Many people practise different sports every day, knowing that the only way to stay fit mentally is to take care of their bodies. There are thousands of pieces of evidence and studies underlining the positive impact of the different athletic activities on the human body. In fact, the active way of life can significantly increase its length and quality. Sport is also the main weapon in the fight against the number one enemy of humanity today – overweight! There are hundreds of ways to stay fit, and swimming is one of the most efficient of all.
Why Swimming
Swimming is great for all ages and offers different styles to suit various personalities. Butterfly, backstroke, freestyle, and breaststroke can be practised indoors and outdoors. Swimmers can feel the benefits in a relatively short period of time, and they include:
- Health Improvement – builds endurance and strength, keeps your heart rate high, tones muscles, full-body workout, etc.;
- Relaxation – swimming is a peaceful form of exercising. It alleviates stress and allows you to apply a gentle therapy over different injuries;
- Body Improvements – flexibility, posture, coordination, balance, etc.
Swimming is also a great way to cool yourself down on hot days, and usually, there are plenty of facilities around. Let’s not forget the beaches, where swimmers can take the maximum of their vacation practising various water sports that could be dangerous for people unable to swim. But besides the numerous health and physical benefits, this type of sport can teach us priceless life lessons!
Lessons About Life
This may sound a little epic, but it’s actually true if you think harder. Sport fosters discipline and helps to acquire many other qualities that would be useful to us at work, at home and in communication with other people. Here are some of the lessons we can learn by simply swimming several times a week:
- Self-Discipline – a quality you can’t skip if you wish to be a good swimmer. Creating and following a routine is probably the hardest aspect of this sport for many people. Sometimes you’ll feel too exhausted and will want to stop, and that’s exactly where you must show your self-discipline and press the pedal even harder;
- Persistence – we are all tempted every day by small pleasures. They seem very attractive mostly in the moments we are busy. Persistence is not something we are born with! It is learned, but only in a difficult way, with a lot of hard work. Determination is what distinguishes ordinary swimmers from the best ones and could be really helpful in every aspect of our everyday lives;
- Confidence – sport, in general, is a great booster for your confidence. You feel stronger, better-looking, and filled with burning energy. Swimming can help increase belief in yourself dramatically, and this of its own will open many doors and unlock even more opportunities. Every workout in the pool or ocean is an achievement you can be proud of. You will gradually transfer the winning attitude in everything you do.
Although, for the most part, swimming is an individual sport, there are many reports showing that regular and disciplined swimmers are quite good at teamwork. According to the International Society Of Sports Nutrition, the selfishness often associated with swimming is absent. These lessons can’t be learned at school, but they can be acquired at a much earlier or later stage, depending on when you lit your passion for this sport.
Enjoy the Life
On top of all, swimming helps us also to enjoy every moment of our lives. It could be the escape plan from our stressful daily routine or just a source of relaxation. Moreover, according to the Research Gate portal, swimmers are less likely to have bad habits. The tones they have, thanks to constant sports, help them to avoid depressive states, as well as to have more stable immunity. Swimmers often practise other outdoor activities, such as running, cycling, and various team sports.
From another point of view, good swimmers can enjoy a part of the world that many people can’t. Diving and snorkelling may change your perception completely! A whole new world opens in front of you, inhabited by beautiful beings often curious as much as you are. It may sound a little scary, especially deep water diving, but if you are confident in your skills, you won’t ever notice that.
Never Neglect Safety!
Before closing the topic, we would like to point out the importance of safety. Never neglect it, no matter how good you are at swimming! Most cases of drowning in the open sea are by people who have solid swimming skills. However, you don’t have to deal with waves, underwater currents, and winds in the pool. Exhaustion or a simple muscle cramp at the wrong time can be catastrophic. Therefore, respect safety regardless of the prizes you have won from swimming competitions, especially when there’s nobody else with you.
Final Thoughts
Swimming is a wonderful way to stay in top shape, physically and mentally. It teaches us to be humble but confident, self-disciplined and persistent. It could be your shelter after a nerve-racking day at work or simply a place to be alone with yourself. Proper swimming techniques can help you heal certain muscle and joint injuries without putting too much pressure on those areas. The lessons we learn in the pool can be used in life to help us build a better career or a happier family. After all, happiness should be everyone’s ultimate goal!