Swim meets or swim competitions

Swim meets can be daunting. Competing with other
swimmers can really increase nerves and make the pool
appear bigger than it is. It also doesn’t help that you'll

be swimming a 50-metre distance, unlike the 25-metre
distance you'll probably be used to swimming during
training. It may feel nerve-wracking, but this is completely
natural.

What | did to help shake off the nerves was listen to
music before swimming. If you watched the Rio Olympics
or followed it on social media, you probably have seen
the meme of Michael Phelps doing his “death glare” as
he listened to music on his headphones. People assumed

that he was angry towards another swimmer, but he clarified in the Today
Show that he had the music and thoughts going through his head and that
he was “in the zone.” Music can really help to calm your nerves, so listening

to upbeat, energetic music will definitely get you pumped up for when you

take your mark and dive into the water.

You should also remember to have fun. Honestly, my favourite part of the

swimming experience was the training and exercise. Competition was a

bonus, as it was a way to evaluate my swimming performance. Swim meets

really put this to the test, so just do your very best and enjoy the cool rush.

Leisure swimming

Who said that swimming is only about the exercise and burning calories?

Swimming can also be fun!

Nearly every city has an aquatic centre. Most have more than just a big

pool dedicated to doing laps and swimming for exercise, as there are tons

of other facilities aquatic centres offer to make your aquatic experience

relaxing and fun.

Take a dip in the hot tub. Hot tubs have jets of bubbles blasting from
underneath going up to the surface of the water, which can feel like

a massage on your body. A dip in the hot tub is actually experiencing

hydrotherapy, since the buoyancy, heat, and bubbles are working together

to provide great benefits for your body. It soothes your muscles, relieves

stress, and helps you feel relaxed, so immerse yourself in that bubbly

feeling, close your eyes, and focus on the gentle sensation. Just remember

to get in the water slowly, as it can be really hot and your body needs to be

conditioned first.

Another way you can receive a hydrotherapeutic massage is sitting under

the mushroom-shaped waterfalls, if that is something your aquatic centre

has. The feeling of the water splashing down onto your body gives a gentle

hammering sensation for your head, shoulders, and entire upper body,

and the sound of the water splashing drowns out the sound around you,

providing a meditative experience. If the nearby aquatic centre has one,

you should definitely try it out.

Aquatic centres also tend to have a circular pool where
the jets carry your body around in a current. It could be
a dizzying experience for some, but for others it feels
like a water carousel. Just let the water carry you away.
You can even try sitting on a kickboard to “ride” the
currents.

Do a big splash from the diving board. If you're pumped
with adrenaline, then go check out if the diving boards
are open for business—or splashes. If they‘re accessible
and the lifeguards are letting people dive, then go
ahead and climb that high ladder, take the flying leap of
faith off the board, and dive down into the deep water.
This section of the pool will definitely be deep, so make
sure you know how to swim before trying it out.

Slide down the big slide. It isn’t swimming, but it’s
definitely a must-do when you visit the aquatic centre!

Don’t know how to swim?

If you don’t know how to swim,

a. then | strongly recommend taking
€®, oO, up swimming lessons. Not only is
it a great form of exercise, but it’s

essential knowledge and a life-saving

skill.

You could try to learn it yourself
through the internet, but almost every swimmer has
learned it from swim instructors or parents. It's a
practical skill, so the best way to learn it is through a
coach teaching you. Trust me, it is an investment as well
as an insurance. If an unfortunate event takes place and
you happen to end up in a big body of water, then it is
important to be able to save yourself by keeping your
body afloat and swimming to the nearest dry land.

From personal experience, freestyle is the first and
most standard swim stroke you will learn. When | took
swimming lessons, the swim instructor made sure | do
my freestyles correctly before proceeding to teach me
the other three strokes, as they are considered more
challenging than freestyle. Freestyle also comes first
because back, breast, and fly are strokes mostly done
only during competition.

| suggest you ask your swim instructor what they will be
teaching you since swim programs can vary.

Final words

Swimming can be both a workout and a fun activity at
the same time. It’s completely up to you which route
you'd like to take. Swimming can definitely give the
best of both worlds.

If you're in it to win it, swim hard. If you're just splashing
in the water to have a gocd time, still remember to
swim safe.

Now let's go swimming! Race you to the pool!

Icons by Freepik via flaticon.com