FAQ
What are the advantages of swimming?
What do you need for swimming?
What are various swimming techniques?
Can an adult learn to swim if they never learned as a child?
How does a pool temperature affect someone’s swimming ability?
What are recommended maximum pool water temperatures?
What are physical and psychological benefits of swimming as a therapy?
Why isn't there more organized swimming lessons for disadvantaged persons?
What are the advantages of swimming?
There are many well documented physical and psychological benefits associated with exercises and physical activity. Swimming causes an increase in your heart rate making you fitter. It exercises both your upper and lower body improving strength. You tone up your legs and arms and heart rate becomes better equipped for events such as running. Another advantage of swimming is that it has low impact on the body unlike running, or other forms of exercises on land, thus reducing physical stress on the body. That is why swimming lends itself so well to people with physical disability or injury, making the movements possible that would otherwise be difficult or impossible on land.
back to the top
What do you need for swimming?
You need very little. Proper attire: speedo or swimming trunks, and a towel. If you have sensitive ears and/or eyes you can get ear plugs and/or swimming goggles. If you have long hair you may want to tie it or ware a swimming cap.
What are various swimming techniques?
Butterfly Stroke: it is the toughest and the most exhausting swimming stroke, encompassing windmill like arm movements and dolphin kick. While performing this stroke competitively, the swimmer should avoid underwater swimming.
Backstroke
One advantage of this style lie in the ease of breathing since the nose and mouth remain out of the water. The head is carried by the water, making the muscles of the spine and neck more relaxed. The movements are similar to the crawl. The legs are stretched out, feet move up and down and the arms are moved in similar manner to crawl. The head should not be lifted on the chest, because of the strongly increased stress on the cervical spine.
Breast Stroke: this is one among the different swimming strokes that involves arm movements on the front side, from your head to shoulder level. It is the frog kick that can be associated with this stroke. The swimmer should keep his/her head above the water surface, while carrying out this swim stroke.
Crawl: flutter kick and alternating over arm movements are the features that characterize crawl-swimming stroke. While doing crawling, the swimmer has to keep his head in the water, alternating the face side.
Dog paddle: it is one of the simplest swimming strokes, making use of modified flutter kick. In dog paddling, your forward motion takes place with your arms underwater. Usually it is the first swimming technique learned by new swimmers.
Can an adult learn to swim if they never learned as a child?
Absolutely yes; swimming can be learned at any age. Adults can however have a tougher time as we are more in tune with our muscles and how our bodies move and function. Water is a non gravitational environment so we are more likely to become tenser which can affect our ability to swim competently. The more time you spend in the water the more your body will get used to the new environment and the faster you will learn.
How does a pools temperature affect someone’s swimming ability?
If the water is too cold it can cause muscles to tighten making it difficult to swim. On the other hand if the water is too hot it cause muscles to overheat get tired.
What are recommended maximum pool water temperatures?
Competitive swimming & diving; Fitness swimming, Training: 27 deg C
Recreational, Adult teaching; Conventional main pools: 28 deg C
Children’s teaching; Leisure pools: 29 deg C
Babies; Young children; Special Needs: 30 deg C
What are physical and psychological benefits of swimming as a therapy?
1. Under the correct supervision, swimming is practically a low risk form of therapy for special needs persons. Water’s buoyancy relieves stress normally placed on muscles by gravity, giving a person a grander range of motion and coordination. Such environment gives person a chance to build muscles and improve coordination. Added effect is that the sensation of water on the body is also good for neurological development.
2. Swimming is considered to be safer than land based physical therapy because there are no hard surfaces in the pool for the person to fall and hurt themselfs on. As long as there is a qualified swim therapist present the water will prove to be a safe environment.
3. Another goal of using swimming as therapy for with special needs persons is to increase independence. Increasing their independence can increase their self-confidence. That self-confidence can lead to a better quality of life.
4. Social integration has been one of the important effects of swimming as therapy witnessed at the swimming group in Velenje Slovenia. Kids that were participating in the program regularly according to their parents started socializing more in school and outside environment, not only amongst themselves but with the general public as well.
Participate in courses such as Halliwick. In Slovenia the courses are organized several times per year. More about courses at International Halliwick Association
Why isn't there more organized swimming lessons for disadvantaged persons?
There is a lack of educated and experienced trainers
In my location there is no swimming course for disadvantage people. What can we do to improve situation?
Attend a certified training course in your region. For more information go here International Halliwick Association