Swimming Lessons can make a difference in anyone's life!
Water is one of the important elements needed for the existence of life on our planet. With more than 75% of the Earth being covered by water, it not only is home to aquatic life but also provides a sufficient supply of fresh water for sustaining life on land. Apart from being a significant contributor to sustain life, water is a source of fun for animals and human beings alike. Swimming pools, water parks and even still water lakes are great for taking a dip on a hot day but also provides exercise and a way to replenish one’s body and mind.
Swimming has been a common activity among humans throughout civilization. Swimming dates back to ancient civilizations such as Egyptian and Mesopotamian, where evidence of people breast stroking in the water was documented in rock paintings. These paintings were dated to be over 10,000 years old and were found in a cave in southwest Egypt. It is called “Cave of Swimmers”, located near Wadi Sura.
Competitive swimming started in the 1830s and in 1896 was introduced as an Olympic sport in the Athens games.
Water is a great way of eradicating stress and improving health, it is also a great way of eliminating heart diseases and sustaining a quality of life.
Swimming lessons for children of all ages at Hudson Valley Swim
Swimming is one of the most popular and healthy activities in the world. It is an excellent activity for recreation, fitness and also for safety. Swimming is a low impact sport which means while performing this physical activity, the body’s joints don’t experience any impact due to the water so the strain on the joints is minimized. It actually serves as a full body workout since almost every major muscle group is are utilized when swimming.
Swimming serves as an effectual recreational activity. It is undoubtedly one of the only activities which attracts and engages people of all ages. It also serves as an excellent way to remain active without straining your body due to its low impact nature. And of course, nothing beats a dip in the water on a hot day!
Avid swimmers look to the water as a great physical workout and sometimes take these workouts to a competitive level. The chief objective of a competitive swimmer is to increase their speed in the water by streamlining their strokes and perfecting their breathing and turns.
Needless to say, safety is one of the main reasons that children take lessons and in many cases adults as well. People who take swim lessons inherently do so to learn survival skills when in the water. By taking swim lessons, children and adults gain a healthy respect for the water. Besides learning safety jumps, flotation, various swim strokes and building their stamina, often students learn what is appropriate given the water depth and visibility as well as how to handle other conditions such as when there are riptides. Ultimately, by taking swim lessons, the student will build confidence in the water so that they can stay safe and avoid accidents or dangerous situations.
While stepping into swimming classes, the student may incur several challenges like relaxing in the water, overcoming a fear or phobia of water, putting their face in the water, learning how to breathe, coordinating their arms and legs, etc.
However, the student need not worry about all this as all of it takes time. Swimming is a skill that cannot be learned or mastered in just a couple of weeks as it is a learning process. This is why swim programs should have classes year-round. Expecting a student to master their skills in a few summer weeks is unrealistic. Additionally when taking lessons, the class size is very important especially for younger students.
Do your research when selecting a swim program. There are many facilities that offer classes of many types but is swimming where their expertise is? Selecting a swim lesson program from a facility that specializes in swimming, utilizing very experienced instructors who have a breadth of experience working with infants, adults, competitive and special needs is likely going to have huge payback on the quality of lesson provided. Additionally taking swim lessons from a program where their classes are small will be your best bet in most cases, even if the price is a little higher for the lessons. Getting started early with swimming. It is fun but most importantly it is a safety necessity!
Swimming lessons save lives! Help prevent drowning
Dry drowning is a rare form of drowning which occurs after a someone breathes in water, usually during a struggle such as a near-drowning. This water causes the muscles in the airway to spasm. This person, often a child, who just had a close call in the water can seem otherwise normal as they walk around. This is however very rare and only results in no more than 2% of drowning cases annually.
Dry drowning is a rare form of drowning which occurs after a someone breathes in water, usually during a struggle such as a near-drowning. This water causes the muscles in the airway to spasm. This person, often a child, who just had a close call in the water can seem otherwise normal as they walk around. This is however very rare and only results in no more than 2% of drowning cases annually.
