02 May After school clubs, why choose swimming?
Football, Piano, Ballet, Art class, Rugby, Tennis – there are now so many fantastic clubs on offer after school and during the weekends, children are so busy! How do you choose which clubs to fit into your family’s hectic schedule?
Why swimming? Swimming lessons are not just a fun activity to break up the week but the best way to learn and practice AN essential life-skill that could save your child’s life.
Did you know that over 400 people drown each year in the UK? Drowning is actually the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 5 and 24. Most schools provide swimming lessons during the primary years, but recent research conducted by the ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) has revealed that 1 in 3 children leave primary school unable to swim. In 10 years this will equate to over 2 million children, unequipped to deal with a situation in which they would be required to swim.
Apart from being a life-saving skill, swimming is a highly beneficial sport for the following reasons:
- Swimming can be high intensity and low risk. The water supports your body, so whilst you are working almost every muscle, your bones and joints are under a lot less impact than if you were running. This low impact can be good therapy for some injuries and conditions and means that it is safe to swim in old age.
- Swimming regularly can maintain a healthy heart and lungs; it tones muscles and builds strength. It also improves co-ordination and can help with balance and posture. Swimming is both an aerobic and aerobic exercise, meaning it can be gentle and long distance, or a fast, high intensity workout.
- Whilst the physical benefits are clear, there is also evidence to prove that swimming can be beneficial to mental health, reducing stress and improving sleep. Learning to swim and to become a stronger swimmer can be a challenge and these challenges once accomplished can help children to become more self-confident and positive about their own abilities.
Once children can swim well, they have the opportunity to try other sports such as; sailing, rowing, canoeing, scuba diving and triathlon. Swimming is a skill that is rarely forgotten and provides children with the tools to maintain healthier lives as adults.
If you want to equip your child with this vital life-skill, make sure swimming lessons become part of their weekly routine – visit our website www.neilbaileyswimming.co.uk or contact us via office@neilbaileyswimming.co.uk