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Health by Swimming
Helen Woodrow, PE teacher and youth worker with nearly thirty years of teaching experience, gives us her opinion on what she believes is one of the “five star” sports, swimming. If you want to find out more about learning to swim on the Costa del Sol, please contact Helen by email helenwoodrow2001@yahoo.co.uk or call (0034) 646511998. Helen gives one to one lessons in and is particularly sensitive to the needs of nervous swimmers. She can travel to your own private or community pool between Estepona and Sotogrande.
Preparing for the Pool
As the sun gets hotter and the pool looks more inviting everyday, our thoughts turn to swimming. You lads don’t realise what a production number it is for us gals. Can we really trust waterproof mascara or do we risk looking like Alice Cooper? Then there’s the hair problem. To wax, cream or epilate, that is the question! No matter how gently we try and remove those unwanted clumps, the tell tale spots which suddenly erupt give the game away. Whereas, the lads don their Speedos and off they go!
The Right Outfit
I hear that they are selling knitted bikinis in Carrefour. Somehow I think my bikini days are nearly over. Thank goodness for the “tankini”. Are they so called because they are bikinis for tanks? When I was little (in the last century) we all had nylon “bubble” costumes. Do you remember them? The trouble was as the cozzie got older and we presumably grew, the stitching used “to go” and several bubbles would then end up as one big one sticking out. My friend Terry tells me she had a knitted cozzie which, when wet would go south ending up one the pool bottom, dragging you down with it. How many times have we stood in front of the mirror in pre-swim mode? Do we pull up to hide stomach and hips (but then, the bottom becomes uncovered, not a pretty sight!) or do we do a full cover up job on the backside exposing stomach and hips? Perhaps its time for a “costume” with a little skirt across like your mum used to wear. At the end of the day, what does it matter? Nobody can see what you look like in the water and your figure will improve with the swimming.
Swimming is Five Star
I had the Sunday Times book of health and fitness once which listed all the activities we humans do, and graded them according to those three fitness principles; endurance, flexibility and aerobic exercise. It even graded hoovering using these benchmarks and it was then that I decided to give up that activity as a bad job, so poor was its rating. However, I digress. The activity that came out as five star was swimming. It really is so good for you especially those of us who are not on our outward journey anymore ‘Silver Surfers’ they call us in the UK internet cafes. Those days of jogging are behind us now especially us folk who suffer back troubles and I have never been one to fight machines in a gym. Those places are always bedecked with mirrors, and fat looks bad enough when it’s still let alone moving. However, I can appreciate the attraction and the health benefits for gym goers.
So What is the Big Deal About Swimming?
When you think about it we have been given the ability to move in two different mediums air and water and as flying isn’t an option, we ought to take advantage of those that we have. I can’t imagine anything worse than not being able to just plunge into the pool or the sea when it is really hot as it is here in the summer.
Going back to those three principals; Aerobic exercise is all about raising your heart rate and working your lungs- which swimming does. Endurance is about lengthening the time you can exercise, and you should start off slowly and build up gradually with any exercise. Lastly flexibility, choosing an exercise which involves moving the whole body and putting those elbows, shoulders and knees through their paces can only be beneficial and swimming is a whole body experience. Those exercise gurus recommend twenty minutes of exercise three times a week. I don’t believe it matters how slow a swimmer you are, if you can build up gradually to twenty minutes each time you take the plunge, you can always build up your speed later.
Non Swimmers
And what about those poor non swimming souls amongst you who had older brothers or sisters who chucked you into the deep end of the pool, either because they were bullies and wanted a good laugh at your expense, or just thought you would resurface swimming like Mark Spitz (showing my age there!) Have you dared go near the water since? Are you the one left on the poolside saying “Nan’s too tired to swim today” to their grandchildren who are begging you to go into the water, or you could pretend to swim, like my dad used to, by hopping on one leg in the water using the appropriate arm action.
And What About Your Health?
If you do nothing else in your life, learn to swim. You owe it to yourself to maximise your potential to keep fit and healthy. If you are terrified of the water, don’t be afraid to admit it. Get someone to teach you. It will be one of the most rewarding achievements that you will ever accomplish. I taught two of my best friends to swim. They were both in their fifties and so frightened of the water that one of them took a cloth to the swimming baths in case the water went on her face. Don’t be afraid to use all the flotation aids there are now available for adults, arm bands and woggles (these new polystyrene sausages).
Cheap Sport
Once you have learnt to swim, if you have access to a pool, swimming is free, unlike other sports that people enjoy on the Costa del Sol i.e. golf, tennis etc. Then, there’s always the sea, which some people, actually find easier to swim in.
Get a Good Teacher!
Get someone to teach you who will go in the water with you and build up your confidence. I hear parents saying all sorts of stuff to their children like “If you don’t learn to float you will never swim”. Not true, some people will never float because of their physical make up. “Just put your head under the water” is another comment. Can you imagine how terrifying that sounds to someone who cannot even bear to put their big toe in? It’s all about confidence and people feeling safe and in control. When this is achieved the great pleasure I have as a swimming teacher is to see someone enjoying the sensation of being in the water and for them to feel the benefits to their health and well being.
Please Note:
If you are unsure about taking up swimming, consult your GP first.
Warning: If you are going to be swimming this summer remember the golden rule “Beer in, brains out, don’t drink, you'll sink”.