Do you know why drowning causes over 60% of unintentional child death in Toronto? According to research, an estimated 90% of those who have drowned lacked do not know how to swim. Even now, most people do not see the essence of learning to swim in Canada. While you may not often have to deal with big water bodies and swim long distances, it is crucial that you have basic practical knowledge of how to swim. Learning to swim can make you more confident in the water and reduce the risk of drowning when you can’t manage it anymore.
Why Take Swimming Lessons in Toronto?
Perhaps, you have wondered if there are any benefits of swimming lessons. Could there be more to swimming lessons than safety and fun? Let's take a look at some of the benefits here.
- Personal safety
Among the various benefits of swimming lessons lies personal safety. Let's imagine a scenario where you accidentally fall into a pool and are the only one there. You either get lucky, hope somebody comes by as soon as possible, or risk dying there. A good swimming lesson will first teach you the basic swimming techniques you can use to survive. Personal safety is one of the reasons why swimming lessons are necessary and beneficial. Do you want to be safe in the water? If yes, swimming lessons are for you!
- Aids cardiovascular health
Many exercises improve cardiovascular health. However, swimming is among the top 5 of these exercises. So not only do swimming lessons teach you to be safe, but it also teaches you to have fun and improves your heart functions more effectively.
- Improves lungs capacity
Among the first lessons, you'd encounter while learning to swim is how to control your breath underwater. This technique aids the efficient energy flow around your body and strengthens your lung capacity.
- Strengthens concentration
You need to focus more on how you breathe, your strokes, and how you move your feet when swimming. So even after you complete your swimming lessons, you can further practice and strengthen your concentration in any activity you may be involved in.
How Can I Learn to Swim as a Beginner in Toronto?
- Get comfortable floating
It can feel awkward floating in water sometimes. However, getting comfortable with it is one of the first steps you need before learning to swim. Hold on to the pool's edge, and let your body float gently on the water. Continue to practice this until you can float independently without the support of anything. See how good swimwear could increase your flexibility.
- Do not panic while you are in the water
You can get flustered or overwhelmed while swimming, especially on a big water body. Do not panic in this situation because while you panic, you also hasten your breathing which will enhance how fast you'd drown. When in crisis, stay calm and lay on your back as flat as you can while maintaining a calm breath. You will float steadily.
- Start kicking with your legs
Now that you are getting comfortable floating, you can start practicing kicking. You can use a kickboard to reference how far your kick can propel you. Here are some kicks you can try out
- Whip kick
From your hips to your knees and from your knees to your ankles, keep your legs firmly clasped together. Your thighs should remain together as you quickly draw your shins apart and move them in a circular motion while bending your knees to around a 90-degree angle. (Move your right leg to the right and your left leg to the left, tracing a half-circle with each leg.) At the bottom of the circle, reunite your shins and raise them once more to recommence the kick.
- Flutter kick
This technique requires you to point out your toes with your legs laying straight and alternating each as you make small kicks.
- Eggbeater kick
Begin with your legs slightly wider than hip-width apart and your knees bent. Next, "pedal" each leg as you would a bicycle, but with the reverse direction: one leg should pedal "ahead" while the other leg should pedal "backward."
Although it takes some getting accustomed, this one is useful for "resting" when your feet cannot touch the ground. This kick is frequently used to maintain a vertical position when swimming and keep your head and shoulders above the water. Learn about more techniques for becoming a perfect swimmer.
Can I Learn to Swim on My Own?
You can always learn to swim yourself. However, it will take you longer to master how to swim than when you receive the guidance of an instructor. Also, there are some pointers you should note as followes:
- Be fearless
One of the main hindrances that keep people from learning to swim is fear. If you intend to learn to swim on your own, you must let go of your worries and dive into the water. But of course, while you must let go of your fears, you must also behave with tactics. Make sure there are lifeguards, or you go swimming with friends who can swim and quickly get you out when there is a problem.
- Focus on a technique
While learning to swim, you may face temptations to go freestyle and swim. However, going freestyle while learning is not the right thing to do. Focus on a technique and master it; after you have mastered it, you can find another one to try out. There are enough online and offline resources to guide you on the various techniques you will like.
- Be intentional when asking for help
You have the drive to learn, which is excellent. Also, while you may want to be very enthusiastic and pessimistic about learning, you will face some learning challenges which you may be unable to solve. A willingness to ask questions or seek guidance will help you learn more quickly. Do not hesitate to ask an expert swimmer or instructor questions when you are having challenges mastering a swimming style. Can you take swimming lessons online? Find out!
Qualities Should You Expect from Your Swimming Instructor?
Now you've discovered the importance of swimming lessons; you also want to learn how to swim and have no intention of choosing the wrong swimming tutor. Among other qualities, a person you don't connect with will be unable to impact helpful knowledge. Although, in some cases, you may understand the concept of what they teach, you will learn more effectively under the guidance of an instructor you connect with. Aside from connecting with your tutor, let's look at the various qualities you should check before choosing an instructor to teach you how to swim.
- Safety
Whether you are an adult who wants to learn to swim or you want an instructor to teach your child to swim, the first thing you should look out for is safety. How attentive are these instructors to their students? You wouldn't want a wandering instructor teaching you or your child to swim. Who knows where they'd be when something wrong happens? An instructor should be attentive and have safety measures set out just in case any mishap occurs.
- Qualifications
Besides being a great swimmer, you should also be able to teach what you know effectively. When you find a swimming instructor, make sure they are certified before you'd pay for their services. Also, in other areas of our lives, we would usually prefer the training of a recognized expert who can impact necessary knowledge in the most concise way than a person who knows every nook and cranny of a subject but cannot teach it.
- Location
There are many swimming tutors in Canada. However, Take note of the proximity between you and your desired tutor into consideration. You should also note the pool they'd use in training you. Some tutors may use a single swimming pool, while some prefer to hold their teaching sessions in various pools. It would help if you asked your potential tutor for the location of his training pool or where they'd be training you; this is crucial because you may lose motivation to continue after discovering the location problem.
- People skills
An important skill, but people often overlook it. People skill, of course, is a soft skill, which entails that your instructor should be able to interact, listen and explain technical terms in the most straightforward way possible. More often, while you learn to swim, you may not understand some concepts or be unable to perform a specific technique. Do make sure your instructor is flexible and patient in situations like this. Also, find out if your prospective instructors can handle situations when lessons do not go as planned.
- Reliable
Everyone takes their time quite seriously, and if your prospective instructor doesn't respect your time, he isn't the right one for you. Take an instructor you can rely on to start your classes on time and end them at the right time.
Should Swimming Lessons Be Mandatory?
In my opinion, swimming lessons should be made mandatory. This opinion stems from the fact that more rapidly, the cases of drowning are increasing. Although swimming lessons may not wholly stop drowning cases, they will inherently reduce the rate of such cases.
Also, many people do not know the benefits of swimming, which is why they have a low interest in it. In addition to swimming lessons, people need to be reminded of the benefits of swimming. Direct emphasis on the health benefits would increase the average number of people willing to learn how to swim.
Where Can I Learn to Swim in Toronto?
Finding a great swimming instructor or an institute where you can learn to swim may be challenging for many in Toronto. This challenge doesn't dispute the fact that there are many instructors available. The issue of concern is you may find trouble looking for an instructor that fits ideally based on your demands. An ideal place to find swimming tutors easily is Superprof. You will discover various expert tutors, how they differ, and how they fit your requirements.
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