Can you float in waters? Do you know swimming? If you can float in waters and you know swimming, then, it means that you have learnt swimming. Because swimming is an art to be learnt by man like riding a two wheeler, driving a car, skating, gliding, boating etc. Many animals will walk and run immediately after birth. And many birds will fly after some days. Some birds will learn flying from their mothers.
But man can walk and run on earth only some months after birth. It will take six to eight months for a baby to walk. Otherwise walking and running will be easy for man. But for floating and moving about in waters, man has to learn swimming. Without proper learning and practice man cannot float or swim in water.
Swimming:-
- Is a very good physical exercise, burning many calories
- Is a good Physical Exercise for Old aged people
- Helps easy movements of Joints
- Builds muscular Strength
- Improves Cardiovascular fitness
- Cools and refreshes body, especially in summer
There are many types of strokes of swimming:-
- Breaststroke
- Backstroke
- Butterfly
- Crawl/freestyle
The breaststroke and butterfly are more difficult to learn than the backstroke and crawl.
To swim the following items will be necessary:-
- Swimsuit:-To reduce the effect of chlorine in swimming pool water on skin
- Goggles:-To protect the eyes from the chlorinated water
- Bathing caps:- To protect hair from chlorinated water; and to reduce/avoid hair falling into the swimming pool. Bathing caps will be made of latex/ silicone/ neoprene /Lycra
Floating devices:-
- Kickboards:- Made of foam, helping to hold on and keep afloat
- Pull buoys:- are placed between the legs to keep the legs afloat without kicking so that the swimmer can work the upper body. Pull buoys help in building upper-body strength, endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. They will help the swimmer to swim slowly and deliberately without sinking.
- Other materials:- Fins/ Hand paddles/ Gloves/ Water dumbbells/ Noodle/ Aqua jogger/ Water treadmill
Benefits of swimming:-
Low impact of body weight on the floor:-
Because of floating impact on the swimmer’s body is less and stress and strain will be minimal in swimming compared to other floor exercises.
Cardio respiratory benefits of swimming:-
Swimming improves endurance. Oxygen consumption of swimmers increases, and heart becomes strong, because of swimming.
Builds muscle mass:– Swimming helps in building toned muscles without much strain.
Cooling of the body in summer:– Swimming is very good method of cooling the body in summer heat.
Swimming burns more calories:- Swimming helps in burning calories, next to running and cycling.
In schools swimming training to young students are provided in many modern schools.
Learn to swim; swim regularly and have the benefits of swimming.
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