Everyone knows that swimming is good and one of the best forms of physical exercise, working nearly every muscle in your body, including your heart and lungs. What most don’t realize, however, is that swimming is good for your soul. Time in the water has a unique ability to drown out the stress and noise of the world, allowing you to focus on the here-and-now, giving your mind a break from the constant bombardment of information it receives throughout the day. 

Even if you have never spent much time in the water before, everyone can learn to swim. The SSI Swimming program offers innovative techniques for people from all walks of life to learn this essential life skill. So grab your suit and goggles and read why going swimming is healthy for your body and your soul.

Top 10 reasons why swimming is good for your health and soul

Reason #1: Physical Fitness

Swimming is one of the best-known forms of exercise and great for developing the mind, body, and soul. It engages muscles throughout the entire body and is a great calorie burner. It keeps muscles toned and the heart and lungs healthy. Swimming is also an excellent way for those with injuries to stay in shape as it is not a high-impact activity and is easy on the joints.

Reason #2: Heart and Lung Health

As mentioned above, swimming develops extraordinary cardiovascular and respiratory fitness. Swimming works both of these essential organs and actually makes them stronger. It trains the body to use oxygen more efficiently and can lower your resting heart and breathing rate throughout your day.

Reason #3: Strength and Flexibility

Because swimming uses nearly every muscle in the body from the arms and legs to the core and back, you can become stronger just by swimming. Not only do these muscle groups get more robust, but since they elongate with every stroke and kick, they become more flexible as well. Having a stronger, more flexible body can reduce inflammation and joint pain for most people.

Reason #4: Explore the Aquatic World

 Water is everywhere. It covers more than 70% of the earth. Swimming is a great way to explore this aquatic world. As a swimmer, you can dive below the water’s surface and come face-to-face with all sorts of mysterious creatures, ancient shipwrecks, and jaw-dropping topography. Adding this sense of adventure to your life feeds the soul.

Reason #5: Practice

The art of practicing anything, from athletics to an instrument, is healthy for the mind. It keeps your brain sharp and more focused. Being a good swimmer requires good stroke technique. Developing good technique and efficient swim strokes can be a long-term and rewarding goal worthy of pursuing.

Reason #6: Gateway to Other Adventures

Swimming is the gateway to a large number of other exciting aquatic adventures. Becoming a good swimmer allows you to explore thrilling sports like surfing, freediving, and scuba diving. Good swimmers can even become mermaids and mermen with the SSI Mermaid program.

 Reason #7: Save a Life

Learning to swim and developing good swim skills can prevent drowning. Unfortunately, drowning is the number two cause of accidental death for young people every year. Learn to swim and a life. 

Reason #8: Discover a Career

Swimming is not the first thing most people think of as a career path. However, many successful jobs have their basis in swimming. Being a good swimmer can allow you to become a Lifeguard, which is a rewarding part-time summer job, or a full-time career. Pool, waterfront, and ocean lifeguards all prevent drownings and save lives. There are also excellent opportunities for strong swimmers to enter careers in the Coast Guard or Navy as rescue swimmers around the world.

Reason #9: Challenge

A great way to strengthen your health and soul is by entering the world of competitive swimming. Competitive swimming is one of the toughest challenges that a swimmer can love. It teaches personal inner strength, goal setting, and perseverance. Most competitive swimmers develop a lifelong love for swimming and being in the water. Children can start competitive swimming as early as five years old, and there are even adult (Masters) competitive swim programs.

Reason #10: Lets You Teach Others

 If swimming is good for the soul, then teaching swimming is magnificent for the soul. There is no better reward than teaching non-swimmers to swim and sharing a life skill that can change people’s lives. Become an SSI Swim Instructor or Lifeguard Instructor to take your swimming skills to a higher level.

Swimming is an essential life skill for young or old. Who doesn’t love jumping into the water on a hot summer day and splashing around? However, to actually enjoy the water, learning to swim is a process. Learning to swim opens up many water-related experiences like snorkeling or scuba diving in some of the most exotic locations in the world. So what are you waiting for? Increase the health of your body and soul by learning to swim today!

Source: image©istock/microgen

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