all about sport

Teaching kids to swim at an early age can certainly have a wide range of benefits, least of all the fact that they can in turn grow up to be champion swimmers in their own right, rather early on.

Prior to that, it must be said that when it comes to teaching kids to swim at a very early age, one of the foremost advantages is that kids do not have any kind of fear of water or drowning at a very early age – which they tend to develop as they grow up. As a matter of fact, it is widely recognized and known that if infants are thrown into water, chances are good that they will manage to swim their way to safety, even if they have never really been taught how to swim. This because; swimming is largely an instinctive behavior; it need not really be taught. Yet, the majority of us do need to be taught how to swim simply because we had not been exposed to swimming in our very early formative years. Over time, fear crept in and instincts somehow ended up taking a back seat.

From a health point of view as well, it must be said that teaching kids to swim at an early age certainly has a wide range of benefits. For instance, kids who swim regularly tend to have better physiques and few ailments. Their overall strength and vitality remains robust for long and they also grow up to be health conscious and athletic.

Moreover, besides the physical aspect, it has been seen that mental health of kids who learn how to swim at an early age also tends to be far superior. For instance, it has been reasonably well established that swimming allows the mind to concentrate better and to remain focused on the task at hand. Accordingly, kids who swim regularly often tend to perform better in academics as well and usually tend to emerge out of academic life as well honed, dynamic citizens.

It is also true that learning to swim at an early age also has a rub off effect well into adulthood. Essentially, swimming per se in this regard tends to become a habit of sorts which is rigorously followed and pursued in adulthood as well, whereby the various mental and physical health benefits of swimming also continue to bear fruit at later stages of life.

Swimming is an activity that humans have partaken since times immemorial. While today swimming is looked at as a competitive sport, that was not always the case in the past. Often it was simply a case of human survival wherein not knowing swimming also meant grave danger to human lives, especially when air travel had not yet come to the fore and the preferred and often only means of long distance travel was by ship. Even prior to that stage, crossing smaller rivers and lakes, ponds, etc. invariably meant swimming across.

Consciously or unconsciously, all of this swimming did keep mankind fit and healthy. And it was with this realization that as time passed, the innumerable benefits of swimming came to the fore. For instance, swimming proved to be an excellent instrument for building stamina. It also ensured that we remained fit and active without putting on unnecessary weight or building up bad cholesterol since swimming helped burn energy rapidly.

Further, swimming has consistently proven to be an excellent instrument for building muscles on our bodies and having all round well toned figures. That is because; as we swim, practically every muscle in our body is used to the fore, as we make our way through water. As a result, our joints too tend to get in good shape. The overall blood circulation in our systems also improves considerably.

Among the various benefits of swimming, relaxation of the mind is also right at the top. That is because; swimming does have an amazingly positive impact on the mind as well. Whenever the mind seems stressed out, a leisurely swim in a pool or even in a natural pond or lake or perhaps even the mighty ocean is known to do a world of good. Essentially, it is considered that the calmness of water in turn has a soothing effect on the human mind, which rubs off easily while swimming. That is the reason, it is often recommended to stressed out souls to go and take a swim whenever feeling anxious or jittery.

Besides the de-stressing effect, swimming is also known to make us humans a lot more mentally agile and focused. That is because; among the countless benefits of swimming, it is well known that while indulging in the act, the mind remains sharply focused on the act. This is especially true in the case of competitive swimmers who need to practice long hours and remain highly focused in order to compete with the best in the world…that reminds one of another benefit of swimming – it can surely bring oodles of fame and riches to some – think Aussie swimming legend Ian Thorpe and you know what we are alluring towards!

A swimming pool can be a dangerous place if you or others using it do not take care to follow some basic safety principals. Miss-use of it can easily result in serious injury or death. However by establishing a simple set of rules, and ensuring that people follow them (Especially small children) then your pool should be perfectly safe to use.

Simple pool safety tips: -

Never run near or around the edge of the pool, as splashing from the pool will result in wet concrete, which can cause you to slip and injure yourself.

Never take any real glasses or bottles anywhere near your pool and especially not into it. A broken glass in your swimming pool can result in severe injury. So only ever use pool safe plastic unbreakable glasses. They float, meaning they are doubly safe.

Never take any form of electrical appliance near your pool. Knocking your music system into your pool could quite literally kill everyone in it.

