Swimming year round

Many people believe that swimming is a summer sport and as soon as it starts cooling down they want to stop swimming. Maybe a few decades ago this might have been true but we are fortunate enough to have many indoor pools available which makes it perfect to continue with swimming through the winter. There are many benefits of continuing with swimming through the winter.

1. Helps to maintain and build confidence

It is important to continue with lessons during the winter because it only takes a few weeks for a student to lose confidence that they built up during their summer training. If a student stops lessons during the winter they will lose a lot of the progress they made, and have to start all over again the next summer, whereas if you continue through the winter you can maintain and build your confidence. In some cases this can even result in a return of the students fear of water.

This is especially true for younger students because this age is when long term skills and muscle memory starts to develop.

2. Not  weather dependent

The fact that lessons are done in indoor pools during the winter means that the lessons aren’t weather dependent. Even though it might be cold outside, the pools are heated so they are always at a comfortable temperature which means lessons can continue even when it is cold or rainy.

Another benefit of this is that when outdoor sports might be cancelled due to the weather, swimming lessons can still continue giving you the option of staying active even in bad weather.

3. Keep the winter bugs away

There are some people that believe if get your hair wet or go out in the cold that you will get sick. This is actually not true and if you continue swimming in the winter it keeps you fit and helps to keep your immune system strong, which means students who swim through the winter are less likely to get the flu or catch a cold.

As long as you maintain your body heat when leaving the pool (by dressing warm), you will be doing yourself a favor to continue swimming through the winter months.

4. Repetition is key

As is the case with most sports, repetition is key for swimming. It is important to repeat certain actions on a regular basis, and if this stops for a few months during the winter a lot of progress will be lost.

It only takes about two or three missed lessons for an instructor to see a regression in the performance of a student. Over a period of a few months of missed lessons there is a lot of progress that is lost and that is why it is important to continue in the winter.

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5. Swimming makes you smarter

Swimming has been proven to assist with brain development, coordination, motor skills, concentration, academic performance and balance. Regular exercise is proven to be beneficial for your for your classroom work. A few months out of the water can cause a decline in performance.

6. Boosts your mood

Exercise releases endorphins in your brain which is a chemical that makes you feel good and boosts your mood. Swimming also helps to release stress and tension. The repetition and breathing also makes it a meditative exercise and helps you to relax and block out other distractions.

This is great during the winter, especially if you have to spend a lot of time indoors due to bad weather. Swimming during the winter months then gives you an opportunity to do something active and a change of scenery.

7. Safety

As soon as the winter is over your children will want to go back to the swimming or beach to go play in the water. If they are returning to the water after a long absence their survival skills will have regressed and they might not be safe in the water anymore. Continuing with lessons in the winter months means they will be much safer in the water when the summer comes.

Conclusion

There are many reasons not to stop swimming during the cold winter months. There are lots of 4-season pools available that make it possible to enjoy being in the swimming pool year round. Swimming has many benefits for the body and mind. But moreover, it is a very relaxing and joyful activity.

It is a blessing to be able to swim all year.