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June 21st is officially the first day of summer, but Texas weather never seems to adhere to the calendar. With the summer heat coming in quickly, it’s best to start planning your summer activities now. What better way to enjoy the weather and cool off in the heat than swimming?
Swimming is not only a great summer activity but it’s one of the best workouts you can do. Different swimming strokes will, of course, have different impacts on your muscles, but practically all kinds of swimming work your entire body! Frequent swimming can help improve lung capacity as you practice coordinating your breath with your strokes. It improves muscular strength and endurance as you work to stay afloat and move through the water.
And, unlike running or other exercises outside the water, swimming has very minimal impact on your body and joints, making it a great physical outlet for those with joint issues or those simply wanting to avoid joint stress.
However, swimming does come with some potential risks, especially for children. Practicing even basic swimming safety protocols can greatly prevent harm or death.
- Never leave a child alone in or near the water.
- Never let children swim alone.
- Avoid swimming during a storm.
- Avoid diving in water that’s less than 9-feet deep.
- Be sure to wear high SPF sunblock to avoid sunburns and skin cancer.
These are just a few safety tips. Being vigilant of others’ safety, children or not is key. A great skill to be trained in for swimming safety is CPR. There are several places you can learn this life-saving skill, even online! If you wish to get certified in CPR you can sign up for classes locally through services like www.cprcertificationdallas.org/, with www.redcross.org, or even at your local YMCA!
One of the best swimming safety measures is making sure your children are trained to swim. There are several child swimming schools in Dallas. There are Aqua Tots, Safe Splash, Dallas Swim Kids, and even the YMCA to name a few. Most offer a free class so you can see how you and your child like each school before choosing one. And many of these schools also offer adult swimming classes for those wanting to improve their swimming ability.
Fortunately, for those of us that don’t own our own pool, there are plenty of places to go swimming this summer. Check out D Magazine’s Best Swimming Holes in Dallas article to name a few! Additionally, most Life Time Fitness gyms have an Olympic-sized swimming pool, great for a water-based workout. You can also find plenty of natatoriums in Dallas. And last, but not least, there are always waterparks!
So grab your swim gear, some strong sunblock to fight the Texas sun, and some common-sense safety tips, and go find yourself a pool and get swimming! Happy summer everyone!
https://www.chp.edu/injury-prevention/safety/water-and-sun/swimming
https://www.dmagazine.com/style-beauty-wellness/2015/03/the-best-swimming-holes-in-dallas/