As Ireland’s Leading Swim Academy, for over 14 years, we have been teaching people all over Ireland the fun and life-saving skill of swimming. We are constantly researching and keeping up to date with best practise, whether its perfecting your technique, engaging your core or simply wearing your swim hat correctly, we have experts on all our decks ready to monitor, help and potentially save a life. Which brings us to today’s blog, how much do you really know about the benefits of swimming and its importance?

This article looks to provide you with the perfect introduction to the water. Not only will you learn about the benefits that swimming can have on your mind and body, I will also highlight its importance at various stages of your life. Maureen, our swim co-ordinator down in Aura Youghal will also share her thoughts on all aspects while providing you with an ideal beginner swim set that anyone can use. So let’s dive right into it.

Swimming for better health.

Swimming on a regular basis has amazing benefits for your body. It is an excellent form of exercise that can not only help you lose weight, but it can also help build stronger muscles as a result of its physical demands on the body. It is suggested that the average person can burn 500 calories from one hour of swimming.

Swimming can also be described as a low impact sport, which means that the motions of the exercise itself put minimal stress on bones and joints. Therefore the experts say it is ideal for injury recovery and rehabilitation. It is an aerobic exercise, which helps improve your overall fitness, stimulates your metabolism and essentially burns fat. Going for a 30-minute swim first thing in the morning on an empty stomach can be a great way of getting your body moving and your blood pumping. The perfect way to start your day.

The same can be said for the mental benefits of regular swim or just being active in general. Nothing beats feeling relaxed, carefree and at ease after a serious workout or swim session. It can be a great way of boosting your mental state as well as helping you get your mind off things if needs be. As with any form of regular exercise, swimming can be a great way to neutralise depression or anxiety.

Our swim co-ordinator Maureen from Aura Youghal leisure centre shares her thoughts:

“The benefits of swimming and aquatic sports both physically and mentally are endless. Not only is swimming a fantastic stress reliever it also has a great impact on your health. Swimming is a fantastic sport to start if you are new to fitness, or if you are recovering from an injury. While it is a fantastic workout it has a very low impact on your joints so there is a much lower risk of injury. Swimming has a great effect on the respiratory system and decreases the risk of heart attack.”

Get them started early.

Getting your kids started with swimming as early as possible is very important. You want to feel at ease when you’re sitting beside the pool in Barbados, sipping your sex on the beach, knowing your little ones are well capable and confident in the water.

At Aura we are proud to have Ireland’s best swim academy for kids that caters for all ages and abilities. Your child will not only create an understanding of the water, but they will also improve their confidence which is vital at such a young age. We believe learning to swim should be a fun process and that is implemented throughout our 10 levels of swim academy.

We also have Swim baby courses for babies aged as young as three months to introduce them to the water with qualified swim teachers in a safe and warm pool environment. Then, when they reach their terrible toddler’s it is time to move them onto Swim Tots. This is when they are ready to take the next step focusing on water awareness, confidence and safety to assist a smooth transition into the higher levels of swim academy if that is the next step you choose to take with them.

Could you save a life?

Unlike other sports, when you learn to swim you are learning a lifesaving skill, potentially becoming someone’s hero someday. In a recent survey carried out by Aura Leisure, 1/3 of people in Ireland don’t feel confident in the water. Those people may rely on you some day to save their life in the water. It’s a skill that we should all know the basics off. Remember, if you haven’t started, its never too early to learn a life saving skill.

We offer Adult lessons in each of our Aura sites, the feeling normally associated with adult swim lessons is intimidation or in some instances, embarrassment. However, you won’t be the only person there who is apprehensive about getting started. The mantra that “We are all in this together” couldn’t be more fitting when it comes to learning to swim. Because as humans we essentially rely on each other when potential danger may strike.

Dive in with Maureen’s beginner swim set

So, we’ve introduced you to the water by sharing the benefits and importance of swimming, but it’s now time to put the theory into practise. Maureen suggests that one of the main issues people have with swimming is that doing the same stroke, at the same speed, up and down the same pool becomes quite repetitive and boring.

“A great trick like with any workout is to mix up your exercise to keep it interesting. Change your stroke every second length, vary your speed and be creative with the equipment provided at your pool. Use pull buoys and kick boards, keep your sets interesting and introduce interval training to improve your speeds.”

She continues by suggesting that swimming can be a great way to check in with your body, to step back from the crazy day you are having and to just have a little “me time”. It is such a versatile sport that can benefit everyone of any shape, size or fitness level. From Aqua aerobics and swim galas, to synchronized dancing and water polo there is something for everyone! Not only is swimming a great source of exercise and fantastic for your mental health, it is also a life skill and something that everyone should have.”

Try out Maureen’s beginner’s swim set below and see if swimming is for you:

Warm up 10 minutes.

4 x 25m Back Stroke Easy

2 x 25m Front Crawl Kick with board

5 x 25m Front Crawl Sprint 1 min rest

2 x 25m Back Crawl (Utilise flags to know when to stop

4 x 25m Front Crawl Easy

Cool Down 10 minutes.

Vinny Pyper – Marketing Co-Ordinator

Published: 25/10/2019