Helpful Tips for Swimming Beginners

Swimming is one of the most-loved sports both by kids and adults. Teaching kids how to swim at a very young age is an advantage because they will not have a hard time learning how to swim when they reach old age. However, this doesn’t mean that adults can no longer learn how to swim. 

Sometimes the fear of submerging to the water hinders kids and even adults from learning the right ways of swimming. Apart from that there are also some factors that affects the learning of the swimming beginners. Thus, it is necessary to take in mind the helpful tips for beginners so they can overcome their fear and learn the proper ways of swimming.

1. Make yourself comfortable in the water

A lot of people are afraid of the pool water and this fear should be overcome first.  Start it by standing in the shallow end of the pool while holding the pool wall. Try to squat leading your chin close to the water and practice breathing and relaxing. Once you feel relaxed, try to go deeper under the water while holding your breath longer. If you can open your eyes, open it so you can see the underwater surroundings. Remember to just relax so you can hold your breath a little longer. 

2. Try to exhale through your mouth

One thing you should know is that you have to exhale not in your nose but through your mouth. Exhaling through the nose can cause water to enter your nose which is not a good thing in swimming. Take a right amount of oxygen, close your mouth and make sure not to breathe in your nose. Squat and submerge under the water and slowly try to exhale through your mouth creating bubbles. This is necessary to keep yourself relaxed underwater and not be uptight while holding your breath.

3. Make yourself float in the water

After you learned how to submerge properly under the water, the next thing you need to do is to learn how to float in the water. Squat under the water, hold your breath and let yourself float. Remember that no matter what you do, you will still float in the water whether you like it or not. So, this step will be very easy for everyone. 

Once you felt like floating, lay on the water facing down and stretch your legs and arms with your palms down. Relax and hold your breath properly and exhale through your mouth just like what you did on the second step. Your body should be laying horizontally in the water. Once you are ready to stand up, move your arms above your head and down to your hips keeping your arms straight. Now, you can stand properly after floating in the water.

Mastering these steps is necessary so it will be easy for your to learn the next steps especially the basic swimming strokes. Always remember that relaxation, concentration and focus are important skills you should posses to be a good swimmer in the future.

Benefits of Swimming for Pregnant Women

Swimming is a good form of exercise for kids and adults. It is a sport that requires the use of all the body parts in order to be performed accurately and safely. For pregnant women, swimming is also an ideal form of exercise to maintain the good condition of both the mother and the baby.

Sometimes people do have misconceptions about swimming as an activity for pregnant women. They say that engaging to this sport will just put the lives of the mother and the baby at risk. But as time goes by, studies and researches proved that these ideas are not true. As a matter of fact, swimming gives a lot of benefits for pregnant women as well as the babies in their tummies. 

1. Swimming helps strengthen the pregnant woman’s hips аnԁ thigh muscles, abdomen аnԁ spine which is necessary for safer delivery. It keeps the mother and the baby safe throughout the pregnancy period. 

2. Regular swimming starting on the first trimester improves the mother’s cardiovascular fitness. Swimming strengthens the lungs and the heart thus providing proper oxygen circulation in the body that is needed by both the mother and the baby.

3. An hour of vigorous swimming also helps improve the sleeping habit of expecting mothers and prevents the development of sleeping disorders. 

4. Swimming can also prevent the development of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a medical condition in which hypertension arises during pregnancy and also the development of significant amounts of protein in the urine. This condition should be prevented because it puts the life of both the mother and the baby in danger.

5. During pregnancy, body and muscle aches also occur. But mothers can avoid these by engaging themselves to regular swimming. 

Pool Drowning: Recognition and Rescue

What is pool drowning?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pool drowning is a state in which a person experiences respiratory impairment when submersed or immersed in the pool water. Once a person was submerged into the pool the tendency is that he/she will inhale water rather then air. This is the cause of asphyxiation or the lacking in oxygen that can lead to unconsciousness or death. 

How would you know if a person is drowning?

You would know if a person experienced pool drowning when he or she possesses the following symptoms:

• If the person swims unevenly.
• When removed from the water, his/her ears and lips turned blue.
• The skin is cold and pale.
• The abdomen is bloated.
• Choking and vomiting.
• If the person doesn’t breathe.

What first aid treatment you should do?

1. Immediately remove the patient from the water.

2. Look for a lifeguard or paramedic that will execute the needed treatment.

3. If the trained personnel is not yet coming, you can do the own rescuing. All you have to do is to tilt his/her head slightly back while lying and start the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). 

4. Let someone do the continuous call for a paramedic or other trained personnel that will provide oxygen equipment.

5. If the person isn’t still breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose ventilation.

6. Check on the patient from time to time while waiting for the paramedics.

Pool Safety Precautions

Safety should always be observed in any recreation area especially in the pool. Pool accidents are inevitable however; imposing safety measures in your pool can make pool safety possible.

According to the statistics of Edgar Snyder and Associates, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental injury-related death among children ages 1 to 14 years old. This is indeed alarming news. However, we can prevent it by installing safety pool equipment in our pool.