Always ensure people are aware of how deep your pool is. In general a lot of home swimming pools are not deep enough to dive into safely. Diving or bomb diving into the wrong end of it can result in a broken neck or back injury. This is a serious risk and one of the most common pool injuries.

Lastly when it comes to children and pools, no child of fourteen years or under should ever be allowed to use it unattended. In addition it is a very good idea if you have young children to have a fence around it with a lockable gate for when it is not in use.

These tips should keep your swimming pool safe.

One of the reasons for which a lot of individuals out there do not take up swimming classes or learn how to swim professionally, is the enormous amount of time and effort that is involved. More often than not, many swimming facilities are located at distant locations from town. Further, instructors are not always available with ease; one often has to book an instructor in advance whereby his or her skills can then be availed, at a time which is mutually convenient to all parties involved. Given all of these hassles, not to forget the costs of learning this way – which can easily be quite stiff, many budding swimmers end up dropping the idea of swimming altogether.

But that doesn’t need to be the case. Today, there are numerous online avenues where one can learn the ropes of swimming with absolute and complete ease. The lessons are very systematically structured whereby one can move from one level of learning to the next one with remarkable ease. Eventually, at the end of the entire course, one can easily grasp all of the related nuances with swimming in a manner which is holistic and all encompassing.

Already, there are hundreds and thousands of individuals across the world easily learning the ropes of swimming this way. They neither have to make any investments in terms of cost, nor have to expend enormous time and effort getting to swimming classes in distant locations. All they need to do is sit on their computers, log on to the respective sites, download the requisite lessons – perhaps even take a print out of them if need be and then get down to implementing the knowledge that they gain this way.

Parents in particular are finding this kind of rendering of swimming classes extremely convenient. They know that this way, they can very well have their kids to learn the nuances of swimming without having to expose them to any of the various risks involved. Further, they can now use the swimming pools at home or inside condominium complexes with complete ease, without the need for having to scout around for expensive swimming schools or instructors. The fact that these classes for swimming are made available completely free of charge also means that parents do not end up spending spectacular amounts of money towards teaching their kids the nuances of swimming.

Water Features

On their own with just you swimming in them, a pool can be a very quiet place, and whilst this can be relaxing in itself, the sound of running water can be even more relaxing. Indeed the sound of running water is known to relax the mind and hence the body. The use of indoor water features in Japan is a good example of this.

So why not add a water feature to your pool? You could add a waterfall with water cascading into your swimming pool. This is a great feature to have as you can stand underneath it and let the water falling down pummel your shoulder muscles to relax them.

Or you could add a solution like that found in modern spa hotel swimming pools, and that is the addition of various types of in-pool, and outside of the pool water jets. If you go to a hotel spa you will now very often find various (often odd looking) stainless water jets that you can switch on whilst sitting at the edge of the pool.

These numerous jets do anything from pummeling your back and shoulders with water, through to blasting water up at your feet whilst you are seated poolside.

Installing such water features in your swimming pool does not cost as much money as you would think. However if you like the idea of adding such a feature just bear in mind that whilst they maybe added later, they will cost far less if you install them at the time of building your swimming pool.

Heating Options:

Well with swimming pools dropping down in price many of us can now afford to buy one, particularly with large oval above ground pools offering the same benefits of an in ground pool but at a fraction of the price.

However all pools even in very hot climates normally need some form of heating, and heating a pool obviously costs money. Sure you can buy solar collectors but unless you live in a climate with around ten hours really good strong sunshine each day, then they are unlikely to heat the pool to the temperature you want without an additional heat source.

The bulk of swimming pools are heated by mains gas powered boilers, or by boilers using external LPG gas tanks.

Using LPG just for your swimming pool boiler is actually a great idea as it enables you to be able to tell exactly how much gas you are using, and hence how much money your pool is costing to heat. Where as when you use a mains gas boiler to heat your pool and your house, then you have little or no idea how much of your actual gas bill is going on heating your pool.

Another option is to use an in-ground heat converter – this is whereby a borehole is dug several feet (Around thirty) into the ground and a water pipe placed in the hole. This is then used to heat the pools water with the natural heat from the Earth itself. These systems have come down in price in recent years and should not be overlooked as an option to heat your swimming pool.

