Swimming Tips for Beginners
Swimming is one of the most profitable exercises you could do. It simply involves staying afloat on water and propelling your body through it. Swimming is a great way to exercise your entire body at the same time and is a sports discipline in its own right. But before you can become a pro swimming athlete, you must first learn the basics. In this article, I’ll get you started with swimming with some great tips to make your swimming experience go as smoothly as possible.
Learning how to swim for the first time may be frightening whilst you do not know what you’re doing. Don’t fret though – there are things you can do to make learning how to swim less daunting. And once you get the hang of it, swimming can really be a breeze!
Getting Started
If you’re swimming for the first time, start with shallow water so you easily get up if you need to. Hold firmly onto the edge of the swimming pool or a flotation tool and start by lightly kicking your legs up and down inside the water. Then, whilst you’re secure, try floating on your lower back and kicking together with your legs to move around. Flip over, laying your stomach and repeat the same thing, but this time stretch your hands out forward one by one and do simple strokes to swim through the water. For more swimming tips, keep reading!
Get rid of fear
First of all, a whole lot of people are unable to master swimming because they are just too terrified of drowning. To be honest with you, the first time you get into a pool, it might be a bit of an experience, but fear will limit you. Although drowning is possible, it is easily preventable if you take the right steps. Studies show that most of such cases have been prevented by simple protection measures. Comply with these tips every time you practice swimming, and your odds of drowning will lower to zilch:
Avoid swimming alone
When you’re new to swimming, avoid swimming alone. Always practice with a swim guide or any person who’s a good swimmer, or even several people. This is critical because if anything goes wrong, you will have someone to rescue you. Swimming is serious business, and safety must be applied at every step of the learning process. A swimming pool with a lifeguard is typically a great area to learn how to swim. Lifeguards are trained to rescue drowning swimmers from the water in as little as six seconds.
Swim in a depth you can handle
‘Never test the level of water with both feet.’ Remember that saying? Well, it sort of applies to learning how to swim. Whilst you’re new to swimming, do not enter into water that is too deep for you to stand up in. That way, if something goes wrong, you can easily stand up and breathe. Many adventurous new swimmers would like to show off to their friends that they’re good at swimming by venturing into deeper parts of the pool. This is a huge mistake, because you can easily get overwhelmed by the feeling of being in a deep pool if you have not developed your skills well enough to handle it.
If you find yourself in deeper parts of the pool, don’t fret. Always remember that you have a rescue option if you’re in the deep water because you can simply float on your back. If you become overwhelmed, don’t begin flailing around or start taking short breaths; simply lie on your back as straight as you can, and allow the water support your weight while you regain your control.
Don’t swim in the cold!
Avoid swimming in adverse weather conditions. Swimming in a light rain shower may be pleasant, but in case you see or hear a storm drawing close, get out of the water at once. This rule is must be followed regardless of how well you know how to swim. Don’t swim in water that is too cold. Extra cold water can make your body lethargic. The low temperature of the water can make your arms and legs stiff and all of a sudden you’ll find yourself struggling to move through the water. Swimming during the heat of the afternoon or cool of the evening will keep your body temperature down, but still, give your limbs sufficient warmth to be flexible.
Do not start off in moving water
In the event that you’re learning to swim in a river, you’ll need to be extra conscious of the direction of the water current. If you absolutely must learn to swim in this environment, make sure you do so with a person who is an expert swimmer in deeper waters, and make sure the person teaches you how to get out of a riptide. Often times, when people swim in moving water they have to propel their body opposite to the water current (for example, Surfers) and might encounter a riptide. Learning to swim in a river or ocean is generally not ideal for beginners.
Wear goggles
Using a pair of goggles will allow you feel more comfortable to open your eyes underwater and may even help you see more clearly. You can get a pair of goggles with porous circles across the eyes and dip them in a little water so that they stick to your skin. Tighten the goggle straps around the lower back of your head so that it fits your face firmly.
If necessary ask for help
If you find yourself stuck, call out to a lifeguard or friend nearby. Don’t be ashamed to shout ‘help!’ as quickly as possible. However, don’t cry out for help as a prank to your friends. Doing so might make them ignore your calls when you are genuinely in trouble.
Last Words
Swimming is a great way to spice up your workout routine because it is a full body exercise. Did you know that 30 minutes of swimming can replace cardio like running or using a treadmill? If you want to keep fit and build a perfect body frame and have fun in the process, get into the pool!