1. Pool Fence

Edgar Snyder and Associates did a study on different pool supplies that can prevent pool drowning and other related accidents. The result of the study has shown that installing pool fence around the pool area decreases the number of pool drowning injuries and death from 50 to 90 percent. Pool fence prevents kids from getting access in the pool area without adult supervision.

2. Pool Alarm

A pool alarm is also an effective device to prevent pool accidents. This pool device has a censor, which triggers the siren to create an alarming sound once a movement around the pool was detected. Pool alarm is connected to a device inside the house so parents will be informed when a kid is wandering around the pool area thus preventing any untoward incident from happening.

3. Safety Pool Cover

Keeping your pool covered with safety pool cover will also give children no access to the pool. Safety pool cover is made from high-end polyethylene material making it durable enough to withstand heavy-sized individual or thing.

Enjoying swimming with your family and friends is a privilege that all of us are entitled to. But always remember that our safety should not be sacrificed. Imposing safety precautions in the pool is an important thing to do to make swimming season fun and safe.

Swimming is Good for the Health

Swimming is a good form of exercise. Aside from the fun and enjoyment it brings, it also has a lot of health benefits. Regular swimming can help improve you physically, mentally and emotionally. Moreover, keeping your body healthy and fit is the most important benefits of swimming. 

Just like any other form of exercise, swimming requires time, motivation and determination. It has to be performed accurately to gain the benefits you want to get from it. 

Here are the health benefits of swimming:

1. Heart 

Regular swimming helps maintain blood pressure and cholesterol thus keeping your heart strong and healthy. It reduces the risks of stroke, heart attack and other heart diseases.

2. Lungs

Having healthy and strong lungs is necessary. Aside from avoiding smoking and other vices, having regular exercise is advisable. Swimming is one of the exercises that strengthens the lungs as well as maintaining good breathing for healthier body and cardio-vascular endurance.

3. Joints and Muscles

Swimming enhances joints flexibility and strengthens the muscles for stronger physical health. It helps improve your physical well-being so you can withstand everyday strenuous 

activities.

4. Unwanted body fats

Indulging yourself to regular swimming can also remove all the unwanted fats in your body. Swimming burns fats and calories just as effective as aerobics and other workouts. So if you are having a hard time shaping up your body, why won’t you try swimming?

5. Pregnant Women

Swimming is also a good exercise for pregnant women. Since they are not allowed to do strenuous exercises, spending at least an hour of swimming strengthens the abdominal and shoulder muscles. It also relieves joint pains, back pains and other discomfort that pregnant women experience.

6. Stress

Relaxing in a cool pool water also helps reduce stress brought by mind-draining works. This perfectly works at night before you go to sleep or during weekends. 

Pool Opening is as Easy as 1, 2, 3

Summer is fast-approaching and pool owners should get their pool ready for the coming swimming season. I bet your pool is currently on the pool closing state. Winter pool cover still hides the crystal clear water while pool-lovers look forward for the pool opening.

Just as laborious as pool closing, pool opening requires a lot of patience and diligence. If you are having a hard time looking for ways on how to open your pool, here are some steps which you can do to make pool opening as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Drain the water off the top surface of the winter pool cover. You can use pool cover pump to eliminate the water for easier pool cover removal. Also, remove all the dirt and debris that have accumulate on the pool cover. 

2. Carefully remove the pool cover avoiding damages on its surface. Clean and dry it up first before you store it to prolong its product life.

3. Reconnect the pool equipment such as pool pump, pool heater and pool filter. Rest the circuit if you turned off the power breaker to the pool pump and heater. Filtration hoses should also be reconnected and all valves should be opened. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines in performing this step.

4. Once all the equipment are reconnected, add more water to the pool. Since you lessen the water when you started pool closing, you need to increase the water up to the desired level.

5. Clean the pool and adjust the pH level of the water. Use pool vacuum to eliminate all the dirt and debris that have penetrated the water during the winter season. Brush off dirt from pool walls and bottoms as well as the ladders and decks. Using a pH testing kit, check the pH level of the water and adjust it if needed. Add pool chlorine to kill all the germs and bacteria making the pool safe to use this summer. You can also install new pool liner to enhance the look of your pool for the summer season.

Inground Pool vs. Above Ground Pool

Swimming pool is one of the most enjoyable recreation facilities found in clubhouses, resorts, houses and other recreational establishments. We can never deny the fact that swimming is the most-loved activity of both children and adults. Pool-lovers would really find time to enjoy the cool splash of pool water especially during the summer season.

There are two types of swimming pool, first is the inground pool and second is the above ground pool. This is an overview of the specifications of the two different swimming pool types:

Inground Pool

• It is the most common type of swimming pool.
• It is characterized by its rectangular appearance with its surface built below the ground.
• It is more expensive than above ground pool.
• You can install pool slides and diving boards on it unlike in above ground pool.
• It takes a long time to be completely built.
• It has deeper end for up to 10 feet that allows you to enjoy pool diving and sliding.

Above Ground Pool

• It is cheaper than the inground pool.
• It is very convenient to install which only takes one day.
• It is easier to maintain, clean and accessorize.
• It requires smaller space in your backyard unlike the inground pool.