The most common case of algae is when owners of above ground pools go on holiday forgetting to clean there pool or even keep it topped up with the basic chemicals, This will cause the pool water to deteriorate very quickly and thus you will be left with a very green pool. There are two options to overcome this,

The First Step would be to Drain your pool and then clean the liner by hand, this can be a major waste of water and is not always necessary. Providing you have the time and the correct chemicals it is a very straight forward process to clean the pool without draining it.

Step Two – Cleaning the pool with chemicals. To do this you will need to understand how the chemical process works and how to add them correctly. The chemicals you will need are PH +/-, Chlorine and Algaecide.

The First chemical you will need is the PH+/- you will need to get your pool alkalinity levels correct for the other chemicals to work correctly. Once you have found your PH Balance you can now add the Chlorine to shock the pool, There are two different methods of doing this either by purchasing Chlorine Shock treatment or Just adding a double dose of chlorine to your pool. If using chlorine shock then follow the instructions on the back of the pack, if you are using standard chlorine then follow the instructions below.

Shock Treat your pool with Stabilised Chlorine Granules 20g per 1,000l of pool water. If the algae infestation is very heavy (e.g. you are unable to see the bottom of your pool) increase the quantity of chlorine from 20g to 30g per 1,000l.

During this process you will need to ensure the filter pump is running continuously to help filter all the dead algae which the shock treatment kills. You may need a pool hover to help pick up the larger pieces of dead algae which fall to the bottom of the pool.

Once the pool is clean and all algae has been collected by the filter or hover you can now add the algaecide which is an algae preventative this will still only work when all the other chemicals are at the correct level.

These steps should help restore your pool water and remember next time you are going on holiday either ask a family member or friend to keep an eye on it or double dose the pool before you leave so there is enough chemicals to keep it clean while you are away.

When it comes to fun in the sun and around your swimming pool, you know all about keeping your children safe. Remember, too that swimming pools are great areas for your dog to get some fun and exercise and spend time with the family. Pools are terrific for dogs for fun and exercise and a great way for them to spend time with the family.

Even though your family dogs might love to be around you in the swimming pool, keep in mind that dogs are NOT great swimmers and they tire easily. Here are our other top 10 ways to keep your dog safe in and around the swimming pool:

Use the same safety precautions you’d use with a small child in, don’t leave the dog in or around the swimming pool unattended.
Keep your swimming pool always surrounded by a safety fence. It’s crucial for the safety of both your children and your pets and it’s probably required by law.
Don’t let your pool deck get cluttered with dog toys. They are temptations. If the toy falls in the pool, then the dog might jump in.
Leaving more than one dog in the pool area unsupervised is a risk. I know of dogs that were bumped into a pool by the other dog.
Have a dog first aid book, read it, and become familiar with reviving a dog that has drowned. Have the vet and emergency vet numbers handy.
Teach the dog to swim, and do it enough until the dog doesn’t panic in water. A dog that flails around in water, and can’t take direction isn’t swimming; it is just beating the water with its paws. Swimming looks different than panic.
Have a visual target for the dog which is near the steps leading out of the water, and get the dog familiar with it and practice having him swimming toward it.
Keep your dog in shape. A dog that isn’t fit can’t swim any better than a human that isn’t in shape.
Don’t overly exhaust the dog while swimming or they will go under. Know your dog’s capabilities.
Preplan your pool construction with the idea that the dog needs sufficient footing to climb out of the pool. Small dogs, especially, can’t make it up and out using the big steps of most pools.

It’s always nice to be able to have Fluffy or Fido around the swimming pool when you’re enjoying time with your family, just make certain you do it responsibly!

If you’re looking for a great way to get in shape and are tired of the traditional running jogging and expensive gym memberships, then maybe here’s one option to consider. Swimming, it’s a fun and inexpensive way to get into or stay in shape. It’s a great option for anyone is looking to stay fit while not putting extra strain or stress on your knees, back, and feet.

If you’re lucky enough to have access to your own or a public pool then this article is probably not for you. If you’re like most and do your swimming in a lake, river, ocean or any other body of open water then there are a few things you should keep in mind.

The first thing to remember is that you never ever should go for a swim in open water alone. Always be sure to have a friend or family member near by to help keep an eye on you as well as the surrounding conditions. Safety should always be a top priority when you go into the waters and when you’re in open waters there a lot other things that come into play when it comes to your well being so make sure you and your spotter are prepared.

