Five Benefits of Competitive Swimming

By: Jenn Grandlienard

Even though it’s been decades since I swam competitively, I can still remember the feeling in my stomach as I stepped up on the swimmer’s block. Made sure my goggles were secure. Made sure I didn’t have a wedgie. Took one last deep breath. Leaned over, grabbed the block. CRACK went the starting pistol.

Preparing for a race was nerve wracking. The whole day was full of “hurry up and wait.” You’d have to be there super early, but your race wasn’t necessarily the first one of the day. Lots and lots of standing around, watching other heats, until it was finally your turn. And then in just a few minutes it was over.

I loved being on the swim team at my local swim club. I grew up outside of Philadelphia, so you probably wouldn’t recognize the name. My brother, our friends and I would spend so many summer days at the swim club. Between swim practice and just having fun with friends, it was like a second home. My brother even held the record for backstroke until a few years ago. (And he’s 35, so that’s saying something!)

I didn’t continue competitive swimming after early elementary school, but some days I wish I had. I’ve attempted to swim some laps in the Xenia YMCA pool, and man do I get worn out quickly!

If you’ve never been a part of a competitive swim team before, you may not realize how many benefits there are to swimming. There are probably enough to write an entire book, but I’ve narrowed them down to my top 5.

1. It’s good for the body.

Swimming is an amazing, full-body workout. You use every part of your body. (They don’t call it “swimmer’s body” for no reason!) If you haven’t swam in a while and you start it up again, you’ll realize just how many muscles you use in swimming that you don’t use in everyday life. You use your upper body, core and lower body, in addition to it being an excellent cardio workout. Take up swimming regularly and I promise you, every other physical area of your life will improve.

2. It’s good for your brain.

You may not realize it, but swimming includes a lot of math. Counting strokes, laps and splits in your head is a natural part of swimming. Not to mention the coordination it takes to swim with your arms while simultaneously kicking your feet. So if you want your kid to be a math wiz, put them in swimming early on in life! ;)

3. It’s good for your safety.

According to the CDC, “everyday about 10 people die from unintentional drowning.” Drowning is the leading cause of death in children aged 1-4, and the fifth leading cause of death overall.

As a mom, this statistic petrifies me. As seen from the story of Olympic alpine skier Bode Miller, whose 19 month old daughter died in a neighbor’s swimming pool while her mom was just feet away inside, it can happen to ANYONE.

I made sure to get my kids comfortable in the water as early as I could. My grandmother has a pool, as do neighbors and of course the Xenia YMCA where we are members. I want to make sure my kids know what they are doing around water. Swimming lessons are a natural part of life for my family. Knowing they are comfortable and safe around water makes me feel much less stressed as a mom.

4. It’s good for character building.

As Taylor Swift quotes in her new song, ME!, “there’s no I in team.” Being a part of a swim team is a great introduction to what it means to be on a team. Yes, there are individual races, which are great for personal goal setting. But being on a relay is a great way to understand that the success of your goal is dependent on the hard work of everyone involved. Cheering others on, whether they’re in your relay or swimming in their own race is a great way to understand true encouragement. And even when you’re racing in individual races, your success goes towards the overall success of the entire swim team.

5. It’s good for life.

One of the great things about swimming is that it’s an exercise you can do for life. Unlike running, which can compromise your joints and bones over time, swimming is low impact. But even being low impact, swimming is still a better full-body workout than any other physical activity. No matter what age you are, swimming is still a great exercise. Walk into your local YMCA and in the span of a few hours, you’ll see babies and grandparents alike using the pool. You can never get too old for swimming!

If you or someone you know is interested in swim lessons, competitive swim team, or even aqua aerobics, make sure to check out your local YMCA for their many options! Click here for the Greater Dayton YMCA swimming opportunities.

Links:

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/water-safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html

19 month old daughter died in a neighbor’s swimming pool: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/07/30/bode-miller-and-wife-morgan-on-their-babys-drowning-it-happens-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/?utm_term=.6b70cf09649c

Click here for the Greater Dayton YMCA swimming opportunities: https://www.daytonymca.org/programs/swimming-ymca