The first time swimming was included as an Olympic sport was for the 1896 Olympic Games. Swimming though was practised way before, even as early as 2500 years BC by the Egyptians, Greeks and the Roman civilisation. These cultures practised swimming not only for recreational purposes but was also used by their warriors, athletes, and champion fighters as part of their physical training and recovery therapy meaning the multi-level benefits of swimming where appreciated from the earliest of times. In 17th century Japan teaching swimming was compulsory in schools and in early civilisations of the Pacific islands, for obvious reasons of their strong interaction and cultural ties with the sea, swimming was a natural skill to learn same as walking.
Swimming as an organised competitive sport started in the 1830’s with the first associations in the UK being formed and the first championships promoted. In 1908 a formal international body was formed to regulate water sport particularly for the Olympic Games under the title of Federation Internationale De Natation or FINA.
Nowadays swimming is a popular worldwide exercise enjoyed by many and utilised by professional athletes as part of their training and rehabilitation regimen. Swimming can be practised individually with different swimming strokes available namely the most commonly known being the freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. Other water related disciplines are diving, underwater diving, different forms of surfingand also team sport activities like synchronized swimming and waterpolo.
Benefits of swimming
- Excellent all-round full body exercise which helps build up endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness
- Low impact activity that helps maintain healthy joints and improves flexibility
- Water resistance exercise is a great muscle toner but eliminates the high impact stresses that the body would be subject to overland
- Recommended exercise for rehabilitation from injuries and other conditions like arthritis and multiple sclerosis
- Very popular therapeutic exercise for physically disabled patients in helping alleviating the pressures of gravity but at the same time being a good toning and muscle activation exercise from resistance of the water
- The humid environment can also be beneficial for people with asthmatic conditions
- On a more antagonistic aspect practising swimming burns a lot of calories therefore helps maintaining healthy weight and improve heart health and all the benefits related to and active lifestyle
- Apart from the physical benefits swimming is also known to boost mental health and recommended for relaxation therapies due to its relaxing and gravity reducing effects
- Recommended exercise during pregnancy
- Especially for an island like Malta it is easily accessible and an inexpensive form of exercise or enjoyment by many
So as you can see going for a swim is not only enjoyable but also inherently beneficial to everyone. Just be careful of jellyfish!!
Till next time
Stay Strong Stay Focused and Stay Safe
Neville
