Keep swimming, all year round.

For my last column of the season, I wanted to share the top reasons why I love to swim, and hopefully inspire more people to take the plunge!

You can swim all year round: as much as I love being outside in the summer enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and water, there is nothing better than a swim in a heated pool followed by a hot shower in the cooler months to refresh and energise you during the day time, or relax you ready for sleep in the evening.

It’s low impact: whether your discomfort is from injury or ageing, your muscles and joints are cushioned in the water, supported but also met with resistance as you swim or workout. When injured, modified swimming is the perfect way to burn calories and stay toned.

Swimming is an excellent calorie burner: Just 30 minutes of exercise in water is the equivalent of approximately an hour’s non-water exercise, and you even continue to burn calories even when you’ve gotten out of the pool!

Swimming makes us happy: Swimming can help improve mental well-being, reducing tension, anxiety, depression, anger, confusion and increasing energy levels. Due to rhythmic, aerobic exercise, use of large muscle groups and endorphins released, swimming always makes me feel better, physically and mentally. Swimming laps provides a great space to think, and some people find the repetitive strokes meditative.

Swimming makes us smarter: Research out of Griffith University showed that children who swim demonstrate more advanced cognitive and physical abilities than other children, including being anywhere from six to 15 months ahead of the normal population when it came to cognitive skills, problem solving in mathematics, counting, language and following instructions.

Swimming is for everyone: from birth to the very end, swimming is an activity that enhances a person’s life at every age and stage. It’s an all-round life skill: once you know how to swim, it’s a skill you can use for a lifetime, in so many ways and settings. You can try snorkeling, playing water polo, participating in water aerobics, swimming in a triathlon, or scuba diving – and demonstrate a level of comfort and enjoyment in the water that inspires your family, including your children, to do the same.

Swimming brings families together: whether its bonding with your baby during swimming lessons, enjoying the beach or poolside at home or on holidays, or supporting your competitive swimmer at meets, swimming time is often family time (especially as electronic devices and water don’t mix!)

Most importantly, swimming can save your life. That’s it. Bottom line. The number one reason why I love to swim, and will continue to swim regularly, all year round.

Until summer stay safer! Love to Swim, Swim for Safety, Swim for Life