Safety Tips For Open Water Swimming

The beach is always a popular destination for vacation and for having fun!  Many of us love to pack up our families and head to the beach for a summer vacation. There is just something about the water that helps calm and relax us while also providing hours of fun and entertainment. Or perhaps you live near a lake and are a frequent beachgoer.  Whatever your reason for ending up at the beach, it is important to be safe while swimming in the lake. Swimming in a lake is much different than swimming in a pool or any other body of water. There are tides, waves, currents, marine life, and other aspects to consider before you dive in. Take some time and read these safety tips for open water swimming before heading to the beach. Or even better, be sure to enroll your children or toddlers in swimming lessons before your trips to the beach.  Private swimming lessons are a great way to teach basic swimming skills to children and can reduce the risk of drowning.

Proper Supervision

First and foremost, only swim where there is a lifeguard present. While this should be a rule for you and your family for swimming in all bodies of water, it is especially important for swimming in open water. Lifeguards at the beach are not only trained in lifeguarding skills, but also in skills specifically related to water rescues. Additionally, only swim in designated swimming areas and never swim too far from shore. Currents are strong in the lake and waves can easily sweep small children away from safety in a hurry.  Always read the rules for swimming that should be posted near the lifeguard stand and make your children aware of them.

Weather/water conditions

Keeping track of weather and water conditions is also an important safety tip when it comes to open water swimming. Be aware of any incoming storms, strong winds, or lightning in the area. Strong weather conditions can create even stronger rip currents, which is one of the leading causes of drowning deaths in open water. Rip currents can form quickly and are very difficult to swim out of, especially for small children. Also be aware of the colored flags posted on the lifeguard stands, as these will indicate severe weather, strong currents, dangerous sea life, and other hazards.  If you are unsure of the meaning of the flags, ask the lifeguard. 

Never swim alone

Swimming alone is never a good idea, and allowing your children to swim unsupervised in open water is not safe. Even if you are positioned on the beach and they are within your sight, you might not be able to respond quick enough to help them in the event of an emergency. To be safer in open water, always swim with your children, or have another trusted adult who knows how to swim, be in the water with the children as well. This will insure that someone is within arm’s reach should an accident occur.

If you are looking for private swimming lessons for your child, or toddlers swimming lessons, contact Zodiac Swim School today. Their professional instructors have a class or lesson that can benefit your family and help teach safety for open water swimming.

Best Healthy Snacks For Swimmers: What to Eat After A Swim Workout

Swimming is a great sport, workout, and physical activity for all ages, but especially for kids.  Swimming can be a way for your child to stay healthy, stay safe in the water, make friends, and enjoy a hobby.  Many kids enjoy swimming as a summer camp activity as well. Many kids summer camps offer swimming as an activity they can participate in every day, and there are even summer camps that focus on only swimming! Also, competitive swimming can take a lot out of a child during both practices and races. Most competitive swimming matches can last anywhere from 15 seconds to 15-30 minutes.  And whether the race lasts a few seconds or a long time, swimming involves a great deal of cardio, endurance, and energy. That is why it is important to replace that energy with a healthy snack after a swim workout.  

Recovering after a swim and replacing the needed energy the body has used for swimming.  It is not uncommon for children to feel very hungry after swimming. It is important to remember that both food and liquid are important to refuel the body after a swim and eating the snack within 30 minutes of the workout is the best option for quick and safe recovery. Here are some snacks that are the best healthy snacks for a swimmer to have after a swim workout. Be sure to pack some of these snacks in a lunchbox before your kids leave for summer camp!

Protein

Protein is a great post swim workout snack. Proteins are chock full of amino acids that help repair the muscles in the body, making it perfect to eat after a workout.  Protein can also help to eliminate muscle soreness the day after the workout. Protein is always an important party of any diet, but especially important after a long workout due to its replenishing abilities. Here are some examples of some healthy snacks that have enough protein to help refuel the body after a swim workout: eggs, vegetables, tuna, fish, and low-fat chocolate milk.

Carbohydrates

Another type of healthy snack to help refuel the body after a swim workout is carbohydrates. While many people try to steer clear of carbohydrates, they serve a purpose when it comes to helping replenish the body after a swim workout.  Carbohydrates help supply energy to the muscles and any avid swimmer should consume at least 50-60 percent carbohydrates out of their total diet for the day.  Carbohydrates also help glycogen levels stay even during and after a swim. Some examples of healthy snacks with carbohydrates can include bagels, oatmeal, bananas, raisins, pancakes, eggs, ham, breads, and pasta. Also, keep in mind that carbohydrates can also come in liquid form such as low-fat milk, smoothies packed with fruits and juice, or meal replacement drinks. This is a great option if there is not enough time to have one of the food items.

If your kids want to attend a summer camp and participate in a great summer camp activity like swimming, find out more about Zodiac Camps, Swim & More and the camps and activities they have to offer!

Fun Ways To Learn To Swim

Learning to swim is a critical aspect of childhood. So many children are lost each year to accidental drowning due to falling into pools or water areas and not being able to swim. Giving them the skills that swimming schools for kids or even swimming programs for kids can give will help them to learn the much needed survival skills around water. You don’t want them to be afraid of the water but you want them to learn to respect it and know what to do if they happen to fall into a pool.

Play Games

There are a variety of games that you and your child can play while they are learning the skills of swimming. These games seem fun and exciting but in reality they are teaching vital swimming skills. One game is called Motorboat. You will hold your child under their arms facing you and you begin to walk backwards. As you walk it will pull your child into a front floating position and help them get used to the horizontal position in swimming. You can encourage them to kick their legs as they float or make boat noises to bring in the fun. They are having a blast while they are learning different swimming techniques.

