What are the benefits of swimming for children?

Swimming and fitness in water is one of the most common activities in life. Now many parents let their children learn to swim, more for the purpose of protecting their children's physical safety and giving their children the ability to protect themselves. However, parents don't know that the benefits of letting children swim are not just these. So what are the benefits of swimming for children? Swimming can also regulate the body and enhance resistance.

The most common form of water fitness is swimming. The first best time to learn is during infancy, when the baby has just left the water-filled womb and has no source of information about the fear of water. Preschool and adolescence are also the best stages for learning. Swimming plays an irreplaceable role in improving the functions of children's various systems and organs that have not yet matured, which cannot be replaced by any other exercise method.

When a person is horizontal, it is much easier for blood to flow back to the heart than when standing upright. Therefore, for the same amount of exercise, the heart rate rises less in water than on land, reducing the burden on the immature heart. Swimming definitely does not cause damage to the delicate bones and ligaments like roller skating, running, and playing ball on land. Especially the neuromuscular coordination is the best time to exercise. Once you master a certain skill, you will never forget it for the rest of your life. When you reach middle age or old age, when you are more susceptible to bone and joint diseases and many land-based sports can no longer be performed, the skills you learned in childhood will be of full benefit.

The four basic and formal swimming postures are butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and crawl (freestyle), as well as informal sidestroke and dog paddle. If you can slowly swim 800 meters of breaststroke and 1500 meters of freestyle, you can fully obtain the fitness effect of swimming.

Many people keep their heads out of water when swimming breaststroke, which keeps their necks bent and tense, causing damage to the cervical spine. In order to stay buoyant, the body is always in a stiff and unable to relax state, which fails to achieve the purpose of fitness. It is important to learn how to breathe and master the correct swimming style. It is better to find a professional coach to help with technical issues in swimming. The younger the child is, the faster and more standardized the learning will be.

Experts’ advice:

Fitness swimming advocates “slow and long swimming”, with the exercise intensity at a medium to low aerobic level, and the pulse rate should not exceed 170 minus age immediately after swimming. After children learn to swim, they should not stay in 26-degree water for more than 30 minutes. The actual swimming time should account for half of the time. Teenagers can swim for 30 minutes but not more than 1 hour. This should be done at least 1 to 2 times a week, and 3 to 4 times is better. Middle-aged and elderly people suffering from hypertension and coronary heart disease should try to avoid participating in intense swimming competitions to avoid cardiovascular accidents.

Swimming is a national sport suitable for all ages. It is winter now, and although the rivers outside are frozen, many winter swimming enthusiasts are still swimming in the water. Swimming can strengthen the body and has a good effect on regulating the body's immunity. So what are the benefits of swimming for children? Letting children swim regularly can not only exercise their lung capacity and improve their physical resistance, but also help them develop a sense of self-protection.