Did You Know Swimming is the Fourth Most Popular Sport in the U.S.?
Competitive swimming is a popular sport and pastime, so much so that swimming ranks high above other sports you may think of first. While other sports may be watched more often than competitive swimming, there are far more people who participate or have participated in competitive swimming.
That may seem strange since many parts of the country are landlocked or have long, harsh winters, but swimming is actually not restrained by the climate or location. You can get your own pool in any state, and if you can’t afford one, you can certainly get a swim spa or find a public pool. There’s never a time of the year when you can’t swim and there are few places where you can’t find somewhere to swim. But the fact that swimming is widely available isn’t the only reason it’s so popular.
Swimming Has Tremendous Health Benefits
Water is good to drink, but it’s also great to be in. Being in the water, whether it’s to relax or actively swim, helps your joints and muscles relax. It relieves the pressure you put on them just by standing up with nothing but the ground to support you. This works to relieve the pain of arthritis and its worsening condition.
Exercising in water also doesn’t significantly reduce the workout your body experiences as it relieves the pressure on your body. It’s possibly one of the safest and most effective ways to exercise as long as you know how to swim. Even those who are unable to swim can perform aerobic and swimming exercises in the shallow parts of pools. No other sport has the restorative and relieving effects of swimming.
Swimmers Are Competitive For Longer
While Olympic swimmers retire young like many other professional athletes, non-professional competitions or local competitions have no limit. It can be physically dangerous to play sports like football or basketball into your late 30s or 40s semi-competitively. Getting injured at that age for many people means a long recovery time and a loss in wages.
Swimming, unlike other sports, does not have this problem to the same degree. Assuming you swim safely, you shouldn’t be risking physical contact with other people. The injuries you may sustain, such as swimmer’s shoulder, are not as severe as a typical concussion from football.
Even if you’re not swimming competitively and are swimming just for fun, you can swim until you’re unable to walk. Sometimes, a physical therapist will recommend that you still swim under supervision. Swimming is a sport that’s friendly and open to nearly everyone.
Swimming is a Useful Skill
While other sports increase useful skills like running and speed, they don’t typically have long-standing applications outside of their sport. Throwing a football or dribbling a basketball doesn’t translate to other professions, but the same cannot be said for competitive swimming.
Being able to swim can help your survival should you ever find yourself in a precarious situation on the water or in it. There are also several occupations that use swimming such as lifeguards, U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers, sea animal trainers, deep-sea divers, and physical therapists.
To Keep Swimming, Get a Pool or Swim Spa From Aqua Leisure
Spring is fast approaching, which makes this the perfect time to schedule getting an in-ground pool, above-ground pool, or a swim spa installed. We have several different pool models that are perfect for swimming laps or mastering a breaststroke. Swim spas work just as well if you need something smaller to use for aerobic workouts. Whatever you need, Aqua Leisure Pools and Spas has a model for you. Contact us today!
Posted by Aqua Leisure Pools & Spas in Pools