About half of American adults could likely improve upon their basic swimming skills, and in warm-weather states like Arizona, where almost everyone has a pool, it is a necessity. The reality is most Americans overestimated their swimming skills and don’t know how to swim as well as they think. About 80 percent of adults said they could swim, but, only about half of them could perform basic “water competency” skills necessary for survival in the water.
That said, it is never too late to learn how to swim! If your kids are gearing up for swimming lessons and you think you could also benefit, enroll yourself in swim lessons for adults to improve your swim skill game. Learning how to swim , especially for adults who have children of their own, is a great idea.
Help Your Child Learn Themselves
For those with a fear of swimming, swimming lessons for adults will ultimately provide a huge confidence boost. Simply eliminating the fear of the water can provide you with a lot of self-assurance, and your kids will notice, too! For kids, learning to swim goes beyond swim lessons. To really make the skills they learn in class stick, they need to practice outside of class. Having a parent or guardian who can get in the water with them and be able to safely and confidently monitor their kids swimming is a huge benefit.
Bond with Your Child
Teaching your child how to swim is a great bonding experience for the both of you. Being able to guide your child through the process of learning to swim will create meaningful memories to last a lifetime. And when the warmer months come around you can enjoy play time in the pool or on vacation at the beach with your child to get the most out of the special relationship you have with your kids.
Practice What You Preach
You’ve already acknowledged the importance of learning how swim by signing your little one up for swim lessons, but think about it: are you practicing what you’re preaching? If not, consider furthering your swimming education by enrolling in adult swim lessons. Taking this step will model positive behavior around water for your kiddos and will make you the ideal safety role model!
Great Workout at Any Age
One of the greatest benefits of swimming is that it is a low impact workout, which is great for your joints and bones – and it is far gentler on your body than running or hiking. Swimming is a full-body resistance workout: you must constantly push yourself through the water, which in turn helps you to build strength, flexibility and muscle mass. Every major muscle group in your body will have to work, and that means more calories burned!
Aside from the safety that comes from knowing how to get around in the water, swimming is a great low-impact workout that will increase your cardiovascular fitness. Your lungs will become more efficient and blood flow will improve throughout your body. As with any aerobic exercise, your resting heart rate will improve, and you can also decrease your blood pressure.
Lifelong Life Saving Skill
Getting acclimated to the water and learning the fundamental aspects of swimming can save your life. Acquiring important skills to be in the water for a sustained amount of time through building endurance is a lifesaving skill. Being a strong swimmer is not only a safety measure for yourself but for your kids. You will be able to confidently monitor in and around water and give you a peace of mind.
So while you’re child may be learning to swim and you wishing you knew how, just remember that it’s never too late to start!
