Swimming is more than a great way to cool off when it's hot, it's also a fun activity that helps you work out your whole body. If you don't know how to swim, or you want to brush up your skills, you'll want to take some lessons at your local pool. There, you'll master the basics to help keep your head above water.
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Pick out a swimsuit
that fits your style. If you plan to swim
competitively, you'll need a suit that is lightweight and stretchy. It
should also fit snugly so it won't slow you down when you're racing or
slip off as you dive into the water! A decent pair of goggles will
allow you to see where you are
going underwater without your eyes feeling itchy and irritated. They
even make prescription goggles so you can see underwater if you wear
glasses! If you're swimming outside, you'll want to prevent
sunburn with some sunscreen!
The Law of Gravity explains that what goes up must
come down. When
you're in the water, the higher you try to lift your head, the more
gravity will try to push you down. So, if you want to float, try to
keep yourself underwater and you will naturally float at the surface.
But if you lift your head, arms, or legs out of the water, you'll sink
right back down.
Our
bodies have a natural tendency to float — so go with it! Relax and
let the water support your body. Lie back with your arms stretched out
to the side. Turn your palms up and keep the backs of your hands in the
water. Arch your back, stretch out your legs (some gentle kicking will
help you float easier), and take short breaths to stay relaxed.
Floating is a great way to rest, or rest while you call for help if you
don't have enough energy to swim to shore or the side of a pool.
Treading water. Another way to keep afloat is to tread
water. Get into the water and pretend you are gently riding a bicycle,
with your back straight and your arms straight out in front of you.
Sweep your arms together with your palms facing down and in. Then,
sweep them back out with your palms facing down and away from each
other.
Now that you know how to keep your head above the water, try swimming
with your head below water!
Breathe in as much air as you can and then let
it
all out, take one more breath and hold it, and slide under the water.
(Even though it seems like taking lots of quick breaths before going
underwater could help you, doing that is called "hyperventilating" and
it can actually make you pass out underwater. Not good!)
Stretch out
your body with your legs together and your arms straight out a little
bit above your head. Pull your legs up then kick them apart to start
gliding. Next, bring your legs together and kick in a scissor motion to
move around. While you kick, put your arms out to your sides and push
them back towards your legs. Glide as far as you can, and then come
back up when you need a breath. Try to stay relaxed and don't push
yourself too far. The more you practice, the stronger your lungs will
become.
Once you've got the basics, to be a strong swimmer and
enjoy lots of water activities, you might enjoy learning the
backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and butterfly! Swimming requires
good arm strength and strong legs as well. So start building muscles and endurance if
you want to excel in swimming! Do some strength training several
times a week. Resistance training with will help you sculpt a leaner,
slimmer body and get in you great shape for swimming!
Always take time to properly warm up before swimming. Take a few
minutes stretching yur arm and leg muscles!
After
you finish be sure to spend a few minutes cooling down. Top off
your workout with
some easy stretches. Take care of your muscles and make
stretching a part of every workout.
Swimming
is a perfect low impact exercise! And you'll burn a whole
bunch
of calories while you're at it Swimming and water aerobics require less
stress on your joints so they are excellent exercise for seniors.