Swimming: A Life Skill

“Gliding through water gives you a sense of freedom”

Swimming is an important skill and it can also be tons of fun. It has been called the perfect exercise. After all, you can get all of the benefits of an aerobic workout without any damaging impact on joints, and it can be done by both the very old and the very young.

It is utilized by athletes to stay strong and keep fit when recovering from injury, and there is no fancy equipment needed—just you and the deep blue. Swimming has many more benefits than those obvious advantages seen on the surface; its improvements to overall health go much deeper. It can help lower blood pressure and builds cardiovascular strength. Swimming is an ideal exercise for people with disabilities like paraplegia can eliminate some workout options for them but swimming water provides resistance and support to them. It was found that swimming three times per week improved glucose (sugar) control and insulin sensitivity. It could decrease heart disease risk. It is a great way to manage stress as well because such aerobic activities elevate and stabilize mood and reduce tension overall. And for those who find difficulty in sleeping, swimming is one of the best medicines for that.

Apart from the health benefits that swimming provides us, it also teaches us some very important life lessons. It teaches us to set goals and do everything in our power to get ourselves there. Without this motivation, none of us would ever be successful. This motivation and drive to succeed will stay with us for the rest of our lives, both in and out of the pool.

Swimming teaches us how to succeed and be happy with ourselves, but more importantly, it teaches us how to deal with heartbreak and disappointment. Sadly, it is extremely common to hear about the swimmer who did everything right and could not achieve their goals. It happens to most of us at some point and it is devastating. Swimming allows us to learn to deal with these moments and not let them deter us from success in the future. Overcoming adversity is one of the hardest lessons that we face in life. Swimming exposes us to a large amount of adversity early in life. It shows us how to take control of ourselves and let each setback make us stronger.
Swimming is not only a sport; it is a lifestyle. The life that we lead prepares us for our future and brings us perspective. The lessons that we learn from swimming will follow us through life. Some of these lessons are difficult to handle, but in the end, they make us stronger swimmers and more importantly stronger people.

By: Rashmi Rajput
Jammu Sanskriti School