Swimming is a Life Skill You Must Learn

Swimming has many benefits and applications in life, marking it as an important life skill everyone needs to learn whether as a child or in adulthood. It is never too late to learn!

The Swimming Room coach Stanley Tan lays out the top three reasons you need to learn to swim.

Safety

The most important aspect of knowing how to swim is staying safe in and around water. Even if you end up never swimming another lap in your life after swim lessons, you will eventually find yourself around a body of water and at risk for falling in. Singapore is an island (surrounded by water, of course), and is one of the countries with the most number of swimming pools. There are water hazards everywhere -- not just at swimming pools, but also at ponds, water parks, drains/canals, and beaches.

Human beings are adapted to walking on land with our own two feet, but learning to swim will allow you to be as comfortable in the water as you are walking on a sidewalk. Knowing how to move in and through water is paramount in dealing with emergency situations you may find yourself or your loved ones in.

Recreation

Being able to swim opens up a lot of recreational possibilities you couldn't engage in otherwise. Surfing, kayaking, boat fishing, water polo, scuba diving, and snorkeling are a few of the fun water activities you would sorely miss out on if you didn't know how to swim. Singapore is just a short flight away from amazing dive, surf, and beach spots, and knowing how to swim will help you enjoy them to the fullest.

Exercise, Health, and Wellness

According to the 2015 census, attendance recorded in public pools alone hit 6.8 million. Our 2011 national sports participation survey puts swimming as the second most popular sport.

Swimming is an activity that exercises the entire body. Water offers greater-than-air resistance, which provides great strength training. Swimming can be pursued throughout life as it is a low-impact sport and doesn't hurt your joints even if you swim frequently. Because water supports our body weight, even people with challenged mobility and special needs can learn to swim. The breath control swimming teaches you and the stronger lungs swimming gives you is also a great remedy for asthma.

Swimming can also provide psychological benefit, whether it's to help us learn to focus through challenging sets, or allow our minds to relax during slow easy swims. Learning to swim also provides a confidence boost and feeling of achievement.

For children learning to swim, it offers them a chance to become involved in a sport whether as an individual or as part of a team. They will learn the importance of practice, discipline, and teamwork which they can take with them throughout life and apply even in other situations.