Everyone should learn to swim!
Why you say?
Everyone should learn to swim!
Learning to swim is a vital life skill. Unfortunately, lots of us are missing out. Did you know that just over a quarter of the British population cannot swim to a primary school standard? The national curriculum requirement for all primary school children is to be able to swim 25m (the length of most public swimming pools) unaided.
While there are many benefits of learning to swim, we know that learning from passionate and experienced instructors can make a world of difference. With the right instructor and individualised attention, swimming isn’t scary, it’s empowering.
So why learn to swim? Whether you’re an adult, a child, or simply young at heart – the benefits of swimming extend far beyond water safety – vitally important as that is.
We hope our top 10 benefits of swimming inspire you to take the plunge…
In this section:
Good for mental health
The valuable mental benefits of swimming and exercise are often overlooked but extremely important! Swimming, like most exercises releases endorphins and improves mood. It is also a great way to relieve stress and anxiety – it can redirect the mind away from troubling thoughts to make you feel relaxed.
Lots of fun
People tend to get bored with repetitive exercise but there are many ways to keep swimming interesting. There are several strokes to master and various bits of equipment to work different areas of your body like kickboards, pull-buoys or foot fins. There are also many classes and competitions to add variety – for example, water aerobics, water polo, racing or diving. You might even want to try SWIMTAG – our free wearable swim tracker that measures your progress and lets you challenge yourself and others!
Our lessons follow Swim England’s Learn to Swim Framework, allowing you to build water confidence with a structured programme while having fun!
Full-body work out
Swimming is a brilliant full-body workout! It engages and tones all your muscles and helps to lose and manage weight – the harder you work, the more calories you burn. There is no need for fancy equipment or weights – a good workout can be done with just your body and the resistance of the water.
Inclusive
Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, swimming allows you to go at your own pace and is therefore perfect for newcomers. As swimming is a low impact exercise, it's also good for people with injuries or conditions like arthritis. Water supports the muscles and joints when you want to ease yourself into gentle exercise.
Opens up opportunities
Learning how to swim can open many different doors. It creates possibilities to discover water sports like kayaking, water skiing, surfing, canoeing, sailing or snorkelling for example.
Swimming also opens up employment opportunities. You could become a lifeguard or swim teacher, or maybe something more adventurous like a dolphin trainer or underwater photographer! The world really is your oyster once you learn how to swim…
Inexpensive or free
Once you’ve mastered it, swimming is an activity you can enjoy for very little outlay (if anything) at beaches and pools all over the world. In public waters such as rivers and lakes, the cost is zero. At Places Leisure, there’s the option to pay-as-you-go or we offer a variety of memberships to suit everyone’s circumstances and budgets, which give you access to all our facilities, not just swimming.
More holiday options
Once you’ve learnt to swim, you might decide it’s time to discover all those far-flung places that were previously off limits – Maldives anyone? You may always have fancied an ocean or river cruise but chosen not to because of being unable to swim. Even holidaying in the UK – with a coastline of approximately 7,700 miles – opens up a world of exciting staycations for water lovers.
Learn at any age
One of the great things about swimming is that you can learn however old you are. It’s true it’s better to start younger, since children are more adaptable and easily pick up new skills, but really if you’re determined to learn to swim as an adult, there’s nothing stopping you.
At Places Leisure, our adult swimming lessons follow the Swim England adult swim framework, facilitated by our friendly swim teachers who will support you all the way.
Great for children
Swimming is particularly good for children, since it’s a low-impact exercise that strengthens muscles and builds cardiovascular health without overtaxing their growing bodies. Besides being a fun and enjoyable way to develop a lifelong love of staying active, learning to swim can also boost confidence and build friendships.
The benefits of infant swimming include improved motor skills and balance along with healthy cognitive and emotional development.
Skill for life
Of all the benefits of swimming, the most important is that it’s a skill for life
According to the World Health Organisation – every day, about 10 people die from unintentional drowning. It's the sixth leading cause of unintentional death for people of all ages, and the second cause of death for children aged 1 to 14 years.
Learning to swim for your safety gives you the skills and confidence to survive potentially life-threatening situations and perhaps even save someone else’s life as well. What could be better than that?
*Excludes Inflatable Sessions at all centres, and Fun Sessions at Pavilions In The Park, Romsey Rapids Sports Complex and The Triangle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the mental benefits of swimming?
From elevating your mood to helping you sleep better, there are so many mental benefits associated with swimming.
By focusing on your movements and breathing, you can actively calm your nervous system, which in turn can reduce feelings of stress and overwhelm. It’s even been suggested that swimming can help treat conditions such as anxiety, PTSD and depression. Learning to swim is in itself a great accomplishment, which can boost your self-esteem.
Read more about how swimming can improve your mental health.
What are the social benefits of swimming?
Great friendships can be formed at the pool, whether during lessons, swim sessions or even on holiday. In the increasingly popular world of wild swimming, like-minded individuals are coming together to form supportive Communities based on shared enjoyment and encouragement.
For those who swim competitively, skills such as teamwork and communication naturally come into play, with many participants acknowledging an increase in confidence as well.