In Secondary Drowning, the person usually consumes water (as opposed to breathing it in). The water then builds up in the lungs which causes trouble breathing. It too amounts to no more than 2% of annual drownings.
While Dry and Secondary Drownings are rare, it is still important to recognize the symptoms following a near-drowning incident. The three warning signs parents must look for are:
All these three signs of dry drowning are due to a reduced flow of oxygen to the brain. Doctors advise monitoring your children thoroughly after water exposure, looking for the above symptoms.
To clarify, difficulty breathing is outside of the norm related to asthma or allergies and extreme tiredness is beyond what is caused by spending lots of time in the water and the sun.
Remaining vigilant at least for a day after a close call in water, even if your child appears normal with no symptoms at all is the best thing you can do. If you ever suspect your child has any of the signs of dry drowning, or the child begins to exhibit any unusual behavioral or respiratory symptoms, it is urgent that you seek medical attention immediately and that your child is monitored for the next 24 hours.
Swimming lessons help children overcome their fear of water
Is bath-time a battle with your little one? Do they panic if you try to bring them to the pool? Have you wondered how to help your child overcome fear of water? A fear of the water is quite common with young children. Most kids will outgrow this fear on their own. However, it can be a difficult stage for parents to wait out. If your child has developed a fear of water, there are things you can do to help them overcome it. Here are a few tips to help your child if he or she is afraid.
The first tip to remember is to not push them too hard. Their fear is real to them so be respectful of their emotions. Also, if you are nervous or anxious about the situation, your kids may notice and think there’s reason to be scared.
Swimming and splashing around is supposed to be fun. Find ways to introduce water-related activities into your schedule that are non-threatening to your child. They may enjoy playing with water toys at a toddler water table or running around in the sprinklers. Start with activities they take pleasure in so they establish a more positive relationship with the water. Even though they may not go near a pool just yet, they may learn it’s OK to be splashed or get their face wet.
It is important to praise your child when they make progress. Give your child some reassurance that they are safe and that you are nearby. Tell them that you are sure they will succeed with practice.
Your child is more likely to buy in if they get to make some of the decisions. Bring them to the store and let them pick out their bathing suit. Let them decide if they would rather go to the beach or just stick their feet in the pool. Allow them to bring their favorite water toy to the pool. The more involved your child is in the decision making and preparation, the more likely they will be to participate once they get there.
Learning to swim can make your child less fearful of the water. It may be best to start with an individual or small group setting so your child is not overwhelmed. It’s also important to notify the swim instructor of your child’s fear to make sure the experience is fun and safe. Look for qualified instructors who have experience working with kids with a fear of the water.Hopefully this post has provided some practical tips on how to help your child overcome fear of water. Most of all, you should consider enrolling your child in swimming lessons such as those provided by Hudson Valley Swim.
Often it is best for adults learning to swim to do so in group or private classes.Often it is best for adults learning to swim to do so in group or private classes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 37% of adults cannot swim the length of a recreational pool. Adults—including those who are able to swim—make up more than 70% of drowning deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the CDC.
Adults may have skipped the whole swim thing as they were growing up for many reasons. Maybe there was no access to a pool locally. Maybe it wasn’t an activity their parents felt was necessary. Maybe their parents felt that the best way to keep their child safe is to stay away from the water. Maybe they instilled their own fear of the water into their children. Maybe the adults had an incident in the water that terrified them. Teaching late learners tends to take longer and requires different techniques than those used with children.
Adults can be impatient, especially when they need to learn core swimming skills that they do not feel is “swimming”. Floating, breathing, forming aquatic lines and kicking are all composite skills that lead to the next step they are looking to minimally achieve. And when they are learning these core skills, adults can also feel embarrassed, especially as the 5 year-old in the next class is swimming past them. Often it is best for adults learning to swim to do so in group or private classes that are taught in the off hours where tiny eyes are not looking at them.