Be wary of extreme water temperatures, especially that of the cold nature. Cold waters are notorious for making muscles cramp and spasm much quicker or unexpectedly. You don’t want to be out in the middle of the water and have your legs start cramping. So be sure to stretch properly and get you body warmed up and your blood pumping before you set foot in the water. Also if the water reaches anywhere around the mid 60′s please do the right thing and make sure to put on a wet suit or vest of some sort to help keep maintain your core temp.

Never go into the water or for a swim if the overall conditions are questionable and although it might not have to be said but just in case, if there’s a storm or a storm coming and there is possible lightning in the area then you must put your swim on hold, don’t even go near the water.

If the conditions are favorable and you decide to go for it always be mindful of your surrounds. Look for any possible dangers or hazards that might be lurking in the water because even the smallest of obstacles can become big time problems if you’re not careful.

Swimming in the open water can be a great activity for anyone if and when the proper precautions are taken. Don’t let these precautions get you down about trying it, use them to your advantage and go have a blast.

In case you have been living all your life under the notion that a swimming lesson can only be taken at expensive swimming schools, think again, since the Internet is now here, offering a wide range of online swimming classes which anyone can take, that too from the comfort of their homes, to learn all the various aspects related to swimming.

The biggest advantage with these online swimming lessons is the convenience factor; there is absolutely no traveling or scheduling involved, especially in the case of those who have a swimming pool at home or in the vicinity. Otherwise, it is these very aspects of traveling as well as coordinating with swimming schools and swimming instructors which often leave prospective swimmers with no other choice but to drop the whole idea of learning how to swim.

When you take an online swimming lesson, there is of course no such issue that is involved, with everything being in your own direct control. You decide when to take a practice class and for how long. And if the pool is inside your own house, then you do not need to be concerned about coordinating with anyone else or having to check if the pool is free and available.

Rest assured, pick up any swimming lesson of this kind, be it for adults, for children or even for infants; you will invariably find that the entire course is very well structured. Therefore, even if you are an absolute novice to swimming, you can quickly and easily learn the ropes of this sport.

Today, world over, the consciousness with regard to health and fitness is at levels not seen in the past.

Swimming in this regard comes across as an excellent means to maintaining health and fitness as well as building up stamina and vitality. It is also an unparalleled way of attaining mental relaxation. Towards all these ends, taking a swimming lesson online proves just the right mode, with minimum coordination and effort required to be made. In fact, even in the absence of any other third person, you can easily learn how to swim this way, all by yourself.

Remember that you are in all likelihood not learning how to swim to compete professionally with others. Instead, you are looking to keep yourself fit and healthy as well as know how to swim in general – should there ever be an emergency situation where the need for knowing how to swim is felt urgently.

That being the case, why would you want to miss out on the chance to learn how to swim this way, with perfect ease?

As any outdoor swimming pool owner can tell you, there are times you will head out to the pool and find the corpses of birds, rodents or frogs. Unless you keep the pool covered at the times when no one is using it, you will run into this problem, especially if your swimming pool is located near a woods or a copse of trees.

You will find, during nesting season, that birds will either use it as a place to dispose of the waste from their nests or their offspring will – unfortunately – drown while learning to swim. In case you’re wondering at the reason a bird will be dropping its nest material into your pool – disposing of the nesting material is a way for them to protect their young from predators and your pool can be the perfect dumping site for the debris. Once the baby birds have left the area, the problem will diminish but keep in mind it could last for a few weeks.

In addition to the frustration and sadness of seeing the dead birds, it is unsanitary for the birds and their nesting material to be floating in the water. Also, keep in mind that keeping the water clear of bird droppings will require additional time and maintenance on your part. When looking to construct your pool, remember location, location, location and properly placing your pool could eliminate the need for taking care of bird droppings or bodies.

Some pool owners find that plastic owls placed around it can scare the birds away. This will not work for all species of birds, though. Some people use rubber snakes placed either around – or even in – the swimming pool to keep birds away. If you find that you are overrun with birds, you might need to speak to an exterminator or your swimming pool professional might also have ideas on how to keep birds away from your pool.

Another issue that pool owners have to contend with could be finding frogs, rodents or any other number of insect bodies in the pool. The water from your swimming pool will attract all manner of wildlife and many times when they fall in, they are unable to get out of the water and will drown. You will then be forced to deal with the clean up.

One of the best ways to keep your pool free of rodents or other insect infestation and the bacteria that they carry is to be vigilant about keeping the swimming pool covered when not in use – especially at night.