimming for a child ten weeks after birth, because he still retains “water” reflexes.
For the first swims, a home bath is perfect. But it is better for parents to start swimming procedures with their child not on their own after watching videos on the Internet, but with the help of a qualified instructor.
There are instructors who conduct classes at home. The trainer will suggest the correct technique and basic exercises, which parents and their children will perform themselves at home.
When a young swimmer reaches the age of five months and the water area of the bath is likely to become small for him, training can be continued in the pool. At this age, children confidently hold their back and head, and also quickly get used to new activities and instructor advice.
The period from eight months to a year and a half is considered a difficult time for training. Kids become more capricious and it is difficult for them to quickly get involved in the training program. Because children’s attention is usually overloaded with other skills. They learn to sit, crawl more, begin to stand up and take their first steps, try to express emotions correctly and try new more adult food.
Swimming in the pool: children and parents
At an early age, some children are especially attached to their mother, they are afraid of other people, they may be afraid of the coach and the “big water” in the pool. But this does not mean that the road to the pool should be closed. You need to be patient, understanding that it may take a little more time for the child to get used to and adapt to swimming.
For young children from the age of five months, who are just discovering the skills of how to stay on the water, it is easier to train with their parents. Dad or mom, being in the pool bowl with their baby, under strict supervision, perform all the tasks and instructions of the coach. Swimming together with parents helps the child to get involved in the first workouts more easily, relieves stress, which is especially important at the initial stage when getting acquainted with the pool.
If the infant age has passed, it is never too late to start. Swimming can be taught at any age.
What you need to swim in the pool
Professional swimming
According to experts and coaches, the most optimal age for swimming classes in a professional section is from six to eight years old.
Yes, training from the age of three or five builds a good foundation for a future sports career. But it often happens that if you bring your child to the section too early, he can quickly get bored with classes in the pool. And then you will have to look for another sport where the child will go with pleasure.
Groups for professional swimming are most often recruited from the age of seven. Classes include regular training to improve technique in the main style directions, as well as building up volumes and developing endurance. Beginner athletes swim from three to five kilometers in one training session.
For general development, children comprehend the technique of all types of swimming, but later choose a certain style for further professional growth and future performances in competitions.
Types of swimming
Crawl
Translated from English, it means “to crawl”. This is the fastest, most dynamic and spectacular type of swimming (the name “freestyle” is often used). The left and right arms of the swimmer alternately make powerful strokes along the body, the legs are raked all the time for better forward movement. The athlete’s face is in the water and periodically turns to take a deep breath. Exhalation is made into the water.
Crawl can be used to swim on the chest and back. It perfectly develops the muscles of the whole body, endurance, makes the lungs and heart strong, and strengthens the circulatory system.
Breaststroke
A popular type of swimming, it is considered the slowest style. The name comes from the French brasse, translated into English – “to mix”. Arms and legs in this type alternately perform stroke movements to the sides of the body parallel to the line of the water surface, moving the body forward.
Butterfly
From the English word for “butterfly”, it is also known as “dolphin”. The movement of the arms, legs and body resembles the graceful movements of a butterfly in flight. This is the most energy-consuming style. It is characterized by high physical exertion for swimmers. It allows you to develop high speeds. And, accordingly, it requires an athlete to have a well-developed technique, endurance and strength.
Benefits of swimming
Swimming is one of the important and natural skills for humans. The sooner the child learns to confidently stay on the water and swim, the better. It will be much easier for parents to let their child go to the pond in the summer if they are sure that their child swims well.
Swimming has a huge number of advantages and has a beneficial effect on the human body. The main advantages of swimming:
- increases immunity;
- trains the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
- strengthens the musculoskeletal system;
- forms the correct posture;
- develops strength, endurance, coordination;
- contributes to the development of cognitive functions;
- reduces excitability and the impact of stress;
- is a guarantor of safety in critical situations on the water;
- increases the overall tone of the body;
- Uplifting.
Exercising in the water, especially at an early age, stimulates the areas of the brain that are responsible for cognitive functions. According to the results of research, children who are engaged in the pool from an early age are ahead of their peers in many disciplines at school, are well physically developed and confident in their abilities.
The ability to swim significantly reduces the risk of an accident on the water in the future. The child will behave correctly in an extreme situation, will not begin to panic, will always be able to get to the shore and help a drowning peer.
Regular swimming has a comprehensive positive effect on the child’s health, accelerates metabolic processes, increases appetite, relieves excessive muscle tone and helps to relax. At the same time, sleep and recovery processes improve.
Swimming harmoniously develops all muscle groups and makes the child mobile and energetic. This is one of the safest sports, in which it is almost impossible to get injured. Children who swim rarely get sick, the immune system trained in the pool and on summer reservoirs more easily resists viral diseases that so often lie in wait in the cold season of the year.
Regular swimming and a healthy lifestyle will help you confidently cope with stressful situations.
Before starting classes in the pool, you should consult a doctor and make sure that there are no contraindications that temporarily or even permanently close the way to the swimming sections.
Health and vigor at any age
People come to swimming at any age. From an early age, it will become a reliable contribution to future health. It is not for nothing that swimming is considered the most useful sport.
The absence of shock load on the joints and spine, as, for example, in martial arts or athletics, allows you to give your best in classes and harmoniously develop the body, the work of the internal systems of the body. Swimming eliminates bruises and fractures, which are not at all uncommon in popular sports.
Regular training in the pool over time will have a positive effect on studies and other areas of life. Swimming will make the child strong, agile and brave. And these qualities are so necessary to achieve great success in a future career. And even if the child does not follow the path of a professional swimmer, the benefits of swimming from childhood will be invaluable.
Many people discover the benefits of swimming in mature and even venerable years. It will help tighten muscles, get rid of excess weight, will be an excellent prevention for many diseases, will maintain good health, temper and strengthen the body. And most importantly, swimming will give you a charge of vivacity, which is sometimes so lacking for everyday activities.
