Swimming is one of the most popular sports and is featured at all major sporting events including the Olympics. In this article, Shalin Perera tells us about this extremely popular sport.
Swimming is a sport with a long history. It is believed to have been practised since 2,500 BC in Egypt. It is a water sport which is very popular these days. This sport is popular both in cities and villages. Many swimmers start their training at a very young age. There is no age limit for swimming. You can start swimming as a toddler and continue the sport for as long as your body supports it.
All you need is a swimming pool, a pair of goggles and a swimsuit. You may have wondered why it is so popular among children as well as adults. It is considered a very good exercise which benefits the entire body. For children it is a good way to release their excess energy. For teenagers and adults, it helps keep the body in good shape, while toning the muscles and improving the physical appearance. It is used as a healing therapy for certain ailments. Swimming also has a calming effect on the mind.
Different strokes
There are four main strokes in swimming.Freestyle is the easiest and most common stroke among them. In this stroke, the swimmer has to alternatively move his/her legs vertically up and down in a fast movement, while simultaneously pushing the water back by pulling the arms forward and pushing it back through the water. This movement is done by one hand at a time.
The Breaststroke is also a very popular stroke among swimmers where the legs are moved in a motion like a frog while the hands are moved from the chest area away from the body and back to the chest, to repeat a stroke. The hardest stroke is considered to be the dolphin, where both arms and legs are moved in unison and the entire body takes the appearance and movement of a dolphin in the water. All these strokes are performed face down in water. Mastering the breathing technique is very important for the swimmer. It helps in building endurance and stamina while swimming. The only stroke that is done face up is the back stroke, where the swimmer moves backwards facing up to the sky. It can be considered the reverse of the freestyle stroke. To watch a swimmer performing these strokes gracefully is a pleasure.
A competitive sport
Swimming is a very competitive sport and many competitions are organised for swimmers locally as well as internationally. With the emergence of these competitions many schools have got their own swimming pools to train the students for competitive meets.
Training for competitions is carried out very seriously in schools, where students train on a daily basis, usually, in the mornings and evenings.
Even adults who participate in swimming competitions train hard to achieve their best timings.
This requires much dedication and discipline. That sort of training is for the serious competitors. But swimming can also be great fun. Many people swim to exercise and relax their minds, while enjoying the sport.
Swimming is not limited only to pools. People can even swim in the sea. In villages people swim in rivers and lakes. This activity is enjoyed by villagers at no cost. With the increased popularity of swimming there are many job opportunities for coaching, training and lifesaving. Being able to swim will also help in protecting your life as well as those of others.
In general, swimming is an advantageous sport in many ways. So why wait? Grab your swimming gear and head towards the water. It is the best way to relax, exercise and have some fun.