You can teach them how to control their breathing underwater with a game called talk to the fishies. Have your child blow bubbles in the water and then turn and listen for the fish to respond. This allows them to learn how to control their breathing and turn their head, typical in swimming, to get a breath of their own. 

Swimming Programs

You can find many communities that offer swimming programs for kids to help them learn the basics of floating, swimming, and breathing during the activities in the water. You may choose to put them in a swimming school for kids or you may find a program that is part of your gym or workout facility. Whichever route you choose, it is best to find one that not only teaches swimming but survival. Some of the programs available teach children how to float when they are fully clothed. This is typically how children fall into a pool and you want them to learn how to stay calm and float even if they have winter clothes on. 

Learning to swim is a critical part of childhood and is one that you should start teaching as soon as they are old enough to go in the water. Some programs start as young as three months old teaching babies to float and play. Work with Zodiac Swim School to see how you can give your child confidence in the water and how you can know that they have the skills they need to have fun this summer. You’re sure to love the different swimming programs and classes available. You can rest assured your child will learn how to swim and have the confidence they need to feel comfortable around all sorts of bodies of water. 

Swimming For Senior Citizens Prevents Falls

It is common knowledge that swimming is an excellent form of exercise. Swimming can not only help improve cardiovascular health, stamina, endurance, and build muscle.  Swimming also tones the body as a result of the resistance that is created by moving the limbs of the body throughout the water. But what most people don’t realize about swimming is that it can also improve upon balance. This is especially important for senior citizens, as they often experience off-kilter balance that can lead to frequent falls.  So in short, swimming can help senior citizens to prevent falls. If you have an elderly friend or family member, talking to them about enrolling in a swimming program that is a certified program and include Red Cross Swimming levels could help them improve their balance in addition to improving their overall health. 

Improving Balance

Swimming helps improve balance by increasing strengths in the joints, muscles, and core. All of these areas in the body are imperative to improving balance. By improving upon the core muscles in the body, the body is able to have more trunk control and prevent falls. Another way swimming improves balance is because swimming requires the arms and legs to work in a coordinated motion, which helps to improve coordination when walking. Improved coordination leads to reduced falls. Swimming also increases flexibility in the hips and knees, which means looser (corrected spelling from loser) joints. When joints are stiff, falls can occur more often as the legs are not able to function properly and allow coordinated walking. Less falls can lead to less injuries and a long life expectancy. 

Types of Water Exercises for Seniors

Besides the obvious water exercise of swimming laps, there are many exercises that seniors can participate in that will help improve upon their overall health and balance.  Water walking and running is an exercise that requires simply walking or running/jogging throughout the shallow end of the pool. You can walk forward, backward, and from side to side in order to walk all of the muscle groups. Seniors can also participate in strength training in the water by using specially designed resistance equipment made specifically for strength training in the water. Many swimming programs for adults offer the use of this equipment as part of a class or for members’ use. Many swimming programs also offer aerobics classes for seniors. Water aerobics classes are a great way to have fun, meet others, and workout the entire body in the water for improved balance.  

As you can see, swimming and water exercises are a great way for senior citizens to not only improve their overall health in every way, but to also improve their balance.  Improving balance is key to reducing the risk of falls for seniors and decreasing injuries. If you or someone you know are searching for a swimming program, aerobics class, or other water activity for seniors, Zodiac Swim School is the place to go.  They offer a wide variety of classes for all ages that can benefit overall health. 

Swimming Helps In Childhood Obesity Prevention

It is common knowledge that childhood obesity is a major issue in today’s society.  The statistics of childhood obesity is staggering and a bit scary, as so many of our children are suffering from childhood obesity. Obesity can lead to other, more serious disorders that could have easily been avoided with a healthy diet and consistent activity. These disorders can include high cholesterol and diabetes, diseases which are typically not a concern until well into adulthood. With the many concerns that parents face in relation to their children, childhood obesity should not have to be one of them. That is why it is important for parents to understand ways they can combat childhood obesity. One of those ways is through activity, and what better activity for children to participate in than swimming?!  Allowing your child to participate in private swimming lessons in order to learn the proper way to swim has a wide range of benefits that can help your child stay active and avoid obesity.  Not to mention, children love swimming! It is a fun activity that doesn’t feel like exercise at all!  Here are some ways that swimming can fight obesity. 

Movement

Movement is a key factor in preventing childhood obesity.  Swimming is a great way to implement movement into your child’s life.  Swimming is a sport and activity that any child can participate in and be successful at.  All children can learn to swim, as they do not need to be athletic to do so.  Private swimming lessons can teach your child different swimming strokes and allow them to swim laps for exercise, play games in the pool, etc.  Even playing games in the pool is promoting movement and physical fitness!  Swimming also promotes flexibility and cardiovascular health, which can lead to additional benefits. It is also an activity that is easier on the joints that other sports.

Other Health Benefits

As mentioned above, swimming is also a great way to promote cardiovascular health, which helps to strengthen the heart and lungs.  And a strong cardiovascular system lessons the risk of childhood obesity. Swimming also strengthens muscles and improves balance and posture. The resistance of the water as the arms and limbs move throughout the pool provides muscle building conditioning.  

It is easy to see how swimming can benefit the overall health of your child.  The sport of swimming is often overlooked as being a sport that can do so much for the health of the human body. However, with the proper technique learned through private swimming lessons, your child can both enjoy their time in the water and increase their overall health. There is also the added benefit of being assured that your child is safe in the pool due to their being properly trained.  When searching for private swimming lessons for your child, it is important to keep in mind that the instructor should be certified in the Red Cross swimming levels in order for your child to learn the proper technique.  Zodiac Swim School offers a variety of swimming instructors that are Red Cross certified and can teach your child properly and safely.