Why is it so important for adults to learn? Here are a few reasons:
When looking for adult swimming lessons, make sure that the program offers instructors who have experience working with adults of all abilities. This includes adults who are afraid of the water. Talk to other adults who have taken lessons. Are they happy with their progress? How long did it take for them to swim independently with confidence? How much did it cost? How many other adults were in the class? Does the program have availability in the off-hours to fit your needs? Will you be swimming with teens or with other adults?
These are just some of the questions to consider when selecting a program to fit your needs.
Children of all ages should take swimming lessons.
Swimming is an exciting and fun activity for you and your little stars, but in a flash it can turn lethal if you don’t educate and supervise them whenever they are in or around the water.
As a parent there are many protection and precaution plans you can take to make water game a fun and safe activity for you and your family. Though we can’t avoid the essence of protection and precaution, the most important thing that really makes a great sense for Water Safety is enough education and strong supervision.
Careful Supervision Is Paramount.
Education Is The First Step.
With the help of credible swimming lessons and a few “rules of the water”, you can prevent drowning and other accidents and make swimming a fun and safe activity! Happy swimming!
Swimming is fun when children feel confident in the water!
Swimming is the most loved but demanding summer activity by all age groups. Just like many other activities, swimming also has a downside. It is called drowning! Every year in the US, 4,000 people die because of they do not know water safety or how to swim at all. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional death worldwide, and it is 5th overall in the US. This is scary!
The best thing you can do to prevent drowning is to learn about water safety. We have compiled a list that you and your family should seriously follow:
To understand these water safety tips more practically, you should consider taking swimming classes. If you are looking for swimming classes for you or your children in NY, you can make use of internet. Try to find the most suitable swimming schools using advice we have published here. The water is a fun and healthy environment for you and your children, as long as you respect the dangers as well.
Swim lessons are important for everyone no matter what age or level they are at.
When you are looking for swimming lessons, there are many factors to consider to help you choose the right program. Here, we have assembled some of the important factors to help you determine what is best for your children and for yourself.
After reading the above, you now have some insight into things that you may not have considered when you decided to look for swimming lessons. Do your research and ask questions before you take the leap. Ask friends who have had their own children in lessons. Price is far from the deciding factor.
Prevent drowning with swim lessons
Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States.
According to the CDC, factors such as access to swimming pools, the desire or lack of desire to learn how to swim, and choosing water-related recreational activities may contribute to the racial differences in drowning rates. Note that available rates are based on population, not on participation. If rates could be determined by actual participation in water-related activities, the disparity in minorities’ drowning rates compared to whites would be much greater!!!!!!!
With these facts in mind, it seems ever more important to find a good program for you and your children to take swimming lessons such as those provided by Hudson Valley Swim.
Start infants with swimming lessons as young as six months.
When your baby is 5-6 months old, you can join a parent-child swimming class such as the Pollywog class taught by Hudson Valley Swim. You'll be in the water with your baby during these classes, which are opportunities for them to be around other babies and become comfortable in the water – not learn true swimming skills. Your child probably won't be developmentally ready for formal swim lessons until approximately age 3.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says classes for children younger than 3 can be enjoyable and helpful but warns that many parents may become overly confident about how much their child learns in these classes. The AAP advises that an adult be within arm's length – close enough to touch – whenever infants and toddlers are in or near water.
At Hudson Valley Swim, we feel that your child is ready to take swim lessons on their own when they’re able to listen to an instructor for the whole class and follow their directions. Your child should also be comfortable around water before taking swim lessons solo – if they hate bathing or haven’t been around the water much, it might be a good idea to take them to an age-appropriate parent-child class first.
Feel free to ask if you can observe a class before you join. The instructors should run a well-organized class and clearly demonstrate what they're asking parents to do (how to hold a child in the water, for example). There should be a lifeguard on duty at all times.Other things to look for: A warm pool, which makes getting in much more comfortable, and a class with no more than 10 parent-child pairs – so you can hear the teacher and have plenty of room to play in the pool.