PHYSICAL EDUCATION 3

SWIMMING AND AQUATICS

PRELIMINARY TERM
LESSON 2

AQUATIC ACTIVITY HEALTH BENEFITS

All exercise has a range of health benefits, from helping to prevent or control many health conditions to
controlling weight and improving mood and energy level. Water-based exercise programs are a fun way to bring variety
into your exercise routine while taking full advantage of the benefits this new physical activity can bring. Here are several
reasons you should take your workout to the pool.

1. It Builds Strength
Take a moment to think about water. While it might be abundantly obvious that water is thicker than air, many
people don't stop to think about what that means when it comes to fitness. Essentially, every direction you move every
stroke, kick, twist, and turn requires you to move against the water's resistance.
To swim or to jog a mile in the water takes much longer than walking or jogging a mile on land. This is because
swimming a mile is much more difficult due to the constant resistance the water provides. As you work against the
resistance, your muscles develop and grow stronger, especially when you're pushing yourself to improve.

2. It's Easy on the Joints

Swimming and other aquatic exercises are incredibly easy on the joins. These low- to no-impact, non-weight-
bearing activities make it possible for those who are overweight, pregnant, injured, or experiencing chronic joint pain to
comfortably move in the pool. It's these same factors that make aquatic exercise accessible to populations who might not
be able to ride a bike, go for a jog, or lift weights. And, because swimming involves very little joint strain, it also carries a
low risk of injury. While you might roll an ankle on a walk or pull a muscle during Cross Fit, you're unlikely to
experience sports-related injuries when going for a swim, especially if you're engaging in swimming for fitness, rather
than pursuing it as a competitive sport.

3. It's Good for Flexibility

Flexibility is one of the five components of fitness, and it's one that’s often ignored. The thing about flexibility is
that it becomes especially important as you age. This is because poor flexibility can limit range of motion and mobility,
reducing balance and coordination, which can ultimately contribute to falls. Water exercise is an easy and effective way to
enhance flexibility because of the unique environment that water provides. Think about it: The buoyancy provided by
water enables you to move in ways you might not be able to move on land. For instance, you might be able to perform a
flip turn in the water, but few adults can actually perform a similar flip on land. Likewise, you can move into stretches
either standing in the shallow end, or suspended in the water while using a tool (such as a pool noodle) - that you might
not be able to master on land. This makes it possible for even those with stiff muscles and joints to slowly improve their
flexibility and regain full range of motion. Just keep in mind that warmer water is better for enhancing flexibility because
it helps to keep muscles pliable. Look for classes, such as water yoga or the Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, that
take place in warm-water pools to maxımize your experience.

4 It Torches Calories
It's a myth that water exercise can't lead to weight loss water exercise is actually a calorie-torching activity.
According to the MyFitnessPal calorie burn calculator, a 150-pound individual can expect to burn between 200 to 350
calories in 30 minutes of swimming, depending on intensity. Likewise a 150-pound water jogger can burn 272 calories in
30 minutes - the exact me amount he or she could expect to burn while jogging a 12-minute mile pace or land.
The real beauty of aquatic exercise is that even though it burns calories at a rate similar to that of other aerobic
activities, it often feels easier. This is d in part to the naturally cooling effect of water - you simply don't feel as hot and
sweaty as you do on land and the fact that water exercise tends to be enjoyable. It’s easy to overlook how hard you're
working when you're having a good time.

5. It’s Heart-Healthy
Swimming laps, water jogging, and water exercise are all aerobic activities. That means they get your heart
pumping and your vascular system working in order to pump oxygenated blood to your working muscles, And anytime
you perform sustained exercise lasting longer than 10 minutes, you're engaging your cardiovascular system in a manner
that can improve heart health. Everyone is fascinated by water in some way or the other. Some like calm and tranquil blue
water, whereas others enjoy turbulent and rolling currents. This makes it an ideal sporting medium and today there are a
wide range of water sports to choose from. Water sports are adventurous, fun-filled, action packed, and exciting. Both
physical exertion and mental stimulation can be attained in water sports. They offer a visual treat, motivation, and an
elated feeling. Water sports can be played in, on, or under water. Given below are some water sports that you can try your
hand at.

Learning to Swim
Swimming is such a rewarding and challenging sport. If you've recently made the decision to start learning, we
hope you come to realize why so many people love partaking in this activity. After you've learned a bit about the sport,
bought some essential swimwear, and focused on your technique, you'll be ready to dive straight in (literally) and practice.

Safety

Learning to swim should be fun and rewarding, but you also need to consider your safety at all times too. Having
an injury around the pool or in the water, depending on the severity, can put a stop to your swimming adventure. Safety
becomes even more relevant when you master your technique and wish to move on to learning how to dive.

As a result, make sure you follow these safety tips:

1. If you are learning to swim in a pool, learn about the size, depth and divin8 board location so that you know which
areas are best to swim in.
2 Speak to your doctor about how much exercise you should be doing and if swimming is appropriate for you.
3. Always ensure that a lifeguard is present who is trained in water safety and first aid.
4. Never run to, from, or around the pool - surfaces can be slippery and you don't want to trip and fall on the ground or
into the pool.
5 Only ever swim or dive at a level you are comfortable with - you must feel confident first before reaching the deep end
or diving from a great height.
6. Avoid swimming on your own- if you can go with a friend then you will be able to keep an eye on each other.
7. Never swim if you are taking medication which alters your mental status.
8. Always check the water temperature before getting in -cold water can be strenuous on your body and make it difficult
to swim.
9. Avoid swimming if you are feeling unwell - spread of infection is possible in the water and it's not only your health that
you need to look out for in a crowded pool.
10. Don't jump or dive into shallow areas of the pool as this can lead to injury.
11. If you are practicing your dive, make sure that other pool users are out of the way first.
12. Never go swimming under the influence of alcohol.
13. If you spot somebody else in difficulty, call for the lifeguard straight away. Your health is important so don't take it
for granted. Remember these safety tips whenever you are going swimming.
BENEFITS OF SWIMMING

As a sport, swimming is one of the best for your health. While at times it can be incredibly challenging when
you're learning, it's also great for strengthening your muscles and improving your cardiovascular performance. An hour of
intense swimming can burn up to 650 calories, which is more than walking and biking within the same time period.
Learning to swim can also help to save your own life as well as others. In fact, it’s one of the only sports that can save
your life. If you end up in a situation where you fall into water, without knowing how to swim you could be in great
difficulty. So, besides the calorie burner and the safety factor, what else does swimming offer?

1. Improve muscle and joint strength

Being submerged in water makes the body lighter. As a result, this means that it's the ideal environment to work
on stiff muscles and sore joints. With less pressure being applied to your body, you will be able to exercise in comfort and
improve your core strength too.

2. Improve flexibility
Swimming puts the whole body through a range of different exercise routines from your feet, right up to your
head. All of these individual motions help ligaments stay loose and flexible.

3. Great for the heart

Swimming is an aerobic ‘exercise, it's great for strengthening the heart. It does this by allowing for better blood
flow through the body and makes the heart more efficient when it's pumping. Even a small yet regular amount or exercise
in the pool can make the world of difference.

4. Weight control
As mentioned, swimming is one of the best calorie burners and therefore it's great for keeping your weight at a
desired level. The amount of calorie you burn is dependent on your own body shape and the intensity of your exercise
routine. However, for every ten minutes of swimming you will burn 60 calories with breast stroke and 150 with the
butterfly style.

5. Improve asthma
As you will be exercising in a moist air environment, it's the ideal sport to engage in for those suffering from
asthma. Exercising in the pool can help to reduce the threat of an asthma attack and in some cases, it will even improve
the condition overall.

6. Improve cholesterol
Swimming is also great for achieving the right cholesterol balance due to the aerobic power it offers. Studies have
shown that for every one percent increase in good cholesterol, the risk of dying from heart disease reduces by 3.5 percent.

Resistance to Movement in the Water

Water is more dense and thick than air. Due to these characteristics, people experience much more resistance to
movement in the water than on land. This resistance is called drag. Drag from the body's shape or form, wave action and
surface friction slows people down when they swim. Form drag is the resistance related to a swimmer's shape and body
position when moving through the water. Form drag has the most impact on a swimmer's total resistance to movement in
the water. Overwhelmingly, form drag is the one factor that all swimmers can control to improve their efficiency when
swimming. To reduce form drag while swimming on the surface, the entire body should be as close as possible to a
horizontal straight line at the surface of the water. Swimmers will create much less resistance by keeping their hips and
legs at the same level as their head and chest than by allowing them to drop to a lower position in the water. Because most
people's hips and legs naturally float lower in the water, it is critical to control the centre of mass with a neutral head
position (the head is neither too high nor looking forward).

A tight, narrow body shape is equally important for reducing the amount of resistance because a broad body shape
needs to push aside more water to move forward. A tight, narrow shape reduces the amount of frontal surface area that is
pushing through the water by having a pointed, rather than blunt, front end. This streamlined position in the water reduces
the frontal surface area and form drag. To attain a streamlined position, swimmers need to narrow their shape from their
fingers to their toes. Avoiding excessive side-to-side or up-and-down body motion also helps reduce form drag.

Swimmers' movements through the water create waves that add resistance to forward progress. Swimmers cannot
prevent those waves from occurring, but they can reduce resistance caused by the waves they produce by paying strict
attention to skill and technique. For example, making smooth, even strokes and limiting the amount of splash made from
arm strokes help reduce wave drag. Turbulence caused by other swimmers and water activity can also cause drag,
although lane lines at pools help reduce this turbulence. Wave drag is also reduced, but not completely eliminated, when
swimmers' move underwater, such as during starts and turns and in underwater swimming.

Each swimmer’s body surface causes friction, which produces resistance to movement through the water
(frictional drag). Wearing loose clothing while swimming dramatically increases this type of drag. Competitive swimmers
wear swimming caps and smooth, tight-fitting swimwear or racing suits to reduce frictional drag. Some competitors even
go so far as to shave their body hair to reduce frictional